Good news for those who like both the iPhone and Little Boots: RjDj has released the Little Boots Reactive Remixer.

What is that, you ask? Well, here is a brief description straight from RjDj’s blog of what the app does:

Together with Little Boots herself we reactified three of her songs and turned them into RjDj scenes. The result is the first reactive remixing app where fans of either Little Boots or reactive music can use reality to remix her tracks.

The best way to see how the app works is to watch the tutorial done by Little Boots.

Welcome one, welcome all, to my music review for 2009, listing what I feel to be the 13 strongest albums of the year, A – Z, with bonus additional honorable mentions at the end.  Let’s jump in!

Artist: Amesoeurs, Album: Amesoeurs, Genre(s): Black Metal, Post-Punk/Shoegaze, Key tracks: Heurt, Recueillement, Au Crépuscule de Nos Rêves

This was an anxious wait for me, having loved the band’s 2005 EP “Ruines Humaines”, and it was well worth it.  Headed by Neige, known from similarly amazing band Alcest, the long tracks, progressive melodies, and inspired vocals are more than enough for anyone who wants to lay back with some gorgeous metal riffs and get lost.  Personally, I feel as though the first half of the album is superior to the second, but the whole is completely solid and majorly deserving of a listen, especially since they broke up and this is all we’re going to get from them. (site: myspace.com/amesoeurs)

Artist: Bat For Lashes, Album: Two Suns, Genre(s): Alternative, Indie, Synthpop, Key tracks: Sleep Alone, Daniel, Pearl’s Dream

Natasha Khan is a dream come true.  The former nursery school teacher followed up her stellar 2006 effort “Fur and Gold” with a lyrical dreamscape, touching on the duality of body and mind, love and hate, dream and dreamer.  The philosophical nature of the album, the high production values, and layers thick tunes show not only a great musician at work, but a lifelong artist just starting to bloom. (site: batforlashes.com)

Artist: Circulatory System, Album: Signal Morning, Genre(s): Indie, Psychedelic rock, Key tracks: Overjoyed, The Breathing Universe, Signal Morning

The old dogs who are only now starting to show their tricks, Signal Morning marks the band’s second album, the first being all the way back in 2001 with their self-titled release which was a beautiful accomplishment all it’s own.  Formed by Will Cullen Hart, known for Elephant 6, the new album has been gracing radio stations like my local WRAS 88.5, and rightfully so.  The quick paced tracks whiz by leaving a trail of colors and comfort usually found only in your favorite narcotic. (site: myspace.com/thecirculatorysystem)

Artist: Janita, Album: Haunted, Genre: Soul, Key tracks: Do We Learn, Martian, Travels Of Your Mind

This is an artist that hit me like 2.865 tons of bricks upon first listening, and I am ever impressed by this album.  The obnoxiously good looking Janita, originally from Finland, currently residing in Brooklyn, NY, stitched together great song after great song, creating a practically filler-less release packed with heart and truth.  Since discovering the album driving has been much more relaxing, and hella cooler.  This is one of my highest suggestions on the entire list. (site: janita.com)

Artist: KiD CuDi, Album: The Man On The Moon: The End Of Day, Genre: Hip-Hop, Alternative Rap, Key tracks: Soundtrack 2 My Life, Solo Dolo, Day N Nite

This album is a tortured soul, an emotional haymaker, and one of the best releases of 2009, easily.  Originally from Shaker Heights, OH, Scott Mescudi aka KiD CuDi has taken what is obviously a lot of pain and grief and turned into a huge success, blowing up this year on numerous continents.  The candid, truthful story telling of the album is it’s most endearing quality, followed closely behind the cleverly crafted lyrics that are lighthearted and dead serious all the same.  This is a must listen.  (site: myspace.com/kidcudi)

Artist: Lady GaGa, Album: The Fame Monster, Genre: Pop, Key tracks: Bad Romance, Speechless, Alejandro

Now, I know there’s a lot of bandwagon fans of Lady GaGa, but I am genuinely impressed by the girl who is probably going to become the Madonna of a whole new generation (and is better than Madonna, in my opinion).  From teaching herself to play piano to a young age and being an accomplished song writer before ever laying down her own vocals with the intention of them being heard, her comprehension of fame, art, and filth, and the circle of those things, is unparalleled and her addictive pop jams are total proof.  She may have been born in New York, but she now belongs to the world.  And most impressive to me is that this album apparently came about because crybaby Kanye West dropped out of their tour and instead of complaining or being sour, the girl went to work, putting together another stellar release.  (site: ladygaga.com)

Artist: Little Boots, Album: Hands, Genre: Electronica, Dance, Pop, Key tracks: Click, Meddle, Symmetry

Victoria Hesketh isn’t just beautiful, she’s brilliant.  This album is one of the finest of 2009, and one of the best debut releases I can remember, ever.  From writing and performing, often using bizzare instruments, this album has range from pure dance fodder to heavier jams filled with spirit and caffeine.  To make matters even better, every live performance I’ve seen and heard is on par with or superior to the album, which is all too rare and made to look all too easy by this sensation you should keep your eyes and ears on for years to come. (site: myspace.com/littleboots)

Artist: Mandy Moore, Album: Amanda Leigh, Genre: Folk-Pop, Key tracks: Merrimack River, Pocket Philosopher, Bug

Years advanced from the bubblegum and “Candy”, the gorgeous and multi-talented Mandy Moore put out an album filled with front porch ballads and endearing yarns about love and life that is so enchanting and delightful it may as well come with a drug warning because it will put you in a lovely mood.  The only question is how many tracks, and for most I’d imagine the answer would be only 1.  One of the biggest surprises to me this year, Mandy not only sets the bar unebelievably high for her next release but has made a lifelong fan with this gem of an album.  (site: mandymoore.com)

Artist: Metric, Album: Fantasies, Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative, Key tracks: Twilight Galaxy, Gimme Sympathy, Stadium Love

Not only is this album one where any random track could be chosen as a single, but Metric truly outdid themselves in every way possible here on their 4th LP.  Emily Haines and company have literally taken long strides and leaps for the baby steps of their previous efforts and the successes they enjoy are every bit earned.  The songs are sometimes same and sometimes adventerous, sometimes profound and sometimes a little footloose and fancy free, made even better by a wonderful tracklisting designed around the 10 glowing tracks.  This album made it on the list quite easily. (site: ilovemetric.com)

Artist: Mono, Album: Hymn to The Immortal Wind, Genre: Post-Rock, Key tracks: Burial At Sea, Follow The Map, Everlasting Light

Without a doubt, the scope of this album dwarfs that of all others on this list.  The veteran Japanese band outdid themselves with this, their 5th LP.  Like the score to an epic film, Mono creates a completely lyric-less tale of tension, release, beauty, courage, fear, determination, loss, and, of course, love.  Produced by Steve Albini, one would expect nothing less than a well crafted sound, but Mono really brought their best here, making a copy of this album on 8-track still a wonder to hear. (site: mono-jpn.com)

Artist: Regina Spektor, Album: Far, Genre: Pop, Anti-Folk, Key tracks: Eet, Blue, Two Birds

Like the cloud painted piano on the album cover, I feel a freshness of air and lightness when listening to this, Regina’s 5th LP.  Some playful tracks on the second half put you in a good place with some toe tapping, but some earlier tracks carry a heaviness that, when mixed with Ms. Spektor’s fantastic vocals and piano lines, make for some of the best listening this year.  It wasn’t easy to follow up 2006’s Begin To Hope, but like a real professional the goal was met on time and brilliantly. (site: reginaspektor.com)

Artist: The Twilight Sad, Album: Forget The Night Ahead, Genre: Indie Rock, Key tracks: Reflection of the Television, That Room, The Birthday Present

I love this band so much it’s almost painful.  The 4 guys from Kilsyth, Scotland, follow up their 2007 album Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters (which was easily one of the best releases that year) with another killer disc filled with as much torment as previous releases, but with a new found clarity to match their already eardrum rupturing intensity.  Once again, as with prior releases, it is James Graham’s vocals that sell the package, give you a discount, then takes it back from you in the parking lot when you least expect him to impress you further.  If you haven’t heard these guys you are doing yourself a real disservice! (site: myspace.com/thetwilightsad)

Artist: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Album: It’s Blitz!, Genre: Indie Rock, Dream Pop, Key tracks: Heads Will Roll, Dull Life, Runaway

I was sold on Karen Orzolek, Nick Zinner, and Brian Chase already with their two massively entertaining prior releases, but hearing their growth while sticking to their guns on this release is awesome.  Numerous tracks are instajams and watching them live is still as surreal an experience as watching people on a stage can be.  While I knew I wanted this album on the list, for sure, I struggled with making 15 slots or so, instead of 13, because of Karen’s Where The Wild Things Are soundtrack.  2009 was an incredible year for music in general, but especially for the YYYs. (site: yeahyeahyeahs.com)

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If I had my the list would have been twice as long, what with 2009 being one of the best years for music in decades and all, but 13 is a good, even number.  But it’s not enough!  Thus, the HONORABLE MENTIONS.  I post the album cover, you click on it to learn what it is (if not already apparent).  Sound good?  Great.

]]> http://billysuede.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/every-little-earthquake/ Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:46:20 +0000 Billy Suede http://billysuede.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/every-little-earthquake/

“How many countless nights
I try me best to hide
Soon as you slam the door
My tears fall to the floor
I know that people change
Maybe your not to blame
But must you burn a hole
So deep into my soul“

Oh dear Victoria. You really shouldn’t have! They say the third time’s the charm and I dare say that old axiom does indeed ting true yet again. Now I know that Remedy made it into the UK Top Ten. I know how irresistible and glamtastic the song is but It must be said that deep in the cockles of my heart I was hoping against hope that at least one of two fave tracks from Hands would indeed be released as a single. My prayers have been answered and here’s Earthquake! The second track on the record but first in our hearts has made its way to the charts and a clear ascent is to be expected for such a wonderful song.

Lyrically we find our heroine telling us a tale about the tug-of-war that is a relationship when things start going sour and how delicate a task it is to rekindle the flame. I know what you’re thinking. Gee. Nothing new there. I would say you would right but since it’s Little Boots and she is so cute delivering the lyrics in the video and in the song that you simply have to let it slide. Isn’t that what pop music is all about?

Little Boots on MySpace
Little Boots on Facebook
Little Boots on Twitter

“Earthquake” by Little Boots, taken from the 679 release, “Hands”

A nova princesa dos sintetizadores.

Little Boots nome artístico de Victoria Hesketh é a cantora e tecladista inglesa (04.05.1984), da cidade de Blackpool, cujas influências incluem David Bowie, Gary Numan & Kate Bush. Victoria Hesketh adotou o nome de Little Boots um ano depois de sair do trio de música independente Dead Disco e seguir pelo caminho da música pop com sintetizadores.

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Download do CD Hands na magem abaixo.

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Shameless plug of the day: you need new kicks! Go to Footlocker.com and use my code AFTOP515 and get 15% OFF any order!!

Or if you’re less of a Sneaker Pimp and more of an Internet Hustler, head on over to GoDaddy.com and get your dream domain – ladygagasucks.com – for only 7.49!! Just use my code TOP7 — go now and Heather will love you forever!

Synthpop is the subgenre of New Wave and Pop where the synthesizer is the dominant sound. Originated during the new wave – late 70s early 80s – and big time reemerged in the mid to late 2000s — which leads us to today’s show. We’re counting down the top 5 leading solo female singer/songwriter synthpop artists who use 80s-style synths and who embody a sort of futuristic, mythical, or generally outlandish fashion and performance style.

5. Alison Goldfrapp AKA Goldfrapp

4. Natasha Kahn AKA Bat for Lashes

3. Victoria Hesketh AKA Little Boots

2. Julie Budet AKA Yelle

1. Elly Jackson AKA La Roux

PS. Synthesizers are sexy.

Now it’s your turn! What female synthpop honies have you been geeking out to? Leave me your list as a comment below!!

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Little Boots nome artístico de Victoria Hesketh é a cantora e tecladista inglesa (04.05.1984), da cidade de Blackpool, cujas influências incluem David Bowie, Gary Numan & Kate Bush. Victoria Hesketh adotou o nome de Little Boots um ano depois de sair do trio de música independente Dead Disco e seguir pelo caminho da música pop com sintetizadores.

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Abaixo o CD Hands para vcs:

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Tamanho: 61,03MB

Fonte: 4shared.com

Formato: MP3

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No more poison
Killing my emotion
I will not be frozen
Dancing is my remedy, remedy, oh
Stop stop preying
Coz I’m not not playing
I’m not frozen
Dancing is my remedy, remedy, oh

Hot off the presses, ladies and gentlemen! It’s the promo film for the brand new Little Boots single Remedy! An absolute stomper of a tune taken from an album of stompers that should rightly find itself at the top of the UK charts. Never mind my crush on dear Victoria but is there anything more precious and inviting than a lovely young woman surrounded by synthesizers? I dare say that I think not, my friends! Part Madonna, part Kylie, all good in my book.

So I really should have written this review when my CD arrived (2 days before the release! Thank you Amazon ).

But anyway the truth is i’ve been too busy listening to it!

Lets begin

Track 1 – New in Town

If you’ve heard of Little Boots, you’ll have heard of this song by now. Great song, with a pop/electro feel. Although it wouldnt have been my first choice for a first release.

Track 2 – Earthquake

Apparently it was originally meant to the the first single release from the album. And I’m glad they changed it. This song has more of a 90’s pop feel about it which isn’t really my taste, but nevertheless its still a good song

Track 3 – Stuck on Repeat

If, like me, you were a fan of Dead Disco, before Little Boots broke off on her own then you may have already heard of this song. One of the best songs on the album, and this version sounds a little better in my opinion.

Track 4 -Click

This song was a delight for me, as it was the first song on the album that I hadn’t heard previously. And its great, once again with the 80’s electro pop style, that has definatly come back around

Track 5 – Remedy

Best song on the album. Addictive and just brilliant. And apparently the second single that will be released.  :)

(And doesnt the beginning sound like the Beetlejuice song?)

Track 6 – Meddle

Once again if you have been a fan of Little Boots for awhile, then you will already know this song. Or if you watch Skins it was on Naomi’s episode a few months back. Brilliant song, and the first song I ever heard from Little Boots which made me love her so much

Track 7 -Ghosts

I’m in two parts whith this track, it’s starts of great, and then the chorus kicks in, and for some reason i fell that it just never kicks in. So it is a good song, but just not great.

Track 8 – Mathematics

Another song I fell in love with when I got the Little Boots EP a few months ago, my second favourite song on the album.

Track 9 – Symetry

Another song i’m currently addicted to, its definatly fighting its way into second place at the moment

Track 10 – Tune into my Heart

Now in my opinion this song lets the album down, too cheesy for me thank you :S

(Edward Scissorhands song at the Beginning!?)

Track 11 – Hearts Collide

Not a bad song, but not a great song either, Little Boots definatly put the best songs at the beginning of the album.

Track 12 (Bonus Track) – No Brakes

Starts out with a great 80s style, but then it just sounds similar to the last 2 songs. But the bonus track that comes after is quite sweet

So in conclusion, this album is great, but maybe skip the last 3 songs

]]> http://ambijans.wordpress.com/2009/06/09/hands-little-boots/ Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:01:37 +0000 ambijans http://ambijans.wordpress.com/2009/06/09/hands-little-boots/

Gisteren was er de officiële release van de debuutcd van Victoria Hesketh aka Little Boots. Een meer dan prettige doortocht bij ‘Later with Jools Holland’ en getipt als één van de (mogelijke) muzikale revelaties voor 2009. Dan zijn de verwachtingen natuurlijk terecht hooggespannen. Ze stond oorspronkelijk op de affiche van Polsslag, maar dat optreden ging door omstandigheden niet door. Ik hoop stilletjes nog een beetje op Pukkelpop.

‘Hands’ trapt af met de huidige nieuwe single ‘New in town’, een heel catchy nummer dat onmiddellijk blijft hangen. ‘Earthquake’ doet me dan weer een beetje denken aan het Scandinavische popnimfje Annie. Ook dat is een compliment want het nummer klinkt redelijk fris. ‘Stuck on repeat’ was volgens mij het allereerste dat ik ooit heb gehoord van Little Boots. Wel jammer dat ze een radio-edit op de cd hebben gezet, want het origineel duurde bijna 7 minuten en was in mijn ogen een stuk krachtiger.

‘Click’ vind ik persoonlijk het minst goeie nummer van de cd. ‘Remedy’ is dan weer iets speels voor op de dansvloer. Licht verteerbare brok popmuziek. Waarna alweer een hoogtepunt volgt dat ‘Meddle’ heet. Hierin wordt, net zoals in enkele andere nummers trouwens, gebruik gemaakt van een Japans high-tech speelgoedje, de Tenori-on. ‘Ghosts’ is ook een knap experimenteel stukje muziek. ‘Mathematics’ is dan weer een electropopdeuntje volgens de beste traditie. ‘Symmetry’ had iets van Kylie Minogue kunnen zijn vind ik. Vocaal wordt ze hier trouwens ondersteund door Phil Oakey, zanger van The Human League. Giorgio Moroder is m.a.w. nooit ver uit de buurt.

‘Tune into my heart’ bewijst opnieuw dat de meest memorabele poppareltjes makkelijk in drieënhalve minuut gebald raken. Vreemd genoeg klinkt het zelfs een beetje als Human League maar dan met Kylie Minogue vocals. ‘Hearts collide’ is prachtige synthpop waarna de reguliere cd eindigt met ‘No brakes’. Naar het schijnt staat er nog een fantastische ‘hidden track’ op, ‘Broken heart’, een persoonlijke en nogal donkere pianosong die wordt vergeleken met Adele. Helaas heb ik ‘m niet gehoord.

Wat mij betreft een zeer fijn cd’tje, dat waarschijnlijk het best gedijt in de huiskamer en op hippe radiozenders. Little Boots werkte voor deze cd o.a. samen met mensen die voorheen ook al achter de knoppen zaten bij Lily Allen en Hot Chip en ze heeft wellicht ook een beetje de mosterd bij Madonna gehaald. Maar daar hoort u ons allerminst over klagen. Zou ik dit cd’tje nu warm aanbevelen aan vriend of vijand? Vast én zeker! Victoria Hesketh is nog maar 24, maar ze heeft nu al een mooie toekomst voor zich wat mij betreft. Liefhebbers kunnen trouwens op haar blog terecht.

UPDATE

Het wordt een mooie Pukkelpopeditie dit jaar. Little Boots speelt dit jaar op zaterdag 22 augustus op Pukkelpop.

Little Boots
Hands •••½
679 / Atlantic

This debut solo album from former Dead Disco frontwoman Victoria Hesketh has been a long time coming. From the excited mutterings over ‘Stuck On Repeat’ 18 months ago to topping the BBC Sound of 2009 poll and beyond, she has been all over the music press with relatively little new material provided to support the quickly amassing hype. With the eventual release of first ‘proper’ single ‘New In Town’ a couple of weeks ago, it seemed that interest in Little Boots may have waned somewhat as the song landed disappointingly outside of the top 10.

Many a heart may have sank upon first hearing its opening Goldfrappian synth stabs – especially as there had been many lazy, incorrect comparisons made between the two already, even about the outright disco of ‘Stuck On Repeat’ – but it’s hard not to enjoy ‘New In Town’; hitting the chorus within the 50 second mark, it firmly works its hooks into your head, and ’New In Town’ is far from being the only track tailored for a snappy appeal. Immediacy is the modus operandi of Hands, and the album makes no apologies for it. Should it have to? Perhaps things looked like they were going to be edgier, but before she’d even released her first single Hesketh had got to a level where the question was always a matter of shifting units as well as artistic vision. That said, the tracks that got Hesketh her ‘one to watch’ reputation (‘Stuck On Repeat’, ‘Meddle’, ‘Mathematics’) don’t sound out of place on an album of such pop credentials. 

It is quite an achievement for an artist to cover the ground between the comparatively sparse ‘Click’, with its scattered drums and electric fuzz, to the all-out, hands-in-the-air, don’t-bore-us-get-to-the-chorus pop-crux of Hands, ‘Remedy’, and Hesketh sounds committed at all times. Elsewhere, ’Earthquake’ kicks off with what seems to be an oscillator building up to the brink of explosion; then, when everything does come crashing in, it’s full-on, stadium-sized pop. Again, the chorus is reached well within a minute, and at one point the song appears to come to a close only to burst back in again, just to make sure you’ll remember it. ‘Hearts Collide’ has the same shimmery pull as Kylie Minogue’s ‘Love At First Sight’, and it tells a similar story of finding love when you’re not looking for it.

It’s Hesketh’s malleability, however, that may be working against her. Is this really the album she wanted to make? On some of the glossier moments on Hands, it’s hard to shift the nagging image of Hesketh being tweaked, polished and styled a little too much by the record label – but not entirely against her will. This makes it difficult to grasp what Little Boots actually is and how she can progress. Whereas, musically, Hands succeeds where recently Kylie keeps failing, and is certainly more consistent than Lady Gaga’s The Fame, Kylie still has the heritage and Gaga keeps pushing her image further and further. If there’s nothing beyond well-produced, catchy music to buy into, perhaps there’s nothing to distract from the stigma attached to pop.

It’s a fallacy that pop is easy to write though, and despite often veering into lyrical clichés Hands is full of incredibly well written music however you choose to approach it. Perhaps the best way to enjoy it is to stop contextualising and wondering about the back story and just let it do what it was made to do: bring you guilt-free sonic pleasure.

Daniel Clatworthy
UK release date: 08/06/09; www.myspace.com/littlebootsmusic

‘New In Town’

“The future’s female, the future’s electro. Pop is the new indie”

Albert Einstein

“Earthquake” By Little Boots

Unless you’ve been living in a cave or possibly Northampton you will surely be familiar with the name Little Boots. Apparently the whole future of pop music rests on her slender shoulders.  I was first alerted to the existence of this musical entity by Victoria “Little Boots” Hesketh herself!  Having completed an interview with a band with whom Ms H was lead vocalist, the excellent Dead Disco (interview here), I received a message from her saying that she was sorry if she’d messed up my interview  “I have actually left the band now I hope they do well as it’s a great band and Lucy and Marie are very talented musicians. I have a new project, it’s called Little Boots but it’s still in the very early stages, it’s more pop/ electronic.” I wished her good luck and heard nothing more on the Little Boots front until… she re-emerged surfing a monumental tidal wave of hype which threatened to completely engulf her.  She was hailed somewhat absurdly, as the “saviour of pop” before she’d released a solitary tune,  sniffy critics were unimpressed and many were quick to distance themselves from the delirium that surrounded Miss Boots.  Sensibly Victoria and her team didn’t rush to release the debut album “Hands” but quietly got on with the business of producing the album they wanted to make. Now some six months after the initial bout of Boots induced  mass hysteria, the waters of pop are somewhat calmer and the album has finally arrived, the question is, does it live up to the hyperbole?  Is she the “future of pop?” Or is she a  Cbeebies version of Goldfrapp.

The proof, as they say, is in the pudding and upon listening to the album it appears the hype is somewhat justified as Little Boots comes very close to producing the prefect pop album. “Hands” is a pop behemoth, its big, its brash and it’s full of energy and enthusiasm. The choice of “New in Town”, as lead single was difficult to fathom  and although it’s a grower I still can’t shake the impression that Victoria was watching TV the day she wrote this one and the annoying  “Here Comes The Girls” ad for Boots The Chemist ( no relation) somehow burrowed its way into her consciousness. Things really kick off in earnest with the euphoric tranced out rush of “Earthquake”, indeed experts may one day declare this tune the ultimate example of how to write and produce the perfect commercial pop song.  It’s a song that grabs you by your skinny tie and hurls you around the dance floor with carefree abandon; it also boasts a chorus bigger than Blackpool tower.

Other highlights include “Mathematics” a killer pop tune, Victoria may well not know her “Fibonacci or Pythagoras” but she certainly knows the formulae for making glittering, danceable pop. “Click” is the sort of song much beloved by 80’s teen flick maestro John Hughes; one can almost imagine it playing in the background whilst Hughes zooms in on Molly Ringwald’s strangely appealing face. Molly looks reflective, as she stoically tries to recover from yet another broken heart, a single tear slowly slides down her alabaster skin…. “Tune Into My Heart” keeps things firmly in the 80’s pop arena and conjures up memories of “Let’s Hear It For The Boy” from “Footloose” unfortunately this also invokes the unwelcome spectre of absurdly mulleted Kevin Bacon, replete in tie dyed jeans enthusing “Hey, hey! What’s this I see? I thought this was a party. LET’S DANCE!” Like Thatcherism and “The Hit Man And Her” some things from the 80’s should never be revisited!

“Symmetry” features a duet with Christian Bale in Batman mode sound alike, Phil Oakey. It compares favourably with anything on the Human League’s breakthrough pop classic “Dare” and works fantastically well. Doubtless it will inspire the young ‘uns to investigate The Human Leagues back catalogue and one wonders what they will make of tracks such as “A Crow And A Baby” and “Empire State Human”

Not everything comes off; there are a couple of tracks that would surely be welcomed by Bernard Matthews with open arms. “Ghosts” for example is a real clunker; the idea may well have been to produce a slightly off kilter, kooky 80’s style Kate Bush inspired number. Unfortunately the song lumbers about with all the grace of Hagrid’s clumsy brother Grawp (from Harry Potter) before tripping over its ambition and landing on its bottom in an undignified heap.  “Remedy” is pure Euro kitsch, camper than God’s own panto dame Christopher Biggins performing “Go West” and will probably be everybody’s holiday song this year. Imagine a Lithuanian Laura Branigan performing at the Eurovision and you’re in the right ball park….But these are but minor gripes, on the whole if it’s a pure pop album you’re looking for, you can’t go wrong getting your hands on erm..  “Hands”! Unlike the personality vacuum that is the empty pop machine known as Girls Aloud, “Hands” has Hesketh’s pop vision running throughout,   like embossed letters through Blackpool rock. It won’t change your life, indeed one suspects that if you’re looking to Pop music to help initiate that sort of change, you’re looking in completely the wrong area (join a gym, read Dostoyevsky, change your job). That’s not to say “Hands” is artless or disposable, far from it, at its best it delivers highly sophisticated pop that pretty much makes Kylies back catalogue seem redundant.   It’s joyous crowd pleasing music of the highest order and doubtless will fill various dance floors up and down the country and provide the soundtrack to a cracking good night out, and do you know what?  Sometimes that’s all you need from pop music, innit?

8/10

Myspace

Official Site

“New In Town” By Little Boots

Wallpaper

El disco de la ex-Dead Disco Victoria Hesketh ya está disponible para que las masas lo destripen y los distribuidores de politonos se forren este verano. Mucho se ha estado hablando meses atrás sobre esta señorita, que abandonó la nave de las interesantes Dead Disco para ir a su bola y empezar a colgar videos en youtube tocando un tenori-on y cantando Meddle, uno de los primeros temas con los que se dió a conocer.

Entonces, ¿Ha valido la pena tanto revuelo?. Hands ya está aquí y la sensación que me da es que si el universo sigue su curso, la vamos a tener hasta en la sopa.

El disco es bueno, a su manera y dentro de su estilo. Mucho petardeo, bases resultonas, buena voz, estribillos jodidamente pegadizos y un puntito de inteligencia que lo coloca por encima de otros esperpentos actuales como podría ser Lady Gaga. Pero bueno, ni comparemos, porque con Stuck on Repeat ya se mea en todas esas pseudo-Kelly Minogue que están apareciendo últimamente. No hace mucho nos enseñaba su primer single, New in town, que aunque al principio pueda parecer una truñada mainstream termina enganchando.

Este verano vía petar las discos chaval

Little Boots es quizás, de entre las tres propuestas más interesantes para esta temporada (junto con La Roux y Frankmusik), la que ofrece un sonido más comercial y enfocado a un público general. Lo mismo te encuentras a una choni flipando con New in town que a un raver extasiado con Stuck on repeat. Hablemos del disco. Hands tiene temazos, algunos de ellos ya los conocíamos, otros como Remedy son una sorpresa. Todo indica que será el segundo single, es pegadizo como su furcia madre y transmite buen rollito. Lo va a petar. Quizás en España le cueste (ojalá sea así), pero en el Reino Unido va a vender como churros, eso seguro.

Otras canciones como Earthquake, la conocida Meddle o Mathematics son otras propuestas a tener en cuenta, también con buen nivel pero que pueden quedar pelín eclipsadas por lo abrumadores que son los otros pepinos.

Las cartas están sobre la mesa. La siguiente será La Roux, a finales de este mes, mostrando al mundo su remake ochentero con estilo y frescura y ligeramente enfocado a un público mas ¿retro-pureta-nostálgico?, no lo se. El último será Frankmusik, otro que la va a armar seguro, con hitazos como When you´re around o In Step.

Iré comentando mis impresiones sobre los tres discos a medida que salgan. De momento la Vicky ha cumplido, ¿se quedarán los otros dos en simples promesas?. Próximamente en 16 bits generation.

E o cd de Victoria Hesketh a.k.a Little Boots vazou.  Como falei aqui, a menina canta bem demais e fiquei emocionado ouvindo o cd e principalmente Click e Symmetry que tem participação de Philip Oakey (inglês e vocalista do The Human League e que já fez uma parceria com Pet Shop Boys). Me surpreendeu, bem trabalhando, sintetizadores perfeitos pensei que tudo seria no estilo Stuck On Repeat (que amo). Hands mostra uma Victoria que promete muito mais. Disco lindo. Agora rezar para alguém pegar e remixar para ter Little Boots on dance floor. A última apresentação da loiro foi dia 30 de maio no Wychwood Festival, na cidade de Cheltenham, Inglaterra. E ainda tem Glastonbury que acontece no final do mês.

Wychwood Festival 2009 por Adriano Alone

[mp3] Little Boots – Click
[mp3] Little Boors – Symmetry featuring Philip Oakey

Blackpool, England’s Little Boots (born Victoria Hesketh) is awaiting the UK release of her debut album, Hands, which is due to drop next Monday, June 8th. Her debut single, “New In Town,” a very infectious piece of pop, is all over UK music radio at the moment, and should be one of the big hits of the summer in the UK and possibly on this side of the pond as well.

Little Boots said that she wrote the song during one her first visits to Los Angeles, so that is why the video for the song was shot in downtown L.A. Little Boots looks at home in the video even though she was, in fact, a long way from home. To watch the video for “New In Town” by Little Boots, click below:

In other Little Boots news, six songs from her upcoming Hands album can be previewed in full on NME.com. To hear the album preview, click here.

For more on Little Boots, see:
http://www.littlebootsmusic.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/littlebootsmusic
http://www.youtube.com/littlebootsvideos

Liverpool Sound City Music Festival 2009

Liverpool’s Sound City Festival, still only in its second year is already being talked about as a possible future rival to Austin’s SXSW.  This year the city played host to over 400 artists performing in more than 30 venues across the city.  My mission was simple, to bend space and time and attend every show…..well not really. But I did manage to get to a few.…

One of the problems of a festival such as this is the logistics, it can be frustrating working out your itinerary only to discover in a moment of head slapping “D’oh” style clarity that two bands you really want to see clash. Couple that with the headache of a gig finishing within minutes of another starting on the other side of the city and it means you really need to be a highly organised, well oiled machine, and I was erm… certainly “well oiled” …One idea floated over a beer or eight involved looking into the feasibility of commissioning a convoy of rickshaws manned by a team of highly trained midgets, replete with Beatles masks to ferry gig-goers between venues, other brainwaves included the introduction of a flotilla of amphibious yellow submarines or the offer of  free piggyback rides  provided by members of  ever  freindly Zutons!  Funnily enough my Sound City experience began when I inadvertently bumped into Abbi Harding and ended with me staggering down Parr Street singing “Sinful” and “The Story of the Blues” with Pete Wylie…but without further ado let us proceed to the musical highlights of Sound City 2009.

TITUS ANDRONICUS & TOMMY REILLY

The first live music experience at this year’s fest came courtesy of an ear shredding sonic cacophony courtesy of New Jersey’s Titus Andronicus in Liverpool’s Barfly. Imagine The Clash colliding with Nirvana at a chainsaw expo (which is not necessarily a bad thing.) The band seem to be having quite a time in England, from being mistaken for hobos by doormen at a venue in Brighton, to sleeping on fans couches and floors around the UK. However such experiences are merely part of the rich tapestry of glamour and luxury that makes being part of a rock n roll band such a draw! At tonight’s gig none of the bands songs quite manage to catch the imagination like the noisy thrashing splendiferous roar of  their self titled single, (called, surprisingly, “Titus Andronicus”), but there’s much to admire in a set that  certainly matches energy levels with  volume ….After the performance  I  weave my way from the venue, ears still bleeding from the ferocity of the guitars and decide against seeing another loud American, in this case Hollywood actress turned rock babe,  Juliette Lewis (whom I had spotted earlier procuring what appeared to be huge feathers in the city centre, doubtless to make some sort of  rudimentary “tickling stick” in tribute to tombstone toothed  Liverpool “comedian”, Ken Dodd.)  Instead I  wander  into the nearby  Zanzibar Club to catch  Scottish singer songwriter Tommy Reilly, who I am told, is to release his Bernard Butler produced  debut album  in the none too distant future. Tommy provides a nice mix of acoustic pop with bluesy folk undertones and seems a likeable young fellow; in fact this was probably just what the doctor ordered after having my senses battered like erm… a horseshoe on um…the anvil of rock by er…the mighty sonic hammer of Andronicus.

However before the set concludes I overhear a conversation that makes the blood freeze in my veins. There  appears to be a  suggestion that  Mr Reilly is oft  inclined to slip “a really good cover” of  The Killers tuneless “dad-rock” dirge  “Mr Brightside” into his set, this instantly invokes my fight or flight response . I recoil at the mention of these trite Vegas show-band dandies and decide discretion is the better part of valour. In short I flee the premises like a modern day Kevin McCarthy à la “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” wailing “Look, you fools, you’re in danger! Can’t you see?! They’re after you! They’re after all of us! Our wives, our children, everyone! THEY’RE HERE, ALREADY! YOU’RE NEXT! “…. Still it was a nice set.

FIGHT LIKE APES

My next port of call is the Korova, Liverpool’s coolest bar/venue to see Fight Like Apes, who are possibly best described as “deliciously deranged” and they give the performance of the night. MayKay and the boys crash through a blistering set from their excellent “Fight Like Apes And The Mystery Of The Golden Medallion“ album. Despite singing along I’m still left none the wiser to what song’s such as “I’m Beginning To Think You Prefer Beverley Hills 90210 To Me” “Lumpy Dough or “Lend Me Your Face” are about, (then again who says they have to be about anything)….But the live experience proves to be a gloriously bonkers affair and hugely enjoyable as a result.  It concludes with MayKay being carried shoulder high through a delighted crowd …

The gig’s over and suddenly the room is spinning. …. I awake the next morning with a strange sense of disquiet, a sore head, and rather disturbingly I seem to be missing my understrides ( Tom Jones hadn’t made an impromptu appearance had he ? ) plus I have absolutely no recollection of how I’d arrived home …..Filled with post alcohol self loathing and disgust I take solace in the fact that I’m neither Jeremy Kylie nor David Cameron and this thought alone is enough to coax a smile back on my face. After the hair of the dog it’s time to “Ferry Cross the Mersey” to catch more live bands.

LEVELLOAD

My return to Soundcity kicks off with set by a band we have featured in recent weeks   Levelload  (interview here) , in Liverpool’s “Bumper”, a venue that to be honest, I’ve never exactly seen packed to the rafters and with so many other  bands on around the city  tonight’s no exception. However Levelload give a fine performance which features superb guitar work and plenty of attitude. The set includes goodies such as “HND in RNR”, “Yellow Fever” and ace new single “I’ve Been Thinking.”

LITTLE BOOTS

They say a pessimist is never disappointed and with this in mind I set off across town again, to the Academy 2 in order to catch an artist who, at this moment in time, is just as famous for a certain four letter word as she is for her music. The four letter word in question is “hype”, the artist, Little Boots (nee Victoria Hesketh).  Don’t get me wrong LB has some decent pop songs but her record label’s PR machine has whipped up a crescendo of hysteria which quite frankly, has reached ludicrous new levels of overstatement. Will she live up to the hype or crumble under the pressure of being given the preposterous title “the future of pop?” To be fair nobody can live up to that sort of hyperbole, but judging by the heaving swarm gathered here tonight, the PR machine has certainly garnered Miss Boots an army of loyal fans. Not bad for an artist who aside from a couple of limited promo offerings has yet to release a single, proper. Proof that hype maybe evil but it works on a short term basis at least.

Ted Striker Sweats!

Little Boots takes to the stage wearing, not little boots at all but high heels, complimented by a rather sexy, rather tiny, black dress, and in no time at all she has the assembled throng of adoring fans in the palm of her hand.  The place is rammed, the heat is stifling, and I start to resemble Ted Striker preparing for an emergency landing in Airplane. But guess what? Little Boots gives an exceptionally entertaining performance. If this is “pop” then call me the weasel, because Miss Boots really does engage with her audience, employs sharp, witty banter and doesn’t come across as some sort of big label puppet but a nice girl who really enjoys what she does.  And let’s face it if your handed a big opportunity by a record label you’d take it… wouldn’t you?  It’s a polished set and the highlights are predictably her best known songs, the hypnotic  Blondie meets Goldfrapp electro monster, “Stuck On Repeat” and  the disco-pop-tastic “Meddle”. Does the other material from her debut album “Hands” (released in June) cut the mustard? Will it help give Little Boots the legs to march to the top of the charts? Difficult to tell on first listen here, but there appears to be quite a few songs which definitely have the  potential to lodge themselves in the nations consciousness, not so sure if the slightly flaccid debut single “ New In Town” is  one of them but hey, what do I know?

What her performance at  Sound City emphatically proves is that she can certainly cut it live and has the ability to appeal to a wide cross section of music lovers if tonight’s eclectic looking crowd is anything to go by.  Let’s hope the record label ease up on the hype and give Victoria time to grow eh …of course they won’t, for they have been carefully grooming her to be launched as  England’s answer to  Lady Ga-Ga, ( although master of exploitation Simon Cowell would have you believe we already have one the shape of  Susan Boyle)

IPSO FACTO

I leave the stifling confines of Liverpool Academy, and am embraced by the cool night air but alas a sprint across the city centre to Liverpool’s Korova is required to catch a band I’ve wanted to see for an age. I arrive ruddy faced, dishevelled  and sweaty and grab a quick pint which I somehow manage to empty all over my  T-shirt,( all I need now, I  reflect,  is to loose a front tooth and nibble on an ear of corn!)When God was giving out cool I obviously overslept!  Ironic really as I am about to see a band who are the epitome of glacial sophistication.  Ipso Facto produce what could be described as brooding dark pop noir; they are a band whom we have long predicated will cast their formidable shadow over the pop landscape in the very near future. The NME (who make Jilly Goolden’s description of wine seem almost sane) have helpfully described Ipso Facto as “monochrome psychedelia”, which may be very clever but actually means bugger all. “So what’s that new band like Dave?”… “Well in essence it’s monochrome psychedelia in its purest form”…Erm Ok thanks for clearing that one up.

Samantha Valentine

Ipso Facto’s stylish, vampish image would have reduced me to a quivering wreck as a lad. I probably would have followed them from gig to gig in slavish adoration and eventually they would have thought “oh dear, it’s that northern yokel again with features that seem to have been hewn from a particularly unattractive, malformed potato.” But of course I’m far too old for that sort of shallow hero worshiping nonsense, I’m here for the music, Ipso Facto may indeed look great, but they also write tunes of dark brooding brilliance. On stage singer and guitarist Rosalie Cunningham is an impressive, sultry presence, who one imagines, can reduce a chap to dust with a menacing stare, or a disapproving arch of her eyebrow, as her rich, dark vocals and atmospheric guitar work reverberates around this intimate basement venue.  Bassist Samantha Valentine’s inability to remain vertical for more than a few minute at a time is certainly eye catching as she laconically lounges against walls in between prowling the stage with the feline grace of a catwalk model whilst wearing what appears to be  little more than spandex and underwear.  One imagines that if there was an award for being the coolest bassist in music, Samantha would be winning it hands down. Drummer Victoria Smith keeps time with military precision and even cracks a smile or two, as the band produce a set that is draped in dark, glittering beauty, “Harmonise” “Six And Three Quarters” “Queen Sophia’ and “You Don’t Own Me” all wow the crowd, who cant help but join in with the lyrically profound chorus on  the head banging “Balderdash”. If Andrew Eldritch and Siouxsie Sioux had produced triplets, they wouldn’t have been half as good as this band and that’s a Facto!  Definitely my highlight of Sound City and a band I really hope do well.

And so the night draws to a conclusion with some inevitable after show madness in Liverpool’s famous Parr Street studios  where we meet up with Pete Wylie and co. The atmosphere here is one of drunken bon’homie and the clientele includes musicians, actors, scenesters in obligatory twatty little hats, plus a smattering of folk who, if the size of their testicles was in direct proportion to the size of their egos, would have great difficulty walking …. But here I must draw a veil over proceedings as what happens on tour stays on tour (possibly, due, in no small part to the fact that people often can’t remember what the f**k actually did happen! )

Sound City has been a blast and is without doubt a festival that’s growing in stature. Maybe the organisers need to employ a little more joined up thinking, possibly add a few more outdoor gigs and stages, but that will surely come in time. There’s a definite buzz around the city when the festival’s on and music seems to be everywhere. And it’s not just for the trendy fashionistas in their skinny jeans and amusing headwear, it really is for everybody to enjoy and get involved in.  With Liverpool now able to boast some of the best conferencing facilities outside of London it appears that this is a Festival that is destined to get bigger and bigger. Hey, maybe next year “Mersey Rail” might even decide to undertake “structural works” at a time that doesn’t coincide with a major music festival.

And so this years Sound City concludes with a dynamic new take on Liverpool’s musical heritage. It sees Ringo Starr feted as a god whilst being carried shoulder high around the city centre before performing an energetic drum and bass version of his existential masterpiece “Octopus’s Garden”. This is followed by a moving recital of  “Thomas The Tank Engine’s”  finest moments, personally selected by Ringo and set to an Acid Jazz soundtrack especially commissioned by Phil Redmond and performed by  the cast of Brookside … Erm my mistake, bad acid ..Or something…… Sound City was actually wrapped up with a gig headlined by the Zutons and Sound Of Guns in one of the countries most impressive buildings, Liverpool’s majestic neo-classical, St Georges Hall and was by all accounts a triumph.  Me? Alas I was too busy recovering from the night before – sinful eh?  ………… Roll on 2010!

All Photos & Videos by Andy VP & JK.

Big love to Amy Woodhouse From Creative Cultures

*Tap, tap* Is this thing working? One, two, one, two. “When you were yooooouuuung…”

There’s something in the air. Music goes in cycles, doesn’t it? I’m hoping you’ve got some evidence, because I’m whistling in the wind here. Strikes me, though, that the ’91 feeling is abroad, that Balearic’s back, that everything from rock to dance and all grimy stop-offs in between is daubed in pop, in that cred-shedding musical vernacular that makes all good records sound like hits.

Little Boots is exercising her sunny beats just as Saint Etienne are once more hawking Foxbase Alpha around to anyone who’ll listen – mainly 36 year olds who were there the first time, but perhaps a few Boots fans will jump on board too. Victoria Hesketh (er, yeah, Little Boots) is a lovely breathy singer like Sarah Cracknell, a cooing frontwoman for some capital dance-pop grooves and a poster-girl-in-waiting for the shy end of the indie boy spectrum. It’s a link of sorts!

Junior’s no shy indie boy, but she’s sweet on Victoria: “I love her singing, I love the picture.” There’s a story behind Saint Etienne, however, and she wants to hear about how she “saw” them at Koko a few weeks before she was, erm, born. “Was I dancing in Mummy’s tummy?” I rather think she was.

New In Town:

Only Love Can Break Your Heart:

My friend Susan gets the credit for turning me on (Christ, another pun!) to the Tenori-On. It’s a neat, little hand-held electronic instrument that’s easy to use and lets you create entire soundscapes with just a few inspired clicks of the right switches. And if you add the LED light system at the bottom, it’s kinda like you’re playing a Lite Brite.

Little Boots and the Tenori-On, live in concert; photo taken by Paul Gregory for Lense Eye

This brings me to Victoria Hesketh, who performs under the name Little Boots, a British electronic-based singer-songwriter, whose primary instrument is the Tenori-On. Maybe you also know that Joe Goddard of Hot Chip and Greg Kurstin of The Bird and the Bee serve as her producers. Maybe you heard her single “Stuck on Repeat” (it was one Pitchfork’s Top 100 Singles of 2008).

But I don’t wanna suggest that Little Boots needs the guidance and approval of primarily male producers and music press to get ahead. Like many electro female recording artists at the moment (yes, including Lady Gaga), Little Boots is reconfiguring 80s synth pop. And this new little gadget is helping her do just that. Here she is covering Hot Chip’s “Ready for the Floor.”

For one, I like how immediate playing the Tenori-On seems. I don’t wanna be condescending and suggest that it’s simple and thus only dummy amateurs can pick it up, but to me there’s something sorta punk about how anybody could poke around on it to create songs and that it isn’t available only to trained instrumentalists and virtuosos.

(As an aside, the Tenori-On, which made its debut at SIGGRAPH in 2005, is still pretty expensive — a new one’ll set you back a grand, a used one’s starting price averages at $500 — so perhaps only art-school, trust-fund punks can afford it for now. Maybe as the instrument becomes more popular and widely-used, the asking price will decrease.)

For another, unlike punk, which tends to rely on three chords, I like how limitless the compositional possibilities are to the Tenori-On. It seems like you could start in one musical direction and then, with a few clicks and pushes, go through several musical tangents and end up somewhere completely unexpected.

I also like that the Tenori-On makes music composition seem accessible and efficient for the user, which is great for female instrumentalists like Little Boots who can be their own backing band, as well as a tremendous opportunity for women and girls to become more comfortable and savvy with technology. Add to that its compact, lightweight design and it seems like easy to transport from bedroom to backpack to bus stop to backseat to gig.

Incidentally, I have an Omnichord. If any ladies wanna jam, let me know.

Alert! There’s a new craze sweeping the nation (and by that I mean YouTube). So of course, WITP is here to update you and tell you if it’s worth listening to.

Here’s what you need to know: It’s blonde, British, and its name is Little Boots.

Yeah…

Aside from the ridiculous name (supposedly a reference to Caligula, but probably just a stupid nickname some drunk gave her once), she also majored in something ridiculous (Cultural Studies) which explains why she has to play music in order to eat.

The music itself isn’t terrible. It’s synthesized out the ying-yang, but she’s not trying to hide that. It’s catchy, fun pop music that rhymes “night” with “I’ll make you feel alright” (awesome, you’ll make me feel mediocre! FML). Plus, dancing homeless people are always funny.

Little Boots is so new that instead of having her own grown-up website, she just has a myspace. Like all wannabe-musician’s myspaces, it’s way overcrowded and jumbled with a ton of images trying to make it artsy (guess it’s that Cultural Studies major kicking in). There’s also the obligatory video game reference to let you know she relates to you! Because you play video games, and she does too! Buy her album! Still, you can listen to about five different songs for free on the myspace, so it’s not all bad. She also has her own Youtube channel where she actually plays an instrument, which just means she hasn’t hit it big yet.

The actual album, called Hands, comes out in June. These songs don’t have any lasting staying power and I can guarantee that you’ll get sick of New in Town after the 40-millionth time you hear it on the radio. But Little Boots has a certain Cascada-esque catchiness that makes me suspect she’s going to be the next big flavor of the month.

NV/R,

Margo

There is a simplicity in listening to Little Boots.  ‘Meddle‘ jumps in with drums and a synth line that creeps into the verse so that you’re surprised by how catchy it is. ‘Stuck on Repeat‘  starts so simply and builds up so well that your mind has no choice but to follow. In between, you can sense that behind every electronic note is a human hand. It’s not often that you hear a song where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts while still being ‘electropop’.

-Erick

Veelbelovende dame Little Boots bewijst dat multitasken vrouwen best goed af gaat, ook muzikaal.

Of ze heeft gewoon heel hard geoefend, dat kan natuurlijk ook.

Tenori-On, stylophone, synth en stem worden gecombineerd. Net zo makkelijk alsof ze de afwas staat te doen.

In juni moet het debuutalbum van Victoria ‘Little Boots’ Hesketh verschijnen.

victoria hesketh - little boots

photo by mike refuerzo

this MGMT cover with the tenori-on is AMAZING.

shes so talented.