I quite enjoyed last week - vicariously living SXSW through other people's Twitters. It was a shame not to be out there, and some day I hope to go back (Forward Russia played a vintage year with Duels, The Research & The Cribs in 2006), and have a Tequila marinated Salmon at the Iron Cactus while sipping on a Mojito....
Anyway, it was an interesting portal to proceedings, and I discovered the following bands / things:
1) THE COATHANGERS
Twice a day someone seemed to be seeing this band play somewhere. Funnily enough, pretty reminscent of a few of the ace Rough Trade bands, like YMG or Raincoats. But I'm being a bit crap cos there's girl singers and funky(ish) basslines
The world outside Austin, TX didn't stop. Back in the UK, people were astonished by THE HORRORS new Portishead/Kraut-rock inspired track Sea Within A Sea. It's not that suprising when you learn the album is produced by Portishead's Geoff Barrow, but that doesn't make the track (and accompanying video) any less good.
They played a secret gig in London last night to preview more material, which has heralded many an NME hack to laud them as the best band in the world (again)
SWAN LAKE, Canadian indie super-group (aren't they all), feat members of Frog Eyes, Wolf Parade, Sunset Rubdown, Destroyer, New Pornographers (and there's only 3 members!).
PHOENIX - French maestro's I've loved long time, since the first time I heard Too Young. No with new management, and already booked to appear on the Late Show in the US, new album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix could do it a bit
I currently have a list as long as my arm of things I wanted to write blogs about, but I've really struggled to find time the last few weeks - the new years is treating busy and there's so much more I wanted to do. I'm not working entirely as hard as I should be though, and have managed to spend most of the last 2 nights watching telly. Including the last few episodes of Gilmore Girls which managed to chalk up mentions for Midlake, Tokyo Police Club, My Morning Jacket and many more
2008 and was a funny year for me, and this time last year I was completely lost... Infact, a few months ago I was a bit lost. Right now, I have a bit of work to continue doing, and finishing producing these new songs by The ABC Club (pretty much done) and Die Video Die (sounding good). Then I might do something for me
Anyway, as is customary, I've had a list of 'hot new bands' growing for a while, and now everyone else has tipped them, please allow me to join the bandwagon
TIPS FOR 2009
This year, it's clear nobody knows who's gonna be big from the tips, bar the bleedin' obvious - that might still bomb completely through complete over hype and over exposure (hello White Lies). BBC Sound Of... poll is always a good barometer of the industry perception of what's going to be big. Last year, yes Adele, Duffy and others piled to the top of the pile, but there were other interesting features, like Santogold who never quite crossed into the mainstream.
There seem a few top tips, specifically on the BBC year's list, that seem very much of this Santogold ilk - I'm thinking mainly Little Boots and Empire Of The Sun. Two bands who I think are great, but I'm not sure I see them reaching Duffy style levels of mainstream success. Will talk a bit about that in a minute, but my great showbiz mate Steve Lamacq has written a great blog on the current state of tipping for the new year (and I agree on the shoegaze revival)
Here's some new bands I like that will release records this year:
LITTLE BOOTS
Yes, she's everywhere - but in her former incarnation as lead singer of Dead Disco, Dance To The Radio released her first efforts, and they were infact the last band to release a single on Fierce Panda unless I'm much mistaken. She's the nu-rave Madonna, or something, and her collaboration with Joe Hot Chip, 'Stuck On Repeat' is a bonafide Disco Anthem. Will she become huge? I don't know, she has an immense pressure behind her from her label (679) who are rumoured to be dropping bands left, right and centre, and the build up to her push has been going on for absolutely ages. And of course I'm sure the songs I prefer least will be the ones to break her... You can't deny her star quality on Jools Holland though:
Let's get the big guns out of the way. This is the Aussie collaboration between the singer of The Sleepy Jackson (remember their New Rock Revolution anthem - 'Miniskirt'? No?) and modular nu-rave heroes PNAU - responsible for the awesome track 'Embrace' with Ladyhawke. Anyway, they've created this odd world, but the songs sound great, though quite cheesy. I'm suprised they're getting hyped as much as they are, but hey it's pretty cool
Actually, this is more retrospective, as they're album came out last year, but they're coming over for a proper tour at the end of February. These guys are ex-Secret Machines guitarist Ben Curtis, and indentical twins Alejandra and Claudia Deheza. This is the one band I am most excited about it has to be said - their track 'Connjur' is one of my favourites at the minute
Right, I have other things to do now, but put those in your pipe and smoke them. Not very interesting or new really I know, but things I wanted to write. Maybe see you tomorrow
DAMIEN JURADO has been on my 'radar' for a few months, since he came over in August. He's a Seattle singer-songwriter on Secretly Canadian, which should tell you a lot about him really! His new album is called 'Caught In The Trees' and I can thoroughly recommend it, it's got good tunes and very relaxed. If you need more encouragement 2 of the best sites for free MP3's have, free MP3's from the album:
Secretly Canadian is of course a stamp of quality. And on from that, me & the good Nath have just arranged for their (Jagjaguwar's really) new signings WOMEN, to come and play Brudenell on 15th February. Should be much fun!
I went to see PORT O'BRIEN on Friday night at the Brudenell Social Club. It's not that they were bad or anything, it was just very average and un-extraordinary I think. Still, I Woke Up Today is a tune
So I've been rubbish at this again. To be fair, I'm undertaken a lot of new stuff meself in the last month or so. Reckon I'm gonna change the tack on this blog to be about some of the stuff I'm involved one. Like a Mi Mye single out in February next year and so on.
But, I was talking to a friend yesterday about how much I love the involvement of the 2 artists on this song. So I thought that was a nice 'excuse' to post it here:
My name is whiskas or Sam to my grandparents. I live in Leeds, UK
I've played in some bands, and helped some bands, and I've started this page as a little personal outlet. I guess this is and will be a work in progress for a little while. Info on all my goings on are here:
With some trepidation, it would be nice to hear what people think, or even suggestions on topics to wax lyric about
Please feel free to drop me and email at whiskas9[at]valuehost.co.uk- an email that I don't check incredibly regular, but I check none the less. Please put 'Nyevsky Prospect' as the subject to help a brother out
