Arctic Monkeys proved themselves as worthy of the top slot on Glastonbury's Pyramid stage on Friday night with a superb and well-rounded performance which saw them playing a wealth of material off their past two LPs as well as these fantastic Glasto-only bonuses...
Temptation greets you like your naughty friend (Brianstorm flipside, feat. Dizzee Rascal)
MP3: Temptation greats you like your naughty friend - Arctic Monkeys
Diamonds are Forever (Shirley Bassey Cover)
MP3: Diamonds are Forever - Arctic Monkeys (ripped from youtube clip)
Full set list (thanks to smashmusic.co.uk)
'The Sun Goes Down'
'Brianstorm'
'Still Take You Home'
'Dancing Shoes'
'Ritz To The Rubble'
'Teddy Picker'
'This House Is A Circus'
'Fake Tales Of San Francisco'
'Balaclava'
'Temptation Greets You Like A Naughty Friend'
'Old Yellow Bricks'
'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor'
'If You Were There, Beware'
'Flourescent Adolescent'
'Mardy Bum'
'Do Me A Favour'
'Leave Before The Lights Come On'
Encore
'The View From The Afternoon'
'Diamonds Are Forever'
'505'
'A Certain Romance'
Be better!
Sunday, 24 June 2007
Wednesday, 20 June 2007
under the covers
This is inspired by one of my favourite blogs Say Anything Syndrome from a post about alternate versions or 'covers' of songs. I've always held a torch for bands who can reinvent songs into something special and new, and this post was the catalyst I needed for me to dig around my music library for some examples of these.
After scouring my music library I came up with nice selection of covers which radically manipulate the originals in each case, performing perhaps ethically-questionable experimentation to their original rhythms, phrasings and melodies.
(If you download only 1 track make sure it's this one by Nada Surf)
On review of the tracks I chose I believe these to all be excellent examples of what is to be gained by considerate reorganisation of the track's core structures. It is my firm belief that some songs are more easily re-moulded into alternate versions, or to borrow a concept in neuroscience; they have greater reorganisational 'plasticity' (as the infant brain does, seen in it's better ability to recover function after injury compared to that of an adult - interested? See Wikipedia here).
This is not to say that the efforts of these artists has not required immense skill to reshape these songs, but rather that they have been able to do so because the potential has existed in the first place. In some cases I would say I prefer the reorganised versions, with which you are more than welcome to disagree with me. Well without further ado here they are,I hope you are enlightened.
First up, setting the standard very high indeed is a cover of a pretty middle-of-the-road Dylan song by the god-like-genius of Jimi Hendrix. For me this cover completely gives a new life and meaning to a song which in it's original form plods along like any of Dylan's less-acclaimed work. It's no wonder that it's topped best ever cover listings before; from the heavily-accented intro beats, to the immediacy of Jimi's vocals and the cosmic guitar solos - Hendrix sounds as majestic as ever. This cover is simply a masterpiece, never mind what is considered of the original.
MP3: All Along the Watchtower - Bob Dylan
MP3: All Along the Watchtower - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
I've been waiting for ages for a good opportunity to post this next song. Whilst not technically a cover, it's a live re-working a song by the production genius of LCD Soundsystem. In it's 'shallow' version, LCD show how the indie-dance vibe of Tribulations can be stripped to it's bare bones and still work quite beautifully. A very nice example of re-phrasing vocals too.
MP3: Tribulations - LCD Soundsystem
MP3: Tribulations (shallow version) - LCD Soundsystem [infos]
This next cover is of a very sexy song and by a very sexy lady too. I'm talking about Gwen Stefani of course, and the song 'what you waiting for?' which I stumbled upon in a covered version in a CD that came free with Q magazine. This is an admirable effort by the boys in Franz Ferdinand. Especially nice is the intro riffs they add, the heaviness of the bass and the splicing-in of Billy Idol's White Wedding at the end.
MP3: What you waiting for? - Gwen Stefani [info]
MP3: What you waiting for? - Franz Ferdinand [info]
I heard this next song for the first time in it's covered form as I expect many others did in an episode of series 1 OC. It's the bit when Anna is leaving Newport for good, she's at the airport with her bags, Seth has only just found out she's leaving and him and Ryan rush to the scene to stop her. As he runs through the airport he catches sight of her and calls her name. She turns around, startled. He tells her she can't leave, that he needs her - he thinks she loves him but is mistaken. Still he pleads for her to stay.
As the chorus of the song kicks in, she turns around and tells him goodbye with her final advice: 'Confidence, Cohen'. The song playing in the background 'if you leave' is co-ordinated perfectly with what's happening on-screen and makes for a very emotional goodbye scene. This is all thanks to arranging genius of Nada Surf, who took what sounds like a throw-away 80's pop track and made it something so beautifully heartfelt and emotional. The building of layers upon the simplicity of a pulsing bass-line lifts this song to a higher plane.
MP3: If you leave - OMD
MP3: If you leave - Nada Surf [info]
And now I've talked about all that whoosy emotional stuff, how about we end on a cover by a ballsy punk legend? Joey Ramone turns this sensational jazz classic into his own with the help of chugging rhythm-guitar and well-placed riffing. Joey is keeping the same message of the song, he's still saying 'what a wonderful world', it's just in a very different tone to Loui. It's one with the certainty of a rock n' roller whos been through it all, survived it all, and is still sure: it's a wonderful world.
MP3: What a wonderful world - Loui Armstrong
MP3: What a wonderful world - Joey Ramone
After scouring my music library I came up with nice selection of covers which radically manipulate the originals in each case, performing perhaps ethically-questionable experimentation to their original rhythms, phrasings and melodies.
(If you download only 1 track make sure it's this one by Nada Surf)
On review of the tracks I chose I believe these to all be excellent examples of what is to be gained by considerate reorganisation of the track's core structures. It is my firm belief that some songs are more easily re-moulded into alternate versions, or to borrow a concept in neuroscience; they have greater reorganisational 'plasticity' (as the infant brain does, seen in it's better ability to recover function after injury compared to that of an adult - interested? See Wikipedia here).
This is not to say that the efforts of these artists has not required immense skill to reshape these songs, but rather that they have been able to do so because the potential has existed in the first place. In some cases I would say I prefer the reorganised versions, with which you are more than welcome to disagree with me. Well without further ado here they are,I hope you are enlightened.
First up, setting the standard very high indeed is a cover of a pretty middle-of-the-road Dylan song by the god-like-genius of Jimi Hendrix. For me this cover completely gives a new life and meaning to a song which in it's original form plods along like any of Dylan's less-acclaimed work. It's no wonder that it's topped best ever cover listings before; from the heavily-accented intro beats, to the immediacy of Jimi's vocals and the cosmic guitar solos - Hendrix sounds as majestic as ever. This cover is simply a masterpiece, never mind what is considered of the original.
MP3: All Along the Watchtower - Bob Dylan
MP3: All Along the Watchtower - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
I've been waiting for ages for a good opportunity to post this next song. Whilst not technically a cover, it's a live re-working a song by the production genius of LCD Soundsystem. In it's 'shallow' version, LCD show how the indie-dance vibe of Tribulations can be stripped to it's bare bones and still work quite beautifully. A very nice example of re-phrasing vocals too.
MP3: Tribulations - LCD Soundsystem
MP3: Tribulations (shallow version) - LCD Soundsystem [infos]
This next cover is of a very sexy song and by a very sexy lady too. I'm talking about Gwen Stefani of course, and the song 'what you waiting for?' which I stumbled upon in a covered version in a CD that came free with Q magazine. This is an admirable effort by the boys in Franz Ferdinand. Especially nice is the intro riffs they add, the heaviness of the bass and the splicing-in of Billy Idol's White Wedding at the end.
MP3: What you waiting for? - Gwen Stefani [info]
MP3: What you waiting for? - Franz Ferdinand [info]
I heard this next song for the first time in it's covered form as I expect many others did in an episode of series 1 OC. It's the bit when Anna is leaving Newport for good, she's at the airport with her bags, Seth has only just found out she's leaving and him and Ryan rush to the scene to stop her. As he runs through the airport he catches sight of her and calls her name. She turns around, startled. He tells her she can't leave, that he needs her - he thinks she loves him but is mistaken. Still he pleads for her to stay.
As the chorus of the song kicks in, she turns around and tells him goodbye with her final advice: 'Confidence, Cohen'. The song playing in the background 'if you leave' is co-ordinated perfectly with what's happening on-screen and makes for a very emotional goodbye scene. This is all thanks to arranging genius of Nada Surf, who took what sounds like a throw-away 80's pop track and made it something so beautifully heartfelt and emotional. The building of layers upon the simplicity of a pulsing bass-line lifts this song to a higher plane.
MP3: If you leave - OMD
MP3: If you leave - Nada Surf [info]
And now I've talked about all that whoosy emotional stuff, how about we end on a cover by a ballsy punk legend? Joey Ramone turns this sensational jazz classic into his own with the help of chugging rhythm-guitar and well-placed riffing. Joey is keeping the same message of the song, he's still saying 'what a wonderful world', it's just in a very different tone to Loui. It's one with the certainty of a rock n' roller whos been through it all, survived it all, and is still sure: it's a wonderful world.
MP3: What a wonderful world - Loui Armstrong
MP3: What a wonderful world - Joey Ramone
Monday, 18 June 2007
The only place that I can look is down
The mood of this song perfectly mirrors my feelings at this moment.
MP3: The only place that I can look is down - The Bishops [info]
On a lighter note I saw this the other day over on Neil's Life and found it hilarious:
Post-uni life is depressing... I need to leave the country! Korea in August, fingers crossed.
MP3: The only place that I can look is down - The Bishops [info]
On a lighter note I saw this the other day over on Neil's Life and found it hilarious:
Post-uni life is depressing... I need to leave the country! Korea in August, fingers crossed.
Friday, 15 June 2007
Coming out of my cage and I've been doing just fine
Last night = The Graduation Ball!
There was..
Sophie Ellis-Bextor (not as hot in real life I've got to say..)
Cool-looking old dudes playing jazz..
Lots of fun had by all! (looking quite drunk here)
To be frank I was rather dissapointed by Sophie's performance (though to be fair, I wasn't expecting much). It was simply lacklustre. She shimmied and wiggled a little bit but didn't look like she was really enjoying herself. My biggest complaint however was that neither she nor her band appeared to be singing or playing live.
To be fair to the girl though, playing to a roomful of pissed-up students who mostly don't like her music can't be the kind of gig she really wants to be playing, so perhaps if you want to see the real enthusiastic Sophie (the one the programme described her as) then you need to see her live. Though I'll give her this, she does have some damn catchy songs; set opener 'if I can't dance' has been stuck in my head since she sang it (or rather, didn't sing it!)
MP3: If I can't dance - Sophie Ellis Bextor [info]
The next act were clearly a really talented student band who tore their way through covers of some favourite student anthems. These were some real classics, songs that'll remind us all of our university years for many years to come I'm sure.
Mr Brightside is one of my favourite songs of all time. I think something about it makes it especially appropriate for university too. For instance the lyric:
MP3: Mr Brightside (Live XFM Session 2004)- The Killers
This one is another favourite at student cheese nights the band also played.
MP3: Sweet Child O'Mine (Live Era 87'-93') - Guns N' Roses
Next to take the stage was Edith Bowman, who played a very pleasing set of indie favourites, and by this I mean more student anthems. When she played Basket Case by Green Day I suddenly felt this feeling of connectedness between my disparate years of university life. I recalled hearing it in the very first week at the freshers ball and being happy to see that everyone could enjoy a good song with self-depricating lyrics. I felt like I'd come full circle.
MP3: Basket Case - Green Day
And finally I feel compelled to post some songs which I think aptly sum-up the feelings associated with coming to the end of an era, and songs I generally associate with my years of student-hood.
MP3: End of the Road - The Bombjacks [Highly Recommended]
MP3: End of a Century - Blur
MP3: Sit Down - James
MP3: Just Like Heaven - The Cure
This is a sad one :'(
MP3: This is the last time - Keane
There was..
Sophie Ellis-Bextor (not as hot in real life I've got to say..)
Cool-looking old dudes playing jazz..
Lots of fun had by all! (looking quite drunk here)
To be frank I was rather dissapointed by Sophie's performance (though to be fair, I wasn't expecting much). It was simply lacklustre. She shimmied and wiggled a little bit but didn't look like she was really enjoying herself. My biggest complaint however was that neither she nor her band appeared to be singing or playing live.
To be fair to the girl though, playing to a roomful of pissed-up students who mostly don't like her music can't be the kind of gig she really wants to be playing, so perhaps if you want to see the real enthusiastic Sophie (the one the programme described her as) then you need to see her live. Though I'll give her this, she does have some damn catchy songs; set opener 'if I can't dance' has been stuck in my head since she sang it (or rather, didn't sing it!)
MP3: If I can't dance - Sophie Ellis Bextor [info]
The next act were clearly a really talented student band who tore their way through covers of some favourite student anthems. These were some real classics, songs that'll remind us all of our university years for many years to come I'm sure.
Mr Brightside is one of my favourite songs of all time. I think something about it makes it especially appropriate for university too. For instance the lyric:
'Coming out of my cage and I've been doing just fine'That's a feeling I'll definitley associate with coming through university.
MP3: Mr Brightside (Live XFM Session 2004)- The Killers
This one is another favourite at student cheese nights the band also played.
MP3: Sweet Child O'Mine (Live Era 87'-93') - Guns N' Roses
Next to take the stage was Edith Bowman, who played a very pleasing set of indie favourites, and by this I mean more student anthems. When she played Basket Case by Green Day I suddenly felt this feeling of connectedness between my disparate years of university life. I recalled hearing it in the very first week at the freshers ball and being happy to see that everyone could enjoy a good song with self-depricating lyrics. I felt like I'd come full circle.
MP3: Basket Case - Green Day
And finally I feel compelled to post some songs which I think aptly sum-up the feelings associated with coming to the end of an era, and songs I generally associate with my years of student-hood.
MP3: End of the Road - The Bombjacks [Highly Recommended]
MP3: End of a Century - Blur
MP3: Sit Down - James
MP3: Just Like Heaven - The Cure
This is a sad one :'(
MP3: This is the last time - Keane
Thursday, 31 May 2007
a touch too much
Random post here. Yesterday I bought tickets for my graduation ball and it just so happened that the headline act was announced that day too. And it is..
Sophie Ellis-Bextor!
Mmmhh I thought, I wasn't really sure what to think of this one. I was certainly somewhat disappointed after hearing rumours that it might be 'The GO! Team' playing. It also sparked the creation of a facebook group called 'who the hell is Sophie Ellis-Bextor?' which may rather aptly sum-up how many felt about it.
Now I don't think she's awful - she has released some low-brow cheesy pop (Murder on the Dancefloor), but she did also release that song 'if this ain't love' with Groovejet, which is a bit of an Ibiza classic. And she is just plain hot. Also I heard her new single and it's a bit indie, which is a promising turn of direction at least. I thought I'd search for MP3s off her new album to see what was install for us and have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with what I found.
'Love is Here' is an up-tempo ballad reminiscent of the glory days of Elton John. The lyrics are cheesy as hell (relentlessly optimistic) but then again this is the perfect thing for a graduation ball. I can see this getting people dancing, as if in some scene from the ending credits of a teen Rom-Com (you know, when everyone's at the high-school prom and even the really geeky unpopular kids are getting into it and just having fun).
Finally I'd like to welcome Natalie and Alice as new readers of the blog (and guys, I've posted some songs that I feel are relevant to 'today's incident', the details of which shall remain unpublicised!)
MP3: Junior Kickstart - The GO! Team [info]
MP3: Love is here - Sophie Ellis-Bextor [info]
MP3: Touch too much - AC/DC
MP3: In Too Deep - Sum 41 [info]
MP3: Gettin Enough - Lil' Chris [info]
(Sorry the temptation was just too great to avoid posting this one!)
Sophie Ellis-Bextor!
Mmmhh I thought, I wasn't really sure what to think of this one. I was certainly somewhat disappointed after hearing rumours that it might be 'The GO! Team' playing. It also sparked the creation of a facebook group called 'who the hell is Sophie Ellis-Bextor?' which may rather aptly sum-up how many felt about it.
Now I don't think she's awful - she has released some low-brow cheesy pop (Murder on the Dancefloor), but she did also release that song 'if this ain't love' with Groovejet, which is a bit of an Ibiza classic. And she is just plain hot. Also I heard her new single and it's a bit indie, which is a promising turn of direction at least. I thought I'd search for MP3s off her new album to see what was install for us and have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with what I found.
'Love is Here' is an up-tempo ballad reminiscent of the glory days of Elton John. The lyrics are cheesy as hell (relentlessly optimistic) but then again this is the perfect thing for a graduation ball. I can see this getting people dancing, as if in some scene from the ending credits of a teen Rom-Com (you know, when everyone's at the high-school prom and even the really geeky unpopular kids are getting into it and just having fun).
Finally I'd like to welcome Natalie and Alice as new readers of the blog (and guys, I've posted some songs that I feel are relevant to 'today's incident', the details of which shall remain unpublicised!)
MP3: Junior Kickstart - The GO! Team [info]
MP3: Love is here - Sophie Ellis-Bextor [info]
MP3: Touch too much - AC/DC
MP3: In Too Deep - Sum 41 [info]
MP3: Gettin Enough - Lil' Chris [info]
(Sorry the temptation was just too great to avoid posting this one!)
Monday, 28 May 2007
I Could'a Been a Contender..
Sometimes I feel like I want to be the best. I think everyone probably get's this feeling sometimes, as we are after all animals, competitive by our very nature. I don't ever recall hearing such wonderful musings on this idea however as in this newly released single by Reverend and the Makers:
MP3: Heavyweight Champion of The World - Reverend and the Makers [info]
Put these notions with wonderfully funky basslines and dancy beats and you've got an instant indie-disco classic.
Wednesday, 23 May 2007
Juicy tunes
After handing my project in on thursday, I found myself literally in the throws of ecstasy for the the next couple of days. Cue a messy night (culminating in Jesters, as any good messy night should).
Unfortunately since the momentary bliss of my weekend I am faced with the reality that I haven't ACTUALLY graduated yet, which is a bit of a drag really. Cue daily trips to the library at 9:30 AM and coming home between 6-7 PM, and hence not a lot of time to be writing the blog (although I hold my hands well and truly up to playing SWAT 4 instead - damn that game is a addictive!)
So what else can be done? I know - provide you with some of the juiciest tunes I've heard in the last couple of weeks:
MP3: Smoker's Outside The Hospital Doors - Editors
MP3: Mercy Mercy Me (Marvin Gaye Cover) - The Strokes
MP3: Party Pit - The Hold Steady
MP3: Phantom - Justice
In other news I've decided I'm going to South Korea after I graduate to teach English for at least a year. It sounds awesome, well-paid and a safe bet as it's set-up through an independent middle-man who runs a business placing people and therefore there's MUCH less chance you'll get shafted (the Korean private schooling system is poorly regulated and quite corrupt in general).
It will be nice to leave the country!
Unfortunately since the momentary bliss of my weekend I am faced with the reality that I haven't ACTUALLY graduated yet, which is a bit of a drag really. Cue daily trips to the library at 9:30 AM and coming home between 6-7 PM, and hence not a lot of time to be writing the blog (although I hold my hands well and truly up to playing SWAT 4 instead - damn that game is a addictive!)
So what else can be done? I know - provide you with some of the juiciest tunes I've heard in the last couple of weeks:
MP3: Smoker's Outside The Hospital Doors - Editors
MP3: Mercy Mercy Me (Marvin Gaye Cover) - The Strokes
MP3: Party Pit - The Hold Steady
MP3: Phantom - Justice
In other news I've decided I'm going to South Korea after I graduate to teach English for at least a year. It sounds awesome, well-paid and a safe bet as it's set-up through an independent middle-man who runs a business placing people and therefore there's MUCH less chance you'll get shafted (the Korean private schooling system is poorly regulated and quite corrupt in general).
It will be nice to leave the country!
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