Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you

Spread the love 'round

The other night I had the pleasure of seeing Eugene Francis Jnr and the Juniors. I did not have any particular enthusiasm to see them but I was pleasantly surprised. They were remarkably adorable and lively. Each song had a different vibe but all in all I would put them under the folktronica stamp. Eugene (formerly in Dirty Perfect, The Fantastic Super Foofs, and Kaptain Black) adopted a full native American head dress and the Juniors (made from various welsh bands such as Vito, Broken Leaf, and Lindsey Leven) sported delightful little costumes. It is argued that EFJ and the Juniors helped assisted with the Creation of folktronica but that is a bit unbelievable seeing as it has been around for a while and includes other, longer standing bands such as Coco Rosie, Four Tet and arguably Goldfrapp. Whilst EFJ and the Juniors are not necessarily doing anything new or groundbreaking they are still dynamic, energetic and uplifting. Worth a listen at the least:

http://www.myspace.com/eugenefrancisjnr

My non-Christmassy Christmas playlist

1. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin- Think I Wanna Die
2. Asobi Seksu- Me And Mary
3. Deerhunter- Nothing Happened
4. Owen- Bags Of Bones
5. Moon and Moon- Act I: Into The Dust
6. White Lies- Numb
7. No Age- Teen Creeps
8. Coldplay- Lovers In Japan
9. Band Of Horses- Is There A Ghost
10. Sufjan Stevens- Chicago
11. TV On The Radio- Staring At The Sun
12. DeVotchka- Do You Think There's A Heaven?
13. White Lies- Actors In The Park
14. Daniel Johnston- Tears, Stupid Tears
15. The Cure- Going Nowhere

Love is not a victory march, It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

There seems to be some controversy surrounding the X Factor winners song being a cover of Jeff Buckley's 'Hallelujah'. I find this very vexatious. Reason 1 being that song only initially shot to fame due to it being performed on American Idol. Reason 2 Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah..does no one realise it isn't 'Jeff Buckley's' it is a cover. Leonard Cohen recorded this song in 1984 and gets no credit for it. Admittedly, Buckley did an admirable cover with a beautiful simplistic approach but regardless it is still originally Cohen's song. This is probably of no interest to any one but I just wanted to give the stunning Cohen a bit of appreciation and recognition.

Youre the one that I wanted to find, and anyone who tried to deny you must be out of their mind

Last night I got the chance to see Coldplay at the O2 Arena which I was hugely excited about. There seems to be this degradation concerned with admitting you like Coldplay, unless of course you are a middle-aged, middle class Dad of two. Maybe it's all the controversy surrounding copying songs etc, but regardless they have done well for themseves. Also, I am oblivious to where this notion that Martin is conceited and arrogant has come from he was actually very sweet and gratious and chatty. I love this quote from him about why Coldplay didn't sell the rights to use their songs in various advertisements (Diet Coke, Gap etc): "We wouldn't be able to live with ourselves if we sold the songs' meanings like that."
So they opened with 'Life In Technicolour' which was uncharacteristically animated and excitable. Actually saying that the whole set was a hundred times more lively than I would have imagined and the new album(s) have a totally upbeat loving feeling that makes you want to jump around in circles, laughing. It was magnificently humbling to see so many people around me laughing, smiling, singing and holding onto their loved ones, especially considering the array of different people there. There were some great effects but nothing too over the top and they played most songs you would wish for although I was disappointed to have no 'Shiver' or 'Trouble'.
Still it was an amazing night and I was blessed with awesome seats (thank you, I am eternally grateful!) and there was even a surprise visit from Simon Pegg who had a quick play of the harmonica during 'Green Eyes', I am still trying to figure out why he was there but it was fun all the same.
The highlight for me was undoubtedly 'Yellow' which included the release of loads of big yellow confetti balls and everyone was singing together, it was ridiculously heartwarming, see for yourself (this wasn't filmed by myself):

Cover my face as the animals cry, In the hanging garden.

No longer am I Esther, I am now Bauby in Le scaphandre et le papillon my mind is active, inquisitive my form is lagging behind moving like it should be 100 years older and unsure where they are going.
Today, for no reason but with passion I researched multitudinous songs concerning Animal Rights. Well more so vegetarianism/Veganism. It was more of a personal issue, I have been vegetarian for a while now, but it could be of general interest I suppose. Here are some of the best ones:

Its not natural, normal or kind, The flesh you so fancifully fry, The meat in your mouth, As you savour the flavour, Of murder- The Smiths, Meat is Murder.

A little bit of whole meal, some raisins and cheese, But I don't eat animals and they don't eat me. Oh no, I don't eat animals 'cause I love them, you see,
I don't eat animals, I want nothing dead in me- Melanie Safka, I Don't Eat Animals.

Destroy all the land, And kill what you can, Just to make the profits rise, Sell you from birth, For all that you're worth, The money spreads like lies - Goldfinger, Open Your Eyes.


Out of the sky, Cover my face as the animals die, In the hanging garden, As the animals die, Cover my face as the animals die- The Cure, The Hanging Garden.

It's why I don't eat red meat or white fish, Don't give me no blue cheese, We're all members of the animal kingdom, Leave your brothers and sisters in the sea- Prince, Animal Kingdom.

Torture me, Why don't you carve my body up, Throw me into a pot, Make it hot
And you'll have a lovely meal- The Damned, Torture Me.

Death becomes clearer through bloodshot eyes, As a death from old age becomes nearer
Why can't the livestock be free, When trading soldiers for steak- Silverchair, Spawn Again.

Life and death smell lingering noxious mixed scent anxiety omnipotent doctor, grinds the cage door revealing loves primal instinct taken away the tiny, face terrified rant and rave smash your head against the cage vacuum- Skinny Puppy, Testure.

If animals are animals, And animals have brains, We are no more than cannibals, Who refuse to feel the pain, The meat you eat is wrapped up neat, You didn't see it bleed... And what you kill does not fulfil, Your dietary needs- Citizen Fish, Flesh and Blood.

Sawing out limbs just right for stewing, Carcasses piled up in a heap, Sort juicy chunks from freezers deep, Well can't you see that juice is blood, From new born throuts red rivers flood, Blood form young hearts, blood from the veins, Your blood there blood serves the same, Now your at the table, sitting, grinning- Conflict, Meat Means Murder.

Let's bring back...

Editors- The Racing Rats

It was released in November 2007 but seems like a world ago already. This song is so reflective and compelling, it totally absorbs you. I feel like Curtis in my fascinating twitching world moving barely noticing there is life around me, let alone acknolodging it. It allows you to lose yourself, and find yourself all at the same time.

Hold your grandmother's Bible to your breast. Gonna put it to the test.

After rather surprisingly hearing DeVotchka's incredible 'How it Ends' on the Gears of War 2 advert I remembered that I keep meaning to write something about them. So here it is..
DeVotchka (not to be confused as The Devotchkas) are a wonderful four piece folk/indie rock band from Denver. The name means 'young girl' which derives from some Russian word, this is something I found out after hearing devotchka many times in 'A Clockwork Orange' and my inquisitive mind compelled me to research.
DeVotchka have a great past which includes initially being a back up band for burlesque shows and touring with the stunning Dita Von Teese. Also their music has been used for various commercials and films including, as I mentioned, the Gears of War 2 advert and for the films 'Everything is Illuminated' and 'Little Miss Sunshine'. You will more than likely recognise at least one of their songs. They are thought provoking and pensive. The 2004 album 'How it Ends' is by far the best and the soundtrack to the last few years of my life.

5 Gigs to go to in 2009:

1./ Animal Collective, Jan 19th- KoKo

2./ White Lies, Feb 21st- Brixton Academy

3./ The Cure, Feb 26th- O2 Arena

4./ Bat For Lashes, April 17th- Sheperds Bush Empire

5./ Kings of Leon, June 15th- O2 Arena


These are just a few I happened to come across/get sent etc. This is both for me, so I remember what I wanted to go to, and for you to see what you should go to.

This is our city, our stone upon stone, stone upon homes, stone upon bones.

Today is a good day. Today I finally have 'VII Acts of an Iron King' (Moon and Moon). I have sat here for a good 41 minutes, 7 seconds listening to it and I conclude: it is breathtaking/astounding/mind-blowing any other amazing word you can think of. At least it is for me. Only Moon and Moon and Radiohead have the capability to make me unknowingly forfeit any cool I have making melt like a quivering, awkward little groupie.
Moon and Moon will be very big. At least I hope they will, they are just so unheard of at the moment. For that reason I exhort you (yes, urgently) to listen to them even if you decide you hate them. This sounds like a dire charity advert 'We urge you to please think of the people who are alone this Christmas...'
If nothing else, see this as doing your bit for the world.

I enjoy symmetry and palindromes and bad tautologies.

I haven't properly written anything in here for a while. I feel a bit like Esther Greenwood, I am trapped under a Bell Jar, unable to read or write or sleep or eat. My mind is overactive. I type this at 3:21 am.
But I was thinking about what it is that makes us like or dislike music. So I have music I like listening to at home, and a totally different type that I enjoy when I am out. Likewise I have different soundtracks for when I am London, Wiltshire or France. This is why I can't comprehend how people only listen to one style of music when you have a thousand different thoughts and feelings and moods.
What makes me appreciate music even more is lyrics. I don't know if it's because of my penchant for literature or the fact that I am a reluctant romantic. Only in the way that I wish love was like it is in films and all will live or die happily ever after- even with a pig nose. But beautiful lyrics make beautiful music, it goes with the territory, music is a form of expression like poetry with instruments.
While I am slightly hesitant to admit it I rather like the dreary sounds of Death Cab For Cutie. I love them entirely for their alluring, beautiful lyrics and I even love the fact that over the 11 or so years they have been around they haven't changed. Here are some of my favourites:

- Love of mine some day you will die, But I'll be close behind,I'll follow you into the dark..If there's no one beside you, When your soul embarks, Then I'll follow you into the dark - I Will Follow You Into The Dark.

- You may feel alone when you're falling asleep, And every time tears roll down your cheeks, But I know your heart belongs to someone you've yet to meet, Someday you will be loved- Someday You Will Be Loved.

- And all you see is where else you could be, When you're at home, And out on the street, Are so many possibilities to not be alone- Your Heart Is An Empty Room.

These are only a few. These are the lyrics I used to wish I could write when I was younger desperately trying to find some artistic use with all these words and ideas spinning around in my head.

Teen creeps please don't leave me dead, dead this way

Two man and Sub Pop signed, listen to No Age. They are from LA and have been around for a while..I think since about '05 after the break up of their previous band 'Wives' who are also worth a listen. They are also part of the All Ages Movement Project- a self-described organisation 'that connect young people through independent music and art'. This is about New Age not AMP but still check it out, get involved: http://www.allagesmovementproject.org/home.
So New Age have released two albums (both full-length) named 'Weirdo Rippers' and 'Nouns'. Nouns was the latest, released last May and has some amazing songs such as 'Teen Creeps' and 'Eraser'. It is definitely worth a listen so have a look http://www.myspace.com/nonoage.
Things of interest:
. They did a 23 date tour (with Liars)
. Their sister band is Mika Miko
. Colin Greenwood (Radiohead) once wore a New Age t-shirt.

NOW GO LISTEN!!