Posted by
Saam Das
at
13:51on Wednesday, December 26, 2018
Words: Saam Das
Does anyone still use last.fm? Much like MySpace, a last.fm account felt intrinsic to the music experience of any teen growing up in the noughties before things like Facebook and Spotify became ingrained into our contemporary life. Checking my old last.fm account has given me an overwhelming sense of nostalgia, and combined with a final track play on December 26th 2008, it seems only appropriate to take a shallow dive into my final ten songs, exactly ten years to the day.
I really want to post loads of amazing tracks I've got hold of recently but I'm just going to hold some stuff back for now - treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen after all! But this post shouldn't disappoint with Maximo Park adding a northern twist to The Proclaimers' classic '500 Miles' and Patrick Wolf's fantastic interpretation of 'On Sussex Downs' by Larrikin Love. In fact, more Patrick Wolf will be coming soon so if you're a fan keep checking back!
So Maximo Park recently did a BBC Radio 1 session for Jo Whiley (in the "live lounge"), playing their latest single 'Our Velocity' and then performed a cover. They chose to take on 'I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)' by Scottish band The Proclaimers - who still seem to be going to this day! The Maximo Park intro actually sounds a bit like Patrick Wolf's material before Paul Smith's distinctive vocals kick in. An energetic, yet at times haunting cover ensues which let's be honest, is miles better than the Comic Relief 2007 cover [link]. Okay, okay, I'll let them off because it's for charity! Nothing beats the original obviously though. Still, gotta love The Proclaimers' appearance on the ridiculously funny Family Guy:
Whereas Maximo Park are now well and truly established, Patrick Wolf is only just gaining mainstream coverage following his third album 'The Magic Position'. Crossing and mixing broad genres such as classical and folk, perhaps his newfound success is a reflection of a more poppy ethos on the new album? Nonetheless, Patrick is one of the most creative artists around at the moment (he actually spent a year at Trinity College Of Music studying composition) at the tender age of 23. Here, he transforms Larrikin Love's 'On Sussex Downs' into a darker, bewitching affair. A more melancholy version, it compliments the already impressive original with a lovely string arrangement. Releasing one of the year's most vibrant singles ('The Magic Position') has done him no harm and who knows, you might be hearing Patrick Wolf once again soundtracking cricket highlights as I recently did.
Buy the new Maximo Park album 'Our Earthly Pleasures' from HMV [link] Buy Patrick Wolf'a new album 'The Magic Position' from HMV [link] Buy Larrikin Love's debut album 'The Freedom Spark' from HMV [link] ----- OBLIGATORY PODCAST MENTION If you haven't already listened to/downloaded my podcast (you'll have done well to avoid it!), then please check it out [link]. It features some of the finest new british bands about such as Johnny Foreigner and goFASTER>> and also new singles from Help She Can't Swim and Distophia. Thanks loads if you've listened/downloaded it already, means a great deal to me!
Posted by
FG
at
20:22on Wednesday, November 15, 2006
It's been a while hasn't it? This just covers a few things that have arrived in my inbox/have popped up recently....better posts are on the horizon, I promise! ------ West London's finest the Mystery Jets have made available two semi-acoustic tracks, which they've been live as of late (I think, anyway!) Produced by Erol Alkan esquire no less and exude a loveliness that you'd expect from the MJs.
Mystery Jets - 'Umbrellahead' ------ Speaking of West Londoners, Larrikin Love have also been kind enough to stick up recent b-side 'Cucumber' (not available on their debut album 'The Freedom Spark') here [link]. If we go back in time, you can see what I said about it here [link] and if you're too lazy to - basically, it's "well good". ------
Going a bit Northern now, Yorkshire (if anyone mentions "Gangs of New Yorkshire", I'll set fire to them) tykes Tiny Dancers have also appeared on this very blog before [link]. Admittedly, the briefest mention ever but beggars can't be choosers. They promote a kind of quirky, melodic pop that is rarely heard and they're a good laugh live to boot. Their EP 'Lions And Tigers And Lions' is released on the 20th and can be bought from HMV [link]. Lead track '20 To 9' is a bit Beach Boys meets U2, and maybe even a bit hippy-ish. In a good way, obviously.
Tiny Dancers - '20 To 9' ------ Oh and if you're a Beatles fan: "The new Beatles album Love is released Monday 20th November, The Beatles are giving fans a chance to hear the album before it is released, in the infamous studio that it was originally recorded in! The first 100 fans to turn up at 1pm on Friday 17th, at Abbey Road Studios, will get a wristband to return later that evening (6:30pm) for an exclusive playback of the LOVE album in the legendary Studio 2."
Following yesterday's "coverage" of Roland Shanks and Liam Frost & The Slowdown Family, Keep Hope Inside brings you the rest of my overview of the Sundae On The Common on the 29th. Weeing yourself with excitement is entirely optional. ----- Next up were Brighton bunch The Pipettes, who I'm sure you're already familiar with.
Take three girls in polka dot dresses, add a boy backing band, catchy doo wop anthems about boys in school uniforms, choreographed hand moments and voila! You have an irresistable combination that simply cannot fail."
I really enjoyed seeing The Pipettes when I first saw them about a year or so ago but since then I feel less enamoured with them. The fact they seem to play exactly the same songs, with exactly the same choreography means that much of the novelty has worn off for me. Sadly disappointing. For mp3s and what not, see this album review (link). Buy 'We Are The Pipettes' from Play.com (link). ------ Twickenham's finest Larrikin Love followed up and did a grand job of bringing the energy levels up. They are easily one of the best live acts around, a 'must see' during the festival season.
Larrikin Love have often been described as a "boozier Pogues" but with a sound that veers from reggae ('Meet Me By The Getaway Car') to Irish jig ('John O'Ryan's Polka Dot Skirt') to basically everything in between, they really are so much more. Singer Edward has been compared to a certain Mr Doherty - mainly because of his shambolic onstage behaviour and the way he sings but perhaps because of his lyrical talent also. Oh and Ed seems to court controversy, especially on 'Downing Street Kindling' where he proclaims "England has nothing to offer me". That doesn't stop him being mates with Patrick Wolf and Jamie T though, both of whom I believe are featuring on debut album, 'The Freedom Spark', out later this year.
New song 'The Cucumber Song' shows the promise of the album - an ode to vegetables, which descends into a 'la-la'-vocal-hook-fest complete with proggy breakdown. An exciting prospect indeed.
Larrikin Love - Forever Untitled (Acoustic) More songs available to download on Savefile (link). ----- Echo & The Bunnymen and Badly Drawn Boy completed the line up but I can't say I found either particularly riveting. Damon 'Badly Drawn Boy' Gough seemed to be having a difficult time onstage and although Echo & The Bunnymen did sound pretty interesting, I was enjoying sitting down and having a chat with some friends. And pondering who the celebrity was that sitting next to us - turned out it was former Radio 1 DJ Emma B.
For a more focused review (which I have to say I largely disagree with!) and some extra mp3s, read The Daily Growl (link).
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