I've spent a lot of time lately going on about Swedish bands and I'm not about to stop now. I've blogged about I'm From Barcelona in the past I think. We were lucky enough to finally get to see them live last Sunday at the Thekla in Bristol. I was excited all day knowing that I was going to a see 13 happy Swedes playin an upbeat gig on a boat. What a night, what a show, what a band. The quality of the songs and energy of every member, combined with showers of tickertape and balloons ensured that the atmosphere was sensational. Below are live versions of 'Treehouse' and 'We're From Barcelona'.
After the gig, the band put on a short DJ set with loads of Electro and some strange dancing. I believe this may have been my first real life experience of Jumpen (originating from Sweden and involving flailing limbs, Jumpen is to Electro what Skanking is to Ska). The video below shows jumpen at its best, as demonstrated by lego men!
On a completely different note, look out for this guy over the next few months. He's been getting loads of online attention. Below is Andy Mckee - Drifting
I'm From Barcelona Myspace
Andy McKee Myspace
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Praise the drummer
I have no idea how this Cadburys advert relates to the product in any way, but it's still a great advert!
I love it and it motivated me to do a piece on drummers. Since the track on the advert was Genesis the obvious place to start is Phil Collins. Below is an amazing 6 minute duet with Chester Thompson.
Whilst researching this post I looked up a number of drummers from big bands of recent years. I tried to decide upon one to put show a video of. In the end I picked none of them and instead went for Stevie Wonder. Ok, it's not the tightest piece of drumming you will ever hear, but it's pretty damn hot, and it's STEVIE WONDER!
Below are two videos of the 1990s, who were ace at Wireless this summer. The drums are the engine of this band, which combined with some catchy rifts makes for some damn good songs.
Above: You Made Me Like It
Below: See You At The Lights (New single)
1990s Myspace
If you want more drums scroll down and check out Cerians previous piece on Danananakroyd.
I love it and it motivated me to do a piece on drummers. Since the track on the advert was Genesis the obvious place to start is Phil Collins. Below is an amazing 6 minute duet with Chester Thompson.
Whilst researching this post I looked up a number of drummers from big bands of recent years. I tried to decide upon one to put show a video of. In the end I picked none of them and instead went for Stevie Wonder. Ok, it's not the tightest piece of drumming you will ever hear, but it's pretty damn hot, and it's STEVIE WONDER!
Below are two videos of the 1990s, who were ace at Wireless this summer. The drums are the engine of this band, which combined with some catchy rifts makes for some damn good songs.
Above: You Made Me Like It
Below: See You At The Lights (New single)
1990s Myspace
If you want more drums scroll down and check out Cerians previous piece on Danananakroyd.
Monday, August 27, 2007
odds and ends
Sorry for the lack of posts recently, I have been a busy boy. I'm in a massive hurry so I'm going to keep the chat to a minimum and the music to the max.
At the moment I'm mainly loving the discordant joys of the Dresden Dolls. Their songs include every ear jarring chord known to man, but some how manage to combine them in such a way as to end up with enchantingly edgy musical masterpieces.
Above: Dresden Dolls - Girl Anachronism
Like that? Watch Dresden dolls - Backstabber
Moving in a completely different direction, I have been meaning to write about Tellison for ages. I saw them at the Huckster Club in London a while back and was very impressed. Here are a few videos to wet your appetite.
Above: Tellison Tour Montage A La New York
Below: Tellison - Reader
Since I'm here I may as well mention that Scouting For Girls next single 'She's so Lovely' is out next Monday. The video is below, go and buy it!
As if all of this isn't enough, we're sponsoring another event!
Kiss My Face Events
Dresden Dolls Myspace
Tellison Myspace
Scouting For Girls Myspace
At the moment I'm mainly loving the discordant joys of the Dresden Dolls. Their songs include every ear jarring chord known to man, but some how manage to combine them in such a way as to end up with enchantingly edgy musical masterpieces.
Above: Dresden Dolls - Girl Anachronism
Like that? Watch Dresden dolls - Backstabber
Moving in a completely different direction, I have been meaning to write about Tellison for ages. I saw them at the Huckster Club in London a while back and was very impressed. Here are a few videos to wet your appetite.
Above: Tellison Tour Montage A La New York
Below: Tellison - Reader
Since I'm here I may as well mention that Scouting For Girls next single 'She's so Lovely' is out next Monday. The video is below, go and buy it!
As if all of this isn't enough, we're sponsoring another event!
Kiss My Face Events
Dresden Dolls Myspace
Tellison Myspace
Scouting For Girls Myspace
Friday, August 10, 2007
funk off, jazz on
Firstly, apologies that it’s so long since my last post; I’ve been on holiday, graduated, went on holiday again and been job hunting since we last spoke!
I’m going to jump straight in with tales of the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia. Expectations were high, following a solid performance by Sergio Mendes at last year’s festival. I hadn’t had time to check the lineup, so arrived not knowing what to expect. The band we saw is called Funk Off. Wow, they were sensational. This 15 piece band (verging on full orchestra) is known for playing Jazz on the streets of Italy. On their website it is said that Funk Off are "probably the most exciting street band in Italy at the moment". This is contender for understatement of the year. Unwilling to confine themselves to a stage, the band snuck around the back of the audience in the town square and started the set whist marching through the audience, in to the back stage area, finishing the song on stage to rapturous applause. Carnival atmosphere and spectacular, free flowing jazz followed. This band is a unique visual and aural phenomenon, which you have to experience to appreciate.
Below is a 45 second clip of a street performance at the festival, followed by an 8 minute long full parade for those of you with more stamina!
Check out the band here - Funk Off
Having returned from Italy, my next stop was the equally glamorous Derby, where I was impressed by Komakino and The Strand Arcade. Myspace links are below so you can check them out for yourselves. Derby seems to have a habit at the moment of generating a lot of very good indie bands, all of which seem to struggle in obtaining excellence. Hopefully these bands will have what it takes to break that habit.
Komakino
The Strand Arcade
I’m going to jump straight in with tales of the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia. Expectations were high, following a solid performance by Sergio Mendes at last year’s festival. I hadn’t had time to check the lineup, so arrived not knowing what to expect. The band we saw is called Funk Off. Wow, they were sensational. This 15 piece band (verging on full orchestra) is known for playing Jazz on the streets of Italy. On their website it is said that Funk Off are "probably the most exciting street band in Italy at the moment". This is contender for understatement of the year. Unwilling to confine themselves to a stage, the band snuck around the back of the audience in the town square and started the set whist marching through the audience, in to the back stage area, finishing the song on stage to rapturous applause. Carnival atmosphere and spectacular, free flowing jazz followed. This band is a unique visual and aural phenomenon, which you have to experience to appreciate.
Below is a 45 second clip of a street performance at the festival, followed by an 8 minute long full parade for those of you with more stamina!
Check out the band here - Funk Off
Having returned from Italy, my next stop was the equally glamorous Derby, where I was impressed by Komakino and The Strand Arcade. Myspace links are below so you can check them out for yourselves. Derby seems to have a habit at the moment of generating a lot of very good indie bands, all of which seem to struggle in obtaining excellence. Hopefully these bands will have what it takes to break that habit.
Komakino
The Strand Arcade
Monday, July 16, 2007
Dot-To-Dot
After a disappointing day of trudging through wind and rain to watch mediocre performances from a bunch of bands currently being hyped to death by Radio One, and staring in boredom at one-hit crazes, unable to sing along, I stumbled into a small, semi-crowded room feeling cold, miserable and in need of pizza. A band I’d not heard of was about to play and I decided to join the other 5 people waiting patiently for them to begin. Expecting more disappointment I began to send a text as they started their set. Poor guys, no-one wants to play to an empty room. But as I began to listen I was hit with a joyous sense of relief, and I’m guessing I wasn’t alone as by the end of the first song all the people who had previously been milling around the bar, ignorant of the band quietly setting up in a dark corner, were now crowded behind me and I was pressed against the barriers. In a thick Glaswegian accent the singer shouted “WE… ARE… THE PHYSIIIIIICS!”
40 minutes of rehearsed, perfectly timed, madness followed. Self described as ‘mutant science punk rock’ their sound leaps from poppy punk to an Interpol-esque darkness, and jumps, stomps and thrashes about along all the stages in between. Lyrically, We Are The Physics aren’t trying to change the world; just simple yet fun and quirky lines delivered among various shouts, screams and Buddy Holly style hiccups. They embrace the catchy riffs and musical make-up of The Futureheads, only to fuse it with the craziness and electronic zaps of guitar reminiscent of Melt Banana and the fast, excited rhythms of Polysics. Their combination of dark guitar, poppy melodies and catchy drumming, with the quality of their performance is sure to set We Are The Physics up for greater things. Rehearsed to perfection and completely in sync with each other as lead singer Michael jumped around the stage, confident but not arrogant, and executed humorous tomfoolery with faultless comic timing. After the gig my companions and I all agreed that these guys had put on such a performance that they alone made up for the festival ticket price, and as students paying £25 that’s some feat.
Above: Vanity. The split single “Fear of Words/Vanity” is currently available to buy.
We Are The Physics are signed to small Glaswegian label One Records, have just finished touring with Art Brut and have also recently supported Vincent Vincent & the Villains and Polysics. With two singles already released and an album in the pipeline all that is left is to wait with anticipation to see where these guys end up, and to support them along the way at as many gigs as possible of course!
Check them out on their myspace (although it doesn’t do their live performance justice):
As for my final thought… for any ladies reading this, I never thought I’d say that guys in school uniform are a turn on, but trust me; lead singer Michael looks undeniably hot! ;-)
Words by Miss Charlotte Emily Bennett
40 minutes of rehearsed, perfectly timed, madness followed. Self described as ‘mutant science punk rock’ their sound leaps from poppy punk to an Interpol-esque darkness, and jumps, stomps and thrashes about along all the stages in between. Lyrically, We Are The Physics aren’t trying to change the world; just simple yet fun and quirky lines delivered among various shouts, screams and Buddy Holly style hiccups. They embrace the catchy riffs and musical make-up of The Futureheads, only to fuse it with the craziness and electronic zaps of guitar reminiscent of Melt Banana and the fast, excited rhythms of Polysics. Their combination of dark guitar, poppy melodies and catchy drumming, with the quality of their performance is sure to set We Are The Physics up for greater things. Rehearsed to perfection and completely in sync with each other as lead singer Michael jumped around the stage, confident but not arrogant, and executed humorous tomfoolery with faultless comic timing. After the gig my companions and I all agreed that these guys had put on such a performance that they alone made up for the festival ticket price, and as students paying £25 that’s some feat.
Above: Vanity. The split single “Fear of Words/Vanity” is currently available to buy.
We Are The Physics are signed to small Glaswegian label One Records, have just finished touring with Art Brut and have also recently supported Vincent Vincent & the Villains and Polysics. With two singles already released and an album in the pipeline all that is left is to wait with anticipation to see where these guys end up, and to support them along the way at as many gigs as possible of course!
Check them out on their myspace (although it doesn’t do their live performance justice):
As for my final thought… for any ladies reading this, I never thought I’d say that guys in school uniform are a turn on, but trust me; lead singer Michael looks undeniably hot! ;-)
Words by Miss Charlotte Emily Bennett
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