A song that nobody would expect you to like.
Surely this ought to be posed to the general public, rather than me? I don't really know what people would expect me to like or dislike. My nu-metal past has been well documented, as have my punk, ska and indie leanings. Yesterday I posted a cheeky pop song and a couple of days before that admitted that I can't even find it in me to hate happy hardcore with the same vitriol of my teens. Last week I went to see Sonata Arctica, who are a power metal band. I honestly try to be open to anything.
With that in mind, I guess I'll have to show some love for 13 year old Rebecca Black, youtube sensation and songwriter extraordinaire. I actually wrote about her earlier in the week, here.
Showing posts with label indie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label indie. Show all posts
Saturday, 26 March 2011
Friday, 9 July 2010
Kid Canaveral Album Launch
Last week I was one of the lucky ones who got to the launch of Kid Canaveral's debut album, Shouting At Wildlife - you may remember I reviewed that (in a manner of speaking) here.
The show was held in the Roxy, was very well attended, and was the sweatiest gig I've ever been to (and I am including punk gigs in the Barrowlands here). I went in with the intention of interviewing excited punters about their experience to make a totally sweet video, but by the end of it all everyone was melted and partially deaf due to the awesome power of RAWK inflicted by the PA system. So what I have instead is a recording of album opener 'Good Morning', which is of dubious sound quality and not entirely live as my camera was playing silly buggers and cut off the beginning.
Enjoy:
The show was held in the Roxy, was very well attended, and was the sweatiest gig I've ever been to (and I am including punk gigs in the Barrowlands here). I went in with the intention of interviewing excited punters about their experience to make a totally sweet video, but by the end of it all everyone was melted and partially deaf due to the awesome power of RAWK inflicted by the PA system. So what I have instead is a recording of album opener 'Good Morning', which is of dubious sound quality and not entirely live as my camera was playing silly buggers and cut off the beginning.
Enjoy:
Sunday, 14 February 2010
That Gig
Cancel the Astronauts are probably your new favourite band, and not just cause they make a lot of their music available to download for free off last.fm (although that works in their favour). But in addition to this, you see, their fast paced indie pop stylings are mixed with a sense of humour and some excellent dance moves. Braw.
"Anybody going to see Hot Chip tonight? .... Anybody get tickets to see Hot Chip tonight forgetting their own band was playing?!"
A squiggly photo taken on night mode as I didn't want to be the pranny distracting everybody concerned by taking photos with the flash when I was about a foot away from the band. And most other people in the room. The Wee Red Bar is not so much a clever name, it's more a very small bar that's been painted red.
Who or what are Babygod? Reactions on Saturday were mixed. Matt from the Astros introduced them as 'the best band in Scotland today'. Captain Tact pronounced them 'tantalisingly mediocre'. Personally, I spent a large chunk of the set trying to work out who they reminded me of. There was a whisper of early Manics in there, and a bit of Sons and Daughters, but that was as far as I got. Essentially they are a band of many parts, and opinion at this gig was divided on whether there's any point putting all those parts together in one place. This could be because they're so different from the other bands on the bill, which had a very jarring effect. The last song, Throw it on the Fire, was nice though.
Night mode picture of the drummer. The band are actually worth a watch for him alone - he's utterly fascinating.
"He looks surprised every time he hits the snare..."
- El Capitan
Kid Canaveral's first full length album is out this year, hooray! This is one of the tracks on there, although once again you must make allowances for the crappiness of my camera work and the low quality sound you get filming on a wee digital snapper.
They kicked off their set with the ridiculously catchy Good Morning (available as a free download here) and stomped their way through a set consisting almost entirely of other ridiculously catchy tunes, including Second Time Around, Couldn't Dance and Smash Hits, to name but three. It's getting on for six years since I first saw them in the students' union in St Andrews, but over that time they've constantly evolved their sound and they've yet to disappoint. Suck on that, Slipknot.
"Anybody going to see Hot Chip tonight? .... Anybody get tickets to see Hot Chip tonight forgetting their own band was playing?!"
A squiggly photo taken on night mode as I didn't want to be the pranny distracting everybody concerned by taking photos with the flash when I was about a foot away from the band. And most other people in the room. The Wee Red Bar is not so much a clever name, it's more a very small bar that's been painted red.
Who or what are Babygod? Reactions on Saturday were mixed. Matt from the Astros introduced them as 'the best band in Scotland today'. Captain Tact pronounced them 'tantalisingly mediocre'. Personally, I spent a large chunk of the set trying to work out who they reminded me of. There was a whisper of early Manics in there, and a bit of Sons and Daughters, but that was as far as I got. Essentially they are a band of many parts, and opinion at this gig was divided on whether there's any point putting all those parts together in one place. This could be because they're so different from the other bands on the bill, which had a very jarring effect. The last song, Throw it on the Fire, was nice though.
Night mode picture of the drummer. The band are actually worth a watch for him alone - he's utterly fascinating.
"He looks surprised every time he hits the snare..."
- El Capitan
Kid Canaveral's first full length album is out this year, hooray! This is one of the tracks on there, although once again you must make allowances for the crappiness of my camera work and the low quality sound you get filming on a wee digital snapper.
They kicked off their set with the ridiculously catchy Good Morning (available as a free download here) and stomped their way through a set consisting almost entirely of other ridiculously catchy tunes, including Second Time Around, Couldn't Dance and Smash Hits, to name but three. It's getting on for six years since I first saw them in the students' union in St Andrews, but over that time they've constantly evolved their sound and they've yet to disappoint. Suck on that, Slipknot.
Saturday, 13 February 2010
Stuff
You may notice I have not uploaded a picture for the last two days. This is because I have stuff to do. Some of which actually includes promotional art for a graphic novel being written by a friend of Captain Tact though, so y'know, swings and roundabouts.
Also, if you are in Edinburgh tonight with nothing to do, consider yourself doing something! The glorious return of Kid Canaveral, along with Cancel the Astronauts and Babygod, takes place TONIGHT! In like an hour, at the Wee Red Bar in Edinburgh College of Art. Off you go and get doled up, s'only a fiver. And I have it on good authority that Kid C are gon' play some new stuff, from their nearly completed album. The excitement is palpable!
Also, if you are in Edinburgh tonight with nothing to do, consider yourself doing something! The glorious return of Kid Canaveral, along with Cancel the Astronauts and Babygod, takes place TONIGHT! In like an hour, at the Wee Red Bar in Edinburgh College of Art. Off you go and get doled up, s'only a fiver. And I have it on good authority that Kid C are gon' play some new stuff, from their nearly completed album. The excitement is palpable!
Thursday, 31 December 2009
I Have A Sadness Shield
I can't be the only one who read several reviews of Where The Wild Things Are saying that it wasn't so much a film for children as a film about childhood. Now, the people who wrote these reviews were not talking out of their arses, they were in fact going on the evidence of their own eyes, ears and other sensory apparatus. So I would be really interested to know what some of the very small children who saw it last night made of it. Apart from the baby sitting behind us, whose review consisted of crying for about twenty minutes.
Apparently director Spike Jonze said he wanted to capture the essence of being 9, for which he used handheld camera work, a Karen O soundtrack, and a lead actor who is 12. The end result is more of a poetic indie representation of what being 9 was like than the experience of anyone who has recently spoken to a 9 year old. I would say, though, that the changing your mind all the time, lacking in self awareness, emotional outburst stuff that young kids do was very well realised.
I have read a couple of comments from people who saw the film saying it was stagnant and dull. Whilst things happen in fits and starts and action-wise it's no Die Hard 4, it's based on a picture book of about three sentences, so really what do you expect? You could argue that there wasn't enough to make a full length movie I suppose, but that would be missing the point. The story is a character study, following Max's gradual realisation that different aspects of his personality are reflected by the monsters, and that his outbursts affect other people just like theirs affect him. Part of the fun of watching is trying to work out precisely what character trait each Wild Thing represents - some are more obvious than others.
Overall this is a beautiful film, definitely worth a watch. But in all likelihood you will be in a cinema with some young persons who will ask searching questions - by which I mean banal questions - all the way through, so if you can't cope with that then maybe wait for the DVD. FYI, it'll be things like, "he doesn't like it there does he?" and "when is he going to get home?" Hey, they're kids, they don't gotta be pithy in reality. Just in the imagination of nostalgic grown ups.
Apparently director Spike Jonze said he wanted to capture the essence of being 9, for which he used handheld camera work, a Karen O soundtrack, and a lead actor who is 12. The end result is more of a poetic indie representation of what being 9 was like than the experience of anyone who has recently spoken to a 9 year old. I would say, though, that the changing your mind all the time, lacking in self awareness, emotional outburst stuff that young kids do was very well realised.
I have read a couple of comments from people who saw the film saying it was stagnant and dull. Whilst things happen in fits and starts and action-wise it's no Die Hard 4, it's based on a picture book of about three sentences, so really what do you expect? You could argue that there wasn't enough to make a full length movie I suppose, but that would be missing the point. The story is a character study, following Max's gradual realisation that different aspects of his personality are reflected by the monsters, and that his outbursts affect other people just like theirs affect him. Part of the fun of watching is trying to work out precisely what character trait each Wild Thing represents - some are more obvious than others.
Overall this is a beautiful film, definitely worth a watch. But in all likelihood you will be in a cinema with some young persons who will ask searching questions - by which I mean banal questions - all the way through, so if you can't cope with that then maybe wait for the DVD. FYI, it'll be things like, "he doesn't like it there does he?" and "when is he going to get home?" Hey, they're kids, they don't gotta be pithy in reality. Just in the imagination of nostalgic grown ups.
Thursday, 10 December 2009
Free Gig
At a loose end tonight?
(That's Thursday 10th December 2009, people who are reading this tomorrow.)
Concerned that the monotony of your own company may finally tip you over the edge?
Text MILL57K to 82500, or go here, where you will get FREE tickets to see Homework and Kid Canaveral at Caberet Voltaire.
Drink some booze, have a dance, and become part of the delicious indie sandwich you have always dreamed of. Fantastic.
(That's Thursday 10th December 2009, people who are reading this tomorrow.)
Concerned that the monotony of your own company may finally tip you over the edge?
Text MILL57K to 82500, or go here, where you will get FREE tickets to see Homework and Kid Canaveral at Caberet Voltaire.
Drink some booze, have a dance, and become part of the delicious indie sandwich you have always dreamed of. Fantastic.
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Happy December
It is properly cold likes. Just check out this frosty bus shelter if you think I'm lying, which I am not.
Other than that, a free stuff to do in Edinburgh is occurring near you tonight (if you consider Hanover Street to be near, or merely just accessible).
It is an indie club night of sorts held downstairs in Jekyll and Hyde, where you will be dazzled by the mad DJing skillz of Marcus Forealius (who has been on that Eggheads programme) and DJ Very Friendly (who hasn't). Free food, free music, free entry - what's not to check out at least this one time and see what you reckon? Make yours a Club Sandwich from 8-12. You might enjoy yourself.
Other than that, a free stuff to do in Edinburgh is occurring near you tonight (if you consider Hanover Street to be near, or merely just accessible).It is an indie club night of sorts held downstairs in Jekyll and Hyde, where you will be dazzled by the mad DJing skillz of Marcus Forealius (who has been on that Eggheads programme) and DJ Very Friendly (who hasn't). Free food, free music, free entry - what's not to check out at least this one time and see what you reckon? Make yours a Club Sandwich from 8-12. You might enjoy yourself.
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