SQUEEZE ME MACARONI

Seven days of dinner


Meat & veg

No effort

All in the oven

Pissed

Ate too much

Leftover

What Nikki would have had. You missed out there dear.

TEN YEARS MAN

THAT'S THE WAY WE GET BY

Went to see Spoon last night at the Scala. They really are very good. They're like the Picasso of US Indie; no straight lines. It's like they heard the entire Beatles back catalogue and decided 'Why Don't We Do It In The Road?' was their best song.

No photos, I'm too afraid of getting my camera confiscated at gigs. So here's a nice photo I didn't take.

YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MY SAFE HOME

Saturday night was spent with Alex and Adrian at some pub in Fitzrovia.

When we met, Adrian was taking in The Mars Volta whilst I was rocking with Weezer.

Alex came later and was experiencing Burial as he arrived.

I wrote a sketch on the tube. Both laughed out loud when they read it so that made me happy.

Then after a search for a late pub we saw Roger Lloyd Pack wearing a flat cap. As we left I shouted 'Roger Lloyd Pack' because I am a child.

WE ARE MERELY EXCHANGING LONG PROTEIN STRANDS

Who does Hillary Clinton keep noticing in the crowd at her rallies? She seems to have a long lost friend in every state. And surely she would expect that person to turn up; she looks so surprised everytime.

Quite frankly I find it a little bit unprofessional:

"And people, I will bring our troops out of Iraq, and back home where they be- AAAAHHH CATHERINE!! I had no idea you were coming. Can't talk right now, doing a speech- long. THANK YOU!"

That picture above isn't exactly what I wanted, but you get the idea. The one below shows how fantastic Bill was.

COOL KIDS NEVER HAD THE TIME

What are the chances? The week I have no camera I pass a mad woman dancing in the tube station and loads of people dressed and racing with pancakes. Both perfect for capturing on video. Fear not, I have ordered a new one.

I have never worked on a Top 5 (or 10) Best Songs Ever list but I now think that 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins will be on it. Maybe Postcards From Italy by Beirut too.

Last night I went to see Okkervil River at the Scala. I had only heard one song before I went but it was very engaging. And completely packed.

Also I saw Paramore on Friday. Also pretty damn good, although the cover of Jimmy Eat World's Sweetness was ill-advised. I was most likely the oldest person there, evident by how easy it was to get to the bar. And I'm a mere 29!

I am currently liking the following songs:

1979 - Smashing Pumpkins

Nine In The Afternoon - Panic At The Disco

Grounds For Divorce - Elbow

After Hours - We Are Scientists

P.S. That photo isn't mine, and nor was the last one.

Why does the spacing always cock up on blogger? Rubbish.

THE PRODIGAL SON IS WAITING

I've been working on making a small film set to a piece of popular music. I still have a third to do and it's been taking a while. But now I seem to have lost my camera (blame red wine) so it's going to be even longer before I get it finished. It will be premiered here though, and then I'll do some more.

So that's the update. Here's a list of films I've watched in January:

Half Nelson

There Will Be Blood

Juno (twice)

Enduring Love

Before The Devil Knows Your Dead

Lust, Caution

Into The Wild

American Gangster

The Prestige

Transformers

Alpha Dog

The Machinist

RUN IN THE SHADOWS

Jason did some album covers (the picture quality isn't great for some reason).

Ful Medames – 'An Atheist, thank God'

Long-time Seu Jorge roadie finally releases the much-anticipated debut. Although thousands have heard snippets in the form of various ‘sound checks’ Ful has yet to play his own show. Making the leap from 20 second riffs to fully fledged songs has not been an easy transition as evinced by the 9 year wait, countless introspections and the all too visible breakdown at the 2005 Latin American Grammies, But was it worth it?

Douglas Wood – ‘Somebody May Be Looking’

Debut release from Teddington based Wood, largely written whilst serving a 24 month stretch for his part in the UK’s biggest Skunk growing ring. Hauntingly melodic tunes are interspersed with meandering solos often going off at tangents and on more than one occasion seeming to stop abruptly as if lost.

CTXM – ‘Stop Giving Them Things’

Emerging from a Berlin meeting of minds between VNV Nation, Apoptygma Berzerk and Nic Endo, CTXM, (pronounced Cataxiom) spew forth an intense, rhythmic 50,000V defibrillation on the seemingly deceased Digital Hardcore scene. Highlights include the guest appearance of Kyono (Mad Capsule Markets), sporting what can only be the evolution of a Keytar, on ‘Ode to Carl Crack’.

Cyanohydrin Reaction – ‘Are Brilliant at Breakfast’

Discovered by legendary Budgie bassist/vocalist Burke Shelley when he overheard a potential ridden yet shambolic rehearsal from the opticians. Shelley took ‘the reaction’ under his wing, installed his daughter Maz as vocalist and produced this symphonic rock masterpiece. Tours of Scandanavia and Italy will follow the release of the album’s first single – ‘Quest for Tarja’.

Pines – ‘to lie and cheat’

Written and recorded over a dark weekend in his parents Bovey Tracey farm Pines debut ‘to lie and cheat’ sees multi instrumentalist Kevin Kavanagh finally exorcising his life’s demons. Left battered and bruised after the humiliating breakdown of his relationship with Tesco’s cashier Chryysteen Smythe things didn’t look good but after some words of wisdom from ol’ Bernie at the pub on Friday night he locked himself away for the weekend and produced his finest work to date. You can feel the influence of Kavanagh’s daytime job as frontman for ‘Guzzlin’ Gobos’ but he somehow manages to break free from those harsh restraints and connect with a softer side. There is already much industry buzz about the follow up reputedly titled ‘not my cousin too’.

Sigdal – 'Nothing You Can Do'

Not much is known about Faroese nontet Sigdal, deeply layered audioscapes echo forth from this debut release perfectly capturing the futility of life in the North Atlantic whilst simultaneously warning of imminent dangers just around the corner.

HUSH I'M NOT THE MARRYING KIND

More fake first albums:

I'm thinking that Transatlantic Business Dialogue play post-rock out of the west coast of USA, probably from Portland. Musical differences mean that this is their only album.

Electric Multiple Unit are a chillout style act from Bristol. They used to be hardcore DJs but age has mellowed their tastes, although they occasionally DJ at club nights.

Emblem Book count American Music Club, Death Cab For Cutie and The Jayhawks as their influences, but three of the four members used to play hardcore. Think Band Of Horses with a an epic feel.

I think this is all I'll do from now on.

IF I WAS YOUNG I'D FLEE THIS TOWN

You're young, you've got a band, you've got songs but you've no band name, no album title and no album cover. Well fear not, you can do all this with the FIRST ALBUM GENERATOR (© not me).

First click HERE and take the entry title for your band name.

Then click HERE, and take the last four words of the last quote for your album title (you may need to generate a new list from the button at the bottom).

Finally click HERE and take the third image for your album cover.


Here are a few I've done:

The Curry-Howard Correspondence hail from Chicago and play dreamy indie-pop. The album was well reviewed in Pitchfork but the British press haven't gone for it.

Polsat 2 International are an electro duo from South London. It's sample driven but relatively minimalist. People thought it should have been Mercury nominated but they just missed out.

Finally we have Chrysler PT Cruiser who are most certainly post-hardcore from the Mid West of America. They rose from the ashes of a disbanded hardcore band (who I'm sure we'll see later) and sent waves across the genre when this album was released in the mid-nineties.

If anyone has a go, send me the results so I can post them here.

JUST ANOTHER NIGHT IN NANTES

Let's face it, Beirut are pretty damn cool. Well Zach Condon is, as he is essentially Beirut. I've totally fallen for The Flying Club Cup and I'm now revisiting Gulag Orkestar. Condon is, what, 21 years old, and has released 2 albums in just over a year, both completely different in style. The first was from the Balkans and the second is from 1940s France. It will be very interesting to see what he does next - I'm expecting at least an EP next year.

And he's rather a snappy dresser too.

Here are a couple of video which can be found on his website, but they should be nicely available for your ipod here.

Video: Elephant Gun (from Lon Gisland EP)

Video: Postcards From Italy (from Gulag Orkestar)

Buy Beirut

LIKE FRED FLINTSTONE, I'M DRIVING AROUND WITH BOTH FEET

Books I want to read next year:

Slaughterhouse Five

The Old Man And The Sea

Bonfire Of The Vanities

I'm annoyed at myself at almost slicing the tip of my thumb off whilst cutting bread. At least it's stopped throbbing now but it's constantly in the air like Dean Moriaty's.

Good rock facial hair:

Paul McCartney's moustache

Brandon Flowers' moustache

Jim Morrison's mega-beard

Lindsay Buckingham's beard

Most listened to songs on my iTunes that were released this year:

1. Editors - Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors

2. Interpol - The Heinrich Maneuver

3. Linkin Park - The Little Things You Give Away

4. Biffy Clyro - Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies

5. Fall Out Boy - Thnks Fr Th Mmrs

6. Funeral For A Friend - The Sweetest Wave

7. The Academy Is... - LAX To O'Hare

8. Circa Survive - The Difference Between Medicine And Poison Is In The Dose

9. John Vanderslice - Exodus Damage (Alias Remix)

10. Foo Fighters - The Pretender

(Bubbling under: Ignite - Bleeding, Minus The Bear - Dr. L'Ling)

I took my camera to three different dos last week and all I took snaps of were my wrapped presents and my stereo. Very poor.

Hopes for 2008:
Hats and moustaches are taken back by non ironic indie-types
Stage 4 and 5 get completed
Glassjaw put an album out

I'M JUST A HAPPY KID

Things I'm currently obsessed with:

The Daft Punk live tracks (a few can be found through elbo.ws)

My new coat

Rihanna

Tiger Woods 07 on the PS2

See These Bones by Nada Surf - Download (The album is at work so I'm having to make do with Let Go and The Weight Is A Gift this evening)

Innocence (and to a lesser extent naivity)

Cool blogs

The Mighty Boosh

Doing elaborate artwork for home made CDs for other people. I hope that people who have had CDs enjoyed the artwork.

Moustaches - well cropped and non-ironic (see Jason Schwartzman or Julian Barratt)

Zubrowka and Apple Juice

Post Secret

Hayley Williams

The Perry Bible Fellowship

BELIEF IN THE ONE TRUE POWER or I ♥ SKUB

Well I first must apologise for my absence. In truth, I couldn't be bothered. But I have a spare few minutes.

I have a new coat. It may or may not change my life.

Album of the year I'm telling people to make me look cool:

The National - Boxer

Actual album of the year but it's too uncool to tell people:

Paramore - Riot

Official album of the year top ten in no order:

Editors - An End Has A Start

The National - Boxer

Minus The Bear - Planet Of Ice

Paramore - Riot

Band Of Horses - Cease To Begin

Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight

Manchester Orchestra - I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child

Fall Out Boy - Infinity On High

Funeral For A Friend - Tales Don't Tell Themselves

The long songs on the Dillinger Escape Plan's Ire Works are incredible. The short hardcore songs are hard work.

I saw The Darjeeling Limited and it was as good as I hoped. I also downloaded Hotel Chevalier but it's avi so I can't get it on my ipod. Any help?

Comics from The Perry Bible Fellowship

I PUT ALL MY MONEY ON YOU

Finally some music to share again (I'm actually planning on something good for next year, but we'll see if it happens or not).

After the solo album by Dustin Kensrue earlier this year, with a track from that in an earlier post, Thrice have returned. But not in a normal way, which seems to be the case for a lot of bands these days. Instead of putting out one album, Thrice are releasing four EPs each based on a different element, all under the title of The Alchemy Index. The first two, Fire & Water are out next week and the song below is from Water.

Apparently they all sound like the element they come from, if you understand that. It all sounds extremely pretentious, but if there's one thing I love it's pretentious progressive rock.

Anyhoo, Digital Sea is a cross between Red Sky from the last album Vheissu and the Dustin Kensrue solo songs. I think it's pretty good.




MP3: Thrice - Digital Sea


Buy Thrice

SHE'S MY RUSHMORE

Wouldn't life be so much better if it was like a Wes Anderson film? You could say exactly what you wanted with no real consequence, angry people would be so without showing too much emotion and somehow, although with a little tragedy, everyone would end up okay.

I am currently obsessed with the trailer for his new film The Darjeeling Limited. So much so that I now want to grow a moustache (again), constantly wear a light suit and get some old man pyjamas. I love the detail thaat the pyjamas they're wearing have The Darjeeling Limited embroided on the pockets (as it is the name of the train they are on).

The film isn't even out and I'm guessing it will be the greatest film ever.

I MISS YOU

How did a band that were as good as Blink 182 (yes, I like them and their last album was very good considering they went serious after 4 albums of nob gags) produce two bands so mediocre with 3 good songs between them? I just watched the new Angels & Airwaves video to their song Everything's Magic and, quite frankly, it's rubbish. Their first album was pretty poor too with only The Adventure and the last 30 seconds of Valkyrie Missile being worthwhile. And have you seen the cover to their new album? It would be brilliantly genius if you didn't know that Tom DeLonge is deadly serious in thinking he can take over the world.

So that's them, and Plus 44 are pretty bog standard too. The singles were good straight up rock songs but the rest of the album has not one tune on it.

I'm not saying Blink 182 were the Beatles but there's a certain good together shit apart like Lennon and McCartney thing going on here. I had high hopes for these two, but I've given up. The moral of the story is that if you started playing pop punk, stay playing pop punk (exception Green Day), or just stop. It was a fad, like nu metal, unless you had a serious edge to your sound from the offset like Bad Religion or Pennywise.

Anyway make up your own minds on Tom DeLonge's manifesto.

LAY A WHISPER ON MY PILLOW

The hotel we stayed in in Katelios had a bunch of CDs but only seemed to play 3. One was a power ballad compilation which played two songs in a row by Roxette, two ina row by Bon Jovi, two in a row by Bryan Adams and then one by Meat Loaf. The next was a live Greek album which included a song called Spastica. The final one was the most bizarre. It featured well known songs such as I Shot The Sheriff, One Step Beyond, Blue Hotel and Wonderwall, but with Greek lyrics and completely different melodies. Maybe by Demis Roussos, but maybe not.

No music just yet, but here's a photo diary in 8 parts.