Category: Blogging
Eliza and the Review
There was a nice review of the Eliza and the Bear gig I put on in last Friday’s Evening Gazette. If you missed it, you can read it online courtesy of the LoveMiddlesbrough blog:
http://blog.lovemiddlesbrough.com/eliza-and-the-bear-in-boro/
Cheers to Rob and Tracy for coming down! Was a good gig, like. All three bands were spot on.
The 1975
I had the pleasure of putting The 1975 on at Mixtape last night. I’ve booked a fair few buzz bands over the past few years and it’s fairly rare that they actually live up to the hype – The 1975 managed to though!
Huge, anthemic, festival-ready tracks with a strong 80s vibe (almost Prince-esque in places!?) – every song sounded like a single. I’ll be pretty surprised if they don’t go on to do some pretty big things… good luck to ’em!
Blue Monday
Apparently today is Blue Monday; the most depressing day of the year. The weather is certainly doing its best to assist with that, but music isn’t! What a treat today has been for my ears.
First up, the brand new This Town Needs Guns album has been released and blimey, what a cracker. I had the misfortunate of reading a review which gave it 5/10 and provided inaccurate reference points such as Foals and Two Door Cinema Club. Let me tell you this – it’s a strong 9/10 and if you’re in need of some reference points, may I suggest Pinback, Braid and of course, any Kinsella project such as Owls, American Football, Make Believe et al.
Legend.
Best of 2012?
I always find it difficult doing an end of year “best of” list, but I thought I’d give it a crack this year. Any glaring omissions? Tell me some good albums to check out!
My Favourite Albums of 2012
1. METZ – s/t
For fans of Drive Like Jehu, The Melvins and Rock Music.
2. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
For fans of having a nice time, parties and smiling.
3. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
For fans of geniuses, stage diving Dalai Lamas and Outkast.
4. The Futureheads – Rant
For fans of folk club singarounds, real ale and Black Eyed Peas.
5. Field Music – Plumb
For fans of plumb coloured vinyl, bands that should’ve won the Mercury Music Prize and Kev Dosdale.
6. Make Do And Mend – Everything You Ever Loved
For fans of Jimmy Eat World, Foo Fighters and bands that remind you of 2003.
7. The Unthanks – Song From The Shipyards
For fans of the River Tees, the North East and being proper Northern.
8. Mutiny On The Bounty – Trials
For fans of Minus The Bear, The Mars Volta and Luxembourg.
9. Bat For Lashes – The Haunted Man
For fans of Kate Bush, people called Laura and naked fireman’s lifts.
10. Tall Ships – Everything Touching
For fans of I Was A Cub Scout, Battles and the Big Scary Monsters roster (past & present.)
11. Spector – Enjoy It While It Lasts
For fans of The Killers, not taking yourself too seriously and big indie-pop sing-a-longs.
12. Beach House – Bloom
For fans of really good bands making really good records.
13. Grimes – Visions
For fans of shimmering synths, the internet and 80s pop.
14. Tame Impala – Lonerism
For fans of The Beatles, Metronomy and 70s psychedelic rock bands that I’ve never heard of.
15. Stealing Sheep – Into The Diamond Sun
For fans of those nice tea & coffee shops in Liverpool, Fleetwood Mac and Warpaint.
16. Pinback – Information Retrieved
For fans of American Analog Set, Modest Mouse and, well, Pinback!
17. Alt-J – An Awesome Wave
For fans of triangles, pans for hi-hats and wearing glasses.
18. David Byrne & St. Vincent – Love This Giant
For fans of David Byrne, St Vincent and brass sections.
19. The Maccabees – Given to the Wild
For fans of Coldplay, Arcade Fire and wishing that all Maccabees songs still sounded like The Rat by The Walkmen.
20. The Gaslight Anthem – Handwritten
For fans of Bruce Springsteen, Hot Water Music and shouting whoa-oh.
Here’s a Spotify playlist to accompany this post:
Honourable mentions to Band Of Horses, The Cribs, Grizzly Bear, Minus The Bear, Hot Chip and The Shins, who all released perfectly acceptable new albums which all served to make me go and listen to their older records.
Pay For The Piano 