If I Had A Pound For Every Stale Blog Title...

Mix CD 1 - Progression

2008-03-09T11:59:00.000Z

Progression

01 - Duffy - Rockferry
02 - Adele - Chasing Pavements
03 - Bat For Lashes - Precilla
04 - Kate Nash - Mouthwash
05 - The Ting Tings - Great DJ
06 - The Wombats - Patricia The Stripper
07 - Operator Please - Get What You Want
08 - The Teenagers - Selflove
09 - Cajun Dance Party - The Next Unouchable
10 - The Subways - Rock & Roll Queen
11 - The Dead 60's - Beat Generation
12 - Blood Red Shoes - You Bring Me Down
13 - Courteeners - What Took You So Long?
14 - The Dykeenies - Clean Up Your Eyes
15 - David Venn - Drunk On Anti-biotics
16 - The Twang Wide Awake
17 - Foals - Cassius
18 - Klaxons - Atlantis To Interzone
19 - Does It Offend You Yeah? - We Are Rockstars
20 - Guillemots - Get Over It
21 - Hadouken! - Get Smashed, Gate Crash

Little Man Tate

2007-04-13T19:42:00.000+01:00

Recent-ish discovery by me, they've just released their debut album which has a collection of instantly enjoyable catchy tracks with fun lyrics. They remind me of The Wombats (another of my favourites) in that sense. Here's a few tracks.

Sexy In Latin - mp3

This Must Be Love - mp3

Down On Marie - mp3

House Party At Boothy's - mp3

Official / Myspace

The Twang

2007-03-16T20:25:00.000Z

Brand new group which I think sound very much like (and I'm sure some of you have already heard of these) Bloc Party if put a bit more effort and oomph into their music. Which isn't to say I don't think The Bloc Party aren't any good because they make some damn good records, it's just these have a very similar sound but have a bit more of an impact about them. Thir first and current single is Wide Awake.

Wide Awake - mp3

The Neighbour - mp3

Either Way - mp3

Cloudy Room - mp3

myspace / official

Kasabian

2007-03-09T19:56:00.000Z

Went to see Kasabian on Wednesday night. This was to be my first arena gig and to add to the novelty of it I was on Kasabian's guest list. I went with friends Dave and Mark and when we got to the box office to pick up our free tickets, we ran into problems. "I'm sorry, we've only got you listed down for two tickets. You say there was supposed to be 3? Which member of the band was it that gave you the tickets?"

Well damn, I told her I'd place a call to the band's lawyer (who got the tickets for us) and see if I could get it sorted. I was informed that someone was coming down to sort us out. I started imagining that one of the group would be coming down to see to it personally....hey, I can dream right? 10 minutes later another ticket was made available for us and in we go having missed half of the support act, a group I used to like and thought they'd split up ages ago "The Music". What I did see of them was good stuff, and it's good to see they've got new material out.Kasabian were fantastic live and sounded great in the arena with a decent light show too. The performance still paled in comparison to The Pigeon Detectives gig a while ago, but that is going to take some topping by any group.

Kasabian, while I'm not a massive fan, I really do like their music and instead of catagorising their music as rock, or dance, or rap etc, I'd describe it as "anthemic". They are the very definition of the word, much more so than any other group out there. I was expecting when the encore came that they would finish with "clubfoot" which is a song that defines much more so than any song from any other artist the word "anthem". It embodies the meaning, passion, and energy like none other can. It was in the encore but wasn't the finisher which turned out to be another of their bigger anthems. Great gig.

Anyway, here's a few tracks for you if you've never heard of them.

Clubfoot - mp3

Empire - mp3

Stuntman - mp3

Test Transmission - mp3

Cutt Off - mp3

Out Of Space (Prodigy cover) - mp3

The Pigeon Detectives

2007-02-25T12:53:00.000Z

Last night I went to see a new group I've been getting into lately called The Pigeon Detectives. Here's what Dominic Diamond said about them, someone who's usually spot on with his music:-"I usually make it my mission to tell you about the next big thing coming out of scotland musically, but today I feel honour boound to alert you to your next favourite band from south of the border. Like Kaiser Chiefs? Love Arctic Monkeys? Then make a considered attempt to involve yourself in the world of The Pigeon Detectives, who sound like a cross between those two bands. Short, simple guitar punk songs, with a brilliant lead guitarist and frontman who scissor-kicks off the drum riser, whirls his mic around his head then snogs a girl in the front row and gleefuly announces: "i got tongues!" All without missing a beat. They will be legendary."Well, they delivered all that and more. Possibly the best live lead singer i've seen from any group. Damn good voice, really enjoys himself, involves the audience, very energeting leaping around and dtuff and all as Dominc says, never missing a beat with it. I couldn't tell a difference between thier live sound and studio recordings. Every song was great and they played two new ones I haven't heard before. They were fucking awesome. These guys deserve to make it big this and if they don't, then something is wrong.Here's a few tracks for you.

Romantic Type - mp3

I'm Always Right - mp3

I'm Not Sorry - mp3

You Know I Love You - mp3

You Better No Look My Way - mp3

MySpace / Official

The Hours

2007-02-07T18:23:00.000Z

Brand new group, The Hours, I've liked every record so far and the album is no exception. Love this stuff, I've been waiting for the album for ages, now I finally have it. This will end up being my favourite album of 2007. I predicted it with Snow Patrol's at the start of last year and it was, I say the same with this album.

People Say - mp3

I Love You More - mp3

Back When You Were Good - mp3

MySpace

Klaxons

2007-01-11T17:06:00.000Z

Now this a suprise track from the Nu Rave group and it's getting a lot of attention over here at the minute. They've stepped away from the Nu Rave sound and made an actual proper song with "Golden Skans" and it's damn good. My Favo(u)rite track of the year so far.

Golden Skans - mp3

A couple of extra tracks for you as well including a cover of old rave classic "The Bouncer"

Hall Of Records - mp3

The Bouncer - mp3

Embrace

2007-01-10T16:58:00.000Z

Here's Embrace's cover of How Come.....because I like their version and can relate to the lyrics at the minute.

How Come - mp3

Just Jack

2007-01-06T16:01:00.000Z

These are tracks from his second album due to be released soon. Only heard of him recently but but I like what I've heard. He seems to have fused the typical singer/songwriter sound of late (lilly allen, get cape wear cape fly, jamie t and a few others - I'll post more in future weeks) with the likes of hip/hop and house music. Love the comic references in Writers Block and Starz In Their Eyes is one of my fave dance tracks of last year.

Writers Block - mp3

Starz In Their Eyes - mp3

Glory Days - mp3

I Talk Too Much - mp3

Life Stories - mp3

Official Website

David Venn

2006-12-10T00:57:00.000Z

Only heard about this guy because through some contacts I got a few demos from one of the record companies and this guy stood out. I really like his stuff. There is very little out there on the net about him either apart from his myspace but he's currently supporting The Killers on their UK tour. The first two being particular favourites of mine....and Broken Star.

Sugartown - mp3

Drunk On Anti-biotics - mp3
Evening Street - mp3

She Loves You Not - mp3

Broken Star - mp3

http://www.myspace.com/thebrokenstars

Klaxons

2006-12-05T19:32:00.000Z

Rave is back in the form of Nu Rave taking influences from Punk. These are the biggest name in the scene. Magik and Interzone being my fave tracks.

Magik - mp3

Interzone - mp3

Rainbow - mp3

Not Over Yet - mp3

Boy Kill Boy

2006-11-14T19:31:00.000Z

You may have heard of these or maybe not. They've got a few big name hollwood fans. Whatever, I think this is the second best album of the year after the genius of Snow Patrol. Not a single song on here that I think is average. Like every track on it. Here's a few to sample.

Civil Sin - mp3

Suzie - mp3

Back Again - mp3

Showdown - mp3

The Wombats

2006-11-12T11:13:00.000Z

New British guitar band from Liverpool. I particularly like Moving To New York. Quite catchy. Stuck another couple of tracks in there for you too.

Moving To New York - mp3

Patricia The Stripper - mp3

Lost In The Post - mp3

The Guillemots

2006-11-10T22:09:00.000Z

Some of my favourite tracks of the year. They will use anything they can get their hands on as instruments. If you really listen to the album there's a multitude of different noises meshed together to sound beautiful. They have a very big band orchestral sound to them with a touch of rock thrown in. Sao Paulo is a 12 minute journey that takes you everywhere, I freaking love it. Annie Let's Not Wait is one of my faves from the album. The other two were released as singles. The rest of the album is a bit more instrumental and low key in comparison but still a fantastic listen.

Hailing from Scotland, I present The Guillemots:-

Sao Paulo - mp3

Trains To Brazil - mp3

Made Up Love Song #43 - mp3

Annie Let's Not Wait - mp3

Official Site

Mansun

2006-10-27T10:25:00.000+01:00

An old classic this time for you from Mansun. Can't be bothered uploading a selection from another group so I give you this in the meantime.

Wide Open Space - mp3

The Hours

2006-10-19T20:34:00.000+01:00

New English group. This is their impressive first single to be released next month.

Ali In The Jungle - mp3

Official Website
MySpace

The Magic Numbers

2006-10-17T18:14:00.000+01:00

While I'm not that big a fan of their album, very average for me, there are three good tracks off of it and I'm really loving the new single Take A chance.

Forever Lost

Love Me Like You

Love Is A Game

Take A Chance

The Kooks (cover)

2006-10-14T15:58:00.000+01:00

Out of the many thousands of artists that have covered GNARLS BARKLEY'S Crazy, I think the THE KOOK'S version is the best and even supecedes the original.

Crazy cover - mp3

The Kooks

2006-10-13T19:22:00.000+01:00

Because they've just released the album "Inside In, Inside Out" in the states, for those that haven't heard much from this group of talanted youngsters, I present a few album tracks for you and the insanely catchy Naive.

Naive - mp3

Sofa Song - mp3

I Want You Back - mp3

The Futureheads

2006-10-11T17:30:00.000+01:00

I think possibly the greatest cover ever.

Hounds Of Love - mp3

Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly

2006-10-08T11:29:00.000+01:00

I'll start out by giving you a sample of this new little known UK artist, the album is not all that brilliant but there is some cracking songs on it, here's the best on offer.

I Spy

The Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager (part 1)

MySpace