Something Ventured...

Something Old...

Fresh from their first live performance in Europe since the 2006 hiatus System of a Down headlined last Saturday night at Download and are officially back! The legendary Armenian/American band fronted by Serj Tankien alongside Daron Malakian on lead, Shavo on bass and John Dolmayan on drums have always been up there amongst my favourite bands of all time with their unique sound.

Formed in 94 from the dust of their first group Soil after various demo EPs it wasnt until 98 when they released their first masterpiece in the form of their self titled début studio album. The album, which has possibly the 3 greatest opening tracks in the history of metal in the form of 'Suite-Pee', 'Know' and the awesome 'Sugar' alongside the genius 'Spiders' and 'War?' making it one of the greatest début metals in history.

Almost a decade ago in the week prior to the September 11th attacks System really hit the big time break through with there 2nd album 'Toxicity'. It's easy to see why it did well, at such a heavily political time the album sat at number in the US for a fortnight with tracks like the brilliant 'Chop Suey!', 'Aerials', 'Prison Song', 'ATWA', 'Psycho' and of course the title track itself. 

Later that year 'Steal this Album!' was leaked onto the net and thus upon its release took the name from Abbie Hoffman's counter culture book 'Steal this Book' upon its full release in 2002. Billed as a 'b-sides' album, its far from it and includes the genius 'Chic n Stu', 'Mr.Jack', 'F*ck the system' and the emotionally charged 'Roulette'.

In 2005 the band released a fantastic double album, released 6 months apart and put SOAD up there with the likes of the Beatles and Guns n Roses to have two No.1 albums in the same year. The albums saw a slight change in the System sound with Daron taking up the frontman role and Serj happy to provide keys and BVs. The first album 'Mezmorize', released in May includes the absolutely fantastic 'B.Y.O.B', 'Radio/Video' and the absolutely genius 'Violent Pornography'; whilst the later, 'Hypnotize' released in November includes the brilliant 'Lonely day', 'Attack' and my personal favourite System track 'Vicinity of Obscenity', enjoy...

Since the release of the double album Daron took his new found front man confidence to new heights with his band Scars on Broadway whilst Serj pursued his solo career, the highlight of which being his début album, 2007's 'Elect the Dead', most definitely worth a purchase for any fan.

Something New...

I was planning on keeping with the metal theme this week in the wake of download but after hearing Ben Howard on t'radio and I was blown away. I don't know much about him other than he's a surfer from Devon and his début album should be finished by the end of the year, his music speaks for itself really. 

Being a surfer come singer/songwriter I was a little dubious he was going to be another Jack Johnson, however I can confirm he's not a c*nt with the personality of a cardboard box and he seems like a pretty normal bloke...oh and this track 'the Wolves' is not only absolutely beautiful musically the vid is part of the 'Save our Oceans' campaign to try and combat pollution at sea...

Something Borrowed...

As it was Parklife last weekend and Sonar is going down at the mo over in Espania I thought I would finally bite the bullet and include some dubstep in my blog to stay down with the kids and that. Optic of dubstep duo Quantum and Optic has, to be fair pulled off the impossible, a dubstep cover that I don’t hate! Of course, it kinda helps when I already love the origional band, album and track as well as being kinda obsessed with their cool as lead singer, but well done anyway. 

With a remix of Karen O and Nick Zinner's Yeah Yeah Yeah’s track ‘Heads will Roll’ taken from the awesome 2009 album ‘It’s Blitz!’. If you like this kind of thing (I’d say just go listen to the original instead, but...) check out a dubstep remix website Remix.vg were you can browse thousands of mash ups + ‘dubstep covers’ and even have a go yourself and upload your submission. Anyway, I need to wash my ears out with bleach now kids, I hope it was worth it....

Something Blue....

The mega talented, multi-instrumentalist with the voice of an angel, Natasha Kahn who is better known as Bat for Lashes has been shoe horned into this weeks 'something blue...'. The track I have chosen maybe written about the lad off of the Karate Kid but there is a darker story to the true origins of the song.

Pakistani born Kahn was bullied as a teenager and developed an imaginary boyfriend as a coping mechanism. Clearly not letting early problems effect her stage presence or song writing she went from strength to strength winning the alternative award at the Ivor Novello's last year and was also nominated for the Mercury Prize in 07 and 09. So, without further a do, taken from her second album 'Two Suns', with a distinct Stevie Nicks vibe, the brilliantly haunting 'Daniel'...