Something Special...

Something Old...

Sit down kids and let me tell you a story! The story starts 30 years ago, A badly organised Conservative government was running Britain into the ground, Taxes were through the roof, the rich got richer whilst the poor got poorer. Natural disasters, Famine and War in far off lands filled the news whilst riotting on our streets was rife but for a little ray of light that the UK got a day off for a Royal Wedding of Charles and Di...flash forward to now, albeit names, faces and places may have changed the story is still the same.

Join with me and the facebook campaign to get the Specials 'Ghost Town' back to number one again 30 years on for the Royal Wedding! If you dont have iTunes you can also order from hmv for only 99p from Monday. What are you waiting for? life can only get better...remember the 90's? yea thats right kids, post recession spawned grunge...

So, in the imortal words of  the mighty specials "Stop your messing around!"and celebrate the band that gave the country light when it was most needed with their unique mix of rocksteady ska fired by punk energy and attitude. I may even go as far as to dust off my pork pie hat and mohair suit to celebrate the rude boy look! 

Hell, if you love as much as me download the entire 'Best Of' again, the band that brought the world songs like 'Too much too young', 'Blank Expression','Friday Night/ Saturday Morning' and my personal favourite 'A Message to you Rudy', turn it up LOUD!!!

Something New...

TV on the Radio have been one of favourite bands since I had the privilage to see them at a festival in the mid 00's. Having formed in 2001 in Brooklyn, NYC their music spans genres from post-punk to electro encompasing aspects of free jazz and soul. 

The 5 man band setup (of Tude Adebimpe on vocals, Dave Sitek on keys/guitar and Kyp Malone on vocals and guitar; alongside Jaleel Bunton on drums and Gerrard Smith on bass) have worked alongside David Bowie, Beck and Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs so need no introduction.

The group have to date released 3 crittically acclaimed studio albums and a handful of EPs, 'OK Calculator', title inspired by Radiohead obviously, and 'Young Liars' which includes the awesome 'Satelite'. Their debut album 'Desperate Youth, Bloody Thirsty Babes' in 04, includes the fantastic 'Starring at the Sun' and their 2nd album 'Return to Cookie mountain' the following year. It was their breakthru album 'Dear Science' which includes the genius that is 'Halfway Home', 'Golden Age' and 'Dancing Choose' that really brought the band to the attention of the world stage. 

Last week they released their 4th studio album '9 types of light' which the band have released as a fantastic free movie on youtube, asking friends and fans to make vids for each single and fantasticly scripted voxpops, absolutely mind blowing...you can watch it here.

The album includes the single 'Will Do' and my personal favourite TVR song 'Repetition', enjoy....

Something Borrowed...

I realise I have waffled on alot this week so this one is gonne be short. Biffy Clyro are a band I have seen many a time and need no introductions, I will be writting a special Biffy blog sometime this Summer cos they are awesome and most worthy. This weeks cover is taken from the Radio 1 live lounge, a bizzare acoustic version Rage Against the Machine 'Killing in the Name' from 08, the year I got the chance to see both bands at Reading, easily the best two sets I have EVER seen live, relax and enjoy...

Something Blue...

Tonight, myself, my other half and our mates get the chance to see one of the most awesome artists in UK play his unique style of folk hip hop spoken word in front of a small audience in my favourite bar Telfords warehouse in my hometown of Chester. 
The crittically acclaimed, award winning Slam Poet Dizraeli and his band the Small Gods (which includes Bellatrix, the World Champion Female beatboxer on bass) dont make bad music, check out their website to enjoy more of the genius.
I had great pleasure to see Diraeli with Bad Science for the 1st time play the tiny Chai Wallah tent at Beachbreak in Kent 09 and then my 1st small gods experience at a tiny stage at Glastobury last year, utterly brilliant. Their debut album 'Engurland, City Shanties', which includes 'Reach In/Out', 'Engurland' and 'Bomb Tesco' is lyrically and musically perfect, go now and buy it! My personal favourite track by them has to be the deeply moving 'Maria'....

Something for the Sun...

Something Old...

As i write this I'm sat outside with the sun on my back knowing this weekend looks like it’s gonna be a hot one! As soon as the sun pears its head out over England the 1^st thing I so is reach for my Sublime. Hailing from Long beach, California they in my opinion the greatest ska punk band of the modern era bleding reggae with surf rock and hip hop successfully...the perfect recipie for the summer. The band split in 96 after the death of guitar and vocalsist Brad Nowell from a smack OD leaving a legacy of 4 studio albums behind.

Their 1992 debut album ‘40 Oz. to Freedom’ includes the awesome tracks ‘Date Rape’, ‘What Happened?’, ‘Scarlet Begonias’, Bob Marley cover ‘Smoke two joints’ and Toots and the Maytals ‘5442 That’s my number (Ball and Chain)’...genius.For me though it was the bands self-titled 1996 ‘breakthru’ album, ironically released after the band split that includes some of the greatest chill out songs to ever be released namely ‘Santeria’ and my personal favourite ‘What I got (reprise)’, enjoy...

Something New...

This band are one of the best around at the moment, Funeral party are a 4 piece from California. Named after a song by the Cure and meeting at a Mars Volta gig its a classic recipie for sucess! Taken from the album 'The Golden Age of Success' that came out at the end of January, their debut single 'NYC moves to the sound of LA'. Epic use of the cowbell....

Something Borrowed...

The genius singer songwriter that is Ben Folds aka Benjamin Scott Folds, better known as the frontman of alt rock band Ben Folds Five who now performs as a solo artist and in collaborates with other musicians. One of his best tracks has to be his brilliant piano interpretation of the Cure's 'In Between days', taken from his 2005 EP 'Speed graphic' and 2006 album 'Supersunnyspeedgraphic', this great fan made ball skills montage is perfect for a sunny afternoon....

Something Blue...

The legendry Pink Floyd are in my opinion the greatest prog rock band in musical history and most importantly they’re English! Famed for their use of philosophical lyrics, elaborate album art and live shows but mainly for their psychedelic/sonic experimentation which has sold over 200 millions to date worldwide.

The original 1965 line up consisted of university students Roger Waters, Nick Mason and the late Richard Wright and Syd Barret, before Dave Gilmour joined prior to Barret’s departure in 1968 due to ‘mental health issues’. It was this lineup that would achieve worldwide critical and commercial success with 1970’s albums ‘Dark Side of the Moon’, ‘Animals’, ‘The Wall’ and ‘Wish you were here’. The title track from the later is essentially written about feelings of alienation, however for me nothing sounds more epic on a hot summers day, trust...

...I'm adolescent

As pointed out to me by the frontman of Makelikemadeline (a certain Mr.O'Brien) who knows my obsession with incubus, I think I owe his band a plug:

Check out their awesomley fresh blend of hardcore meets southern rock on their website and make sure you vote for them for hub festival  peace + love to them + mega props to their fine ass honky gutairist Mr.Lopez

To read my thoughts/ love for incubus or just simply listen to their 1st single 'Adolescents' taken from the new album 'If Not Now, When?' due for a July 12th release...the song was leaked on Californian radio station K-Rock only hours ago. A very chilled, mid tempo jam with an awesome breakdown midway thru, enjoy...

Something rather awesome....

Something Old....

With one the most underated bands in history announcing they have split last month 80's Matchbox B-line disaster will always hold a special place in my CD collection, their just isn't enough British pyschobilly out there! From their 2002 debut album 'Horse of the Dog', which includes the singles 'Pyscosis Safari' and 'Chicken'; as its mothers day on Sunday Im choosing their 1st single + also the 1st track on the album 'Celebrate your Mother'...turn it up to 11!

Something New...

Easily my favourite Irish band of the modern era Bell X1 release their fifth album 'Bloodless Coup' on 12th April and judging by this 1st single 'Velcro' its gonna be something really special. Both lyrically genius and musically fantastic, enjoy...

Something Borrowed...

As its Jo Whiley's last show on Radio1 this weekend before she joined the saga holiday camp that is Radio2, I was going to choose Vampire Weekend's live lounge cover version of Cheryl Cole's 'Fight for this Love' but then I realised I'm not gay and remembered that they are probably the only band in history to successfully cover Fleetwood Mac. Their version of 'I wanna be with you everywhere' which I was lucky enough to catch live on their 2008 tour, lovely stuff...

Something Blue...

With the death of Hip hop star Nate Dog passing away last month what better way to pay tribute to the man responsible (albeit alongside Warren G) for one of the most memorable hip-hop anthems 'Regulate' - than with the greatest hip hop song and possibly one the phattest basslines in history...Dead Prez's track 'Hip-Hop' from his debut album 'Lets get Free' released in 2000, turn up that bass - fake fake r r rec rrrrrrrecords :)