TOP 25 SONGS: A POST-SCRIPT

Just realised that I completely forgot to include this:



And on reflection, this should have been placed much higher:



If there's a god of pointless musical list compiling, I apologise for failing you.

WHY AM I EVEN AT WORK? THERE'S NO-ONE HERE AND NOTHING TO DO AND THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH TIME YOU CAN SPEND PROCRASTINATING ON WIKIPEDIA......OR IS THERE?

It’s been a pretty enjoyable festive break for the Meh household- not only did I stuff my face with so much home-made food I’ve achieved near-spherical form, but I also bought my ticket to Barcelona’s Primavera festival, found out my first close friend is getting married (ARGH! IT’S THE BEGINNING OF THE END!) and generally had a fun and mildly inebriated time. But now it’s time to get some end-of-year lists typed up- I’ve already dished up a particularly self-indulgent Top 25 songs, but my best live acts may take a little longer to compile- it's been a pretty epic year after all. I hope you can bear the suspense.

In the meantime, please take a moment to check up on John Allison’s always enlightening round-up of the year’s best albums on the superb ScaryGoRound;, and also cast your gazes upon this fucking awesome picture of Israeli punk band Monotonix, who supported Silver Jews early this year. HE’S PLAYING A DRUM KIT AND CROWDSURFING AT THE SAME TIME, HOW COOL IS THAT?!?!?!

Best Songs Of '08
Rendered In Bad Haiku Form
Yes, I'm Pretentious



25. Marnie Stern- Transformer
Fiercely succinct;
Shouty lady impresses
With dazzling guitar.

24. Fuck Buttons- Sweet Love For Planet Earth
Crescendoing noise:
Not everyone’s cup of tea,
But my ears love it.

23. Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s - Real Naked Girls
Lies! No nudity,
Just minor key prettiness
And delicate synths.

22. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds- Dig Lazarus Dig!
Back to grizzled best,
Cave evokes a mad preacher
Succumbed to Satan.

21. Bon Iver- Skinny Love
Think Iron and Wine
With more intense emotion
and inferior beard.

20. The Hold Steady- Sequestered In Memphis
Craig Finn writing songs
About girls and booze shocker?!
Now with more handclaps!

19. The Acorn- Lullaby
Lilting Canuck folk;
It warms the cockles of my
Cold and bitter heart.

18. MGMT- Time To Pretend
Commercial success
Means we’re fated to pretend
this ain’t great. It is.

17. Ponytail- Beg Waves
A cuddly Deerhoof
Deranged, like pogoing through
A kaleidoscope.

16. Fleet Foxes- White Winter Hymnal
Gorgeous harmonies
Are all well and good, but guys:
Please man the fuck up.

15. Shearwater- On The Death Of The Waters
Quiet……quiet………LOUD!
Adam falls off seat in shock
And bangs head on wall.

14. Make Model- The Was
Quality synth-pop
With judicious “ba-ba-ba’s”
I think they split up :-(

13. Get Well Soon- If The Hat Is Missing, I Have Gone Hunting
Accordion intros
Bode well for extravagance;
This has it in spades.

12. Cloud Cult- When Water Comes To Life
Flamboyance galore
From chamber-pop Flaming Lips
This band needs more love.

11. Vampire Weekend- Walcott
Preppy Ivy Leaguers
Strike gold with jaunty anthem
‘bout Cod or something.

10. Titus Andronicus- Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ
Pogues fight Arcade Fire
In dingy Brooklyn punk bar
Good times had by all.

9. Broken Records- The Slow Parade
Edinburgh's finest
Deliver magnificence
With stately, poised grace.

8. Why?- Song Of The Sad Assassin
White-boy rap done good
With odd Sufjan elements;
Why? Because it’s ace.

7. Of Montreal- An Eluardian Instance
Barnes triumphs again;
Mountain Goats are not impressed
But hey, I sure am!

6. Andrew Bird- Masterswarm
Dapper whistling god
Surpasses himself again;
I like the guy’s style.

5. M83- Kim and Jessie
Hark at those drum pads!
Should close a John Hughes movie…
Mom, I want a perm.

4. Department of Eagles- Teenagers
Debussy intro,
Rumbling cello, discordance…
I bow down to thee.

3. The Mae Shi- Run To Your Grave
Lo-fi brilliance;
Like pure sugar injected
Straight into your brain

2. TV On The Radio- Dancing Choose
Stax brass, Tunde’s raps;
A billion times better
Than their spell-checker.

1. Dan Deacon- Wham City
Not *strictly* ‘08
But songs this sublime transcend
Mere laws of space-time.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Off to sunny Watfordia for the next few days, hope y'all have a good one!

ATTN: ANIKA

New Metric album finished, due to released the beginning of next year. Hopefully that equates to an impending tour...

2008 IS DEAD! LONG LIVE 2009!

Oh, 2008, how sad I am to see you go. I've taken my obsession to new extremes, and now I'm faced with three whole weeks entirely devoid of live music. I might take to standing forlornly outside the Luminaire with my MP3 player on, rocking back-and-forth as tears fall gently down my face.

Ah well, at least 2009's ain't looking too shabby...


12/01/09: ANIMAL COLLECTIVE- London Koko
24/01/09: OF MONTREAL- Brighton Digital
27/10/09: GREGOR SAMSA- London Luminaire
28/01/09: LONEY, DEAR- London St. Giles-In-The-Fields Church
30/01/09: DAVID THOMAS BROUGHTON- London Bush Hall
05/02/09: FRIDA HYVONEN- London Bush Hall
12/02/09: PONYTAIL- London 100 Club
16/02/09: THE SECRET MACHINES- Islington Academy
19/02/09: PARTS AND LABOR- London Cargo
23/02/08: TITUS ANDRONICUS- London Hoxton Bar and Kitchen
24/02/09: FLEET FOXES- London Roundhouse
25/02/08: M. WARD- London Borderline
03/03/08: DEERHUNTER (w/ Women; WAVVES)- London Scala
12/04/09: DAVID BYRNE- London Royal Festival Hall
17/04/09-19/04/09: COACHELLA FESTIVAL- Coachella Valley, California, USA
06/05/09: THE SPECIALS- Brixton Academy
28/05/09-30/05/09: PRIMAVERA SOUND FESTIVAL- Barcelona, Spain
03/07/09: BLUR- London Hyde Park

GENERATION X-MAS: THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH COVERS II (Brixton Windmill, 21/12/08)

So, last night I went to my final show of 2008 *sniffles*. Every year, the Windmill does a special Christmas gig, and the theme this year involved a number of the South East's best up-and-coming talents (i.e. those who subscribe to DrownedInSound) performing covers of a band of their choice, interspersed with their own material. Adam Carrier delivered a brave acapella cover of a Smiths song, whilst Chris Alcock's frighteningly intense rendition of Hallelujah was almost as impressive as his 'tache. Stagecoach won over all and sundry with their energetic takes on the Lemonheads, but for me it was William's awesomely faithful Beastie Boys covers- Sabotage and Fight For Your Right (To Party) that really made the £4 entry fee look like a bargain. Shame I couldn't stay for Popular Workshop's 'Nirvana' set, as I hear it ended in drunken stage invasion madness, but it was nevertheless a fun way to wrap up this epic year of giggery.

GOGOL BORDELLO (London Roundhouse, 18/12/08)



I love the Gypsy Punk. Well, for the most part. Although the days of stage invasions and perpetual crowd-surfing may be over for good, the mentalist seven-piece do their very damndest to recapture the energy of their smaller, more insane shows in the clinical, circular surroundings of the Roundhouse. And they start off marvellously- unlike the Brixton and Hammersmith shows where things were so frantic it became more a trial than a pleasure, the venue allows one to jump around without being crushed from all directions. The band are typically vital, and their set list mixed a selection of old favourites (including a brilliant ‘Mishto!’) with material from the most recent Super Taranta album, all delivered with manic glee by irrepressible Ukrainian front man Eugene Hutz. It’s always awesome to turn around during at a Gogol gig to see the whole venue pogoing up and down, and it was no different here- the moshpit seems to encapsulate the whole venue, including the balcony…

Unfortunately, just as I thought I’d got a ‘Top 5’ show on my hands, they drop the ball completely. A cavalcade of new songs and the interminable Baro Faro (pointless without the drum-surfing, even if they intersperse it with a medley of otherwise unplayed tracks) tests the audiences patience to the limit, and not even a riotous Start Wearing Purple could revive the electric atmosphere of the first half. Fizzling out with a whimper rather than a bang, it’s a disappointing end to a show that started so damn well. Support came from the entertaining Superamazoo, a Belgian fusion of Beastie Boys and Reel Big Fish - dead cheesy but the perfect warm-up band for a band like Gogol. If more bands had a bald guy beatboxing Seven Nation Army, the world would be a much better place.

(Photo: oliver.peel (Flickr))

THE HOLD STEADY (London Roundhouse, 17/12/08)



Craig Finn could well be in with a shot for the most enthusiastic performer ever. Balding, bespectacled and on the wrong side of 35, he resembles more an amicable accountant than your traditional rock star. But get him on stage, and he’s like an over-excitable schoolchild- shuffling, dancing, bouncing, never standing still for a second. He sometimes gets so carried away, he forgets to sing into his microphone. Rarely do you see someone with such a obvious love of what he does, and his charisma carries a show that sometimes lacks in musical variety. That’s not to say that the Hold Steady don’t have a stable of fantastic bar-blues that’d do Springsteen proud, but with every song revolving around girls, drinking and the ingestion of illegal substances it does get a little samey after a while. Nonetheless, anthems like Chips Ahoy! and Sequestered in Memphis are great fun, and there’s not another keyboardist in music with as amazing a ‘tache as Franz Nicolay, the camp wine-twirling Frenchmen whose flamboyant synths give their melodies their sparkle.

(Photo: "Hoodrat" (Flickr))

In a desperate avoidance of doing anything substantial or worthwhile, I've spent the whole day submitting every gig I've ever been onto Last.Fm. Some observations:

1. I have way too much time on my hands.
2. May is always the best month for gigs.
3. Last.Fm's event search function was apparently constructed by a malevolent God who feeds upon the pain and frustration of its users.

Anyway, the full list can be found here:
http://www.last.fm/user/citizenmeh/events

THE HOLD STEADY ALMOST KILLED ME

Gogol Bordello's finished the job. *collapses*

I'll write a full review of Miroir Noir this weekend. For the time being, I'll just say it's amazing despite, rather than because of Vincent Moon and I'm now filled with such an overwhelming urge to see the Arcade Fire again I want to cry.

EMMY THE GREAT (London Pure Groove Records, 16/12/08)



It was pretty much like this but more acoustic-y. Plus she played Absentee from her Secret Circus EP which warmed the cockles of my cold, black heart.

Anyway, as I travelled back to the suburban nowheresville I call home I reflected on the large number of fantastic musical discoveries I've made over the last week. Frida Hyvonen, Marnie Stern, Alessi's Ark and Margot and the Nuclear So and So's all merit a write-up at some point but I'd particularly like to recommend Titus Andronicus, whose Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ is very late contender for song of the year. It starts off as the tinniest post-punk you've ever heard and inexplicably ends up exploding into some Pogues-meets-Sigur Ros celtic post-rock freakout. As the band would put it: FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAH! I'm absolutely devastated that they played the Old Blue Last month, I hope it's not too long before they return to these shores.

(Photo: Anika)

MIROIR NOIR STILL HASN'T BEEN RELEASED!

So in the meantime enjoy these fantastic videos from the BBC Maida Vale session they did last year.

HAITI



(I've seen this song performed 16 times, and this is the best I was ever blessed to see. 4:20 to the end is just so...animated)

NO CARS GO



("Women and children...LET'S GO!")

REBELLION (LIES)




I was lucky enough to attend this recording (the reason everyone's so stiff is because there's a bazillion cameras on us), and it was quite weird three days later going from this intimate little show to this:

WAKE UP (GLASTONBURY 2007)

JAMIE LIDELL (Shepherd’s Bush Empire, 14/12/08)



Jamie Lidell may hail from Cambridgeshire, but he acts like he’s from Detroit. At first glance, this unassuming, slightly nerdy Englishman doesn’t seem like a natural soul man, but this long-awaited show at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire proves that he’s no anaemic pastiche. His roots are with electronic music, although for the most part you wouldn’t be able to tell- the overwhelming air of the show is one of nostalgia, a harkening back to the soul-fuelled gospel-tinged days of Stax and Motown. Bass excepted, there’s not a guitar to be seen and apart from the electronics deck that seems to take up half the stage, you could well be forgiven for thinking you’re watching a soul tribute revue.

Whilst his band is bedecked in outlandish attire- the bearded saxophonist dressed like a 1970’s Eurovision reject; the bassist clad in Las Vegas-era Elvis gear- Lidell goes for the unfussy geek-chic look, all ruffled blazers, nerdy glasses and five-o’-clock shadow. An old-school showman of the Rat Pack variety, he’s a consummate performer-perching on the stage for the ballads, strutting by the barrier for the crowd-pleasers, handing the mic over the audience members…all very cliché, but yet so satisfying. His voice may lack show-stopping force, but a certain roughness round the edges lends his croon an authentically soulful vibe and his excellent band (including a guy who played two saxophones at the same time) do a fine job in delivering the brassy, punchy instrumentation the songs deserve.

For an act steeped in affection for the past though, it’s slightly odd that Jamie only affords the smallest nod to his own. His original live shows involved him recording several layers of vocals using a loop pedal, adding a backing beat and singing over them, but this technique is only invoked once during the set. It’s an interesting technique and shows an invention perhaps lacking from much of his other material, but isolated in the middle of the set it inevitably jars. But it’s a small quibble. Getting an London audience on a Sunday night to engage in a communal singalong is a minor miracle, but Lidell manages to do it on several occasions and being versed in the way of showmanship he leaves the best ‘til last- a rousing rendition of big hitter ‘Multiply’. One may query the ostensible lack of substance, but there’s no denying the guys got style.

Supports Fujiya and Miyagi also deserve a quick mention- I was slightly underwhelmed by their headline show at Bush Hall earlier this year, but they really seemed to find their groove this time round. They’ve got the air of a Parisien dance act (their bassist looks a bit like Jean Reno), with their hushed, sardonic vocal delivery and funkier-than-thou basslines, but they actually hail from the less exotic environs of Brighton. The lyrics aren’t exactly Dylan- “Vanilla, Strawberry, Knickerbocker Glory” won’t ever worry the Novello Prize judges- but they add a tongue-in-cheek levity that doesn’t always come across in their otherwise straight-laced performance.

(Photo: Kemizzdotcom (Flickr))

THERE'S REALLY NO WAY OF ME JUSTIFYING THIS...

So we've finally reached the last gig week of the year and dear God, what a year it's been. They said I couldn't out-do 2007's absurdly mammoth roster of shows, but evidently they underestimated my intrinsic lack of willpower and general awfulness. I'll be posting my Top 40 Live Acts of 2008 over the Xmas period, but for now I present to the blogosphere what should be the comprehensive list of all the shows I've been to this year:

17/01/08: JIM NOIR (w/ The 586; Sir Simon)- London Borderline
21/01/08: MORRISSEY (w/ Girl In A Coma)- London Roundhouse
24/01/08: REVERE (w/ Wojtek Godzisz; Kaiko)- London
Luminaire
29/01/08: STARS (w/ Apostle of Hustle; The Thurston Revival)- London Koko
30/01/08: EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY (w/ Eluvium)- London Astoria
31/01/08: MAKE MODEL (w/ Man From Michael; Trail)- London Water Rats

05/02/08: OKKERVIL RIVER (w/ Jay Jay Pistolet; Rachel Unthank And The Winterset)- London Scala
06/02/08: BLACK KIDS (w/ The Author; Cage The Elephant)- London Water Rats
08/02/08: RACHEL UNTHANK AND THE WINTERSET (w/ Jaymay)- London Borderline
09/02/08: POLYSICS (w/ Cutting Pink With Knives)- Islington Academy
13/02/08: BLACK FRANCIS- London Social
21/02/08: VAMPIRE WEEKEND (w/ Bobby Cook; Esser)- University of London Union
25/02/08: EELS- London Royal Festival Hall
26/02/08: ISLANDS (w Damn Shames)- Hoxton Bar and Kitchen
27/02/08: MENOMENA (w/ Land of Talk; Sky Larkin)- Kings College London Student Union
29/02/08: FINAL FANTASY (w/ Alexander Tucker and Stephen O’ Malley; Dirty Projectors; Six Organs of Admittance; Frog Eyes)- Kentish Town Forum

05/03/08: CASIOTONE FOR THE PAINFULLY ALONE (w/ Max Tundra)- London Bush Hall
06/03/08: YEASAYER (w/ Dragons of Zynth)- London Institute of Contemporary Arts
07/03/08: MARTHA WAINWRIGHT (w/ Dockers MC; Catherine Anne Davies; Monade; Piney Gir)- London Queen Elizabeth Hall
11/03/08: BROKEN RECORDS (w/ Richard Walters)- London Soho Revue Bar
13/03/08: BLACK KIDS (w/ The Magistrates) - London Institute of Contemporary Arts
19/03/08: CASIOTONE FOR THE PAINFULLY ALONE (w/ a.P.a.T.t; Harry Merry)- London Luminaire

01/04/08: PETER AND THE WOLF (US) (w/ Planet Earth)- London Luminarie
02/04/08: GOGOL BORDELLO (w/ Skindred)- Brixton Academy
04/04/08: MIRACLE FORTRESS (w/ The Joy Formidable)- London Luminaire
05/04/08: BROKEN RECORDS (w/ Vessels; Fireworks Night)- Notting Hill Arts Club
08/04/08: HOLY FUCK (w/ Free Blood)- London 100 Club
09/04/08: DEVOTCHKA (w/ Dawn Kinnard)- London Scala
10/04/08: ALASKA IN WINTER (w/ Mitch and Murray; Marianne Dissard)- London 93 Feet East
14/04/08: BJORK (w/ Leila)- Hammersmith Apollo
17/04/08: PORTISHEAD (w/ A Hawk and a Hacksaw)- Brixton Academy
19/04/08: RECORD STORE DAY (w/ Lykke Li; The Metros; Jason Molina)- London Rough Trade East
26/04/08: ANDREW BIRD (w/ Loney, Dear)- London IndigO2
29/04/08: MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND (w/ Rodney Fisher; Clare and the Reasons; Jay Jay Pistolet; Paul Frith and the Considerate Lovers)- London Luminaire

01/05/08: HEALTH (w/ Skeletons and the King of All Cities; Pre)- London Luminaire
06/05/08: DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE (w/ Clearlake)- London Electric Ballroom
07/05/08: NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS (w/ Barry Adamson)- Hammersmith Apollo
09/05/08: THAO NYUGEN AND THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN (w/ Jersey Budd) - London Luminaire
12/05/08: THE OCTOPUS PROJECT (w/ It Hugs Back; Kaputt)- London Madame JoJo’s
13/05/08: DAN LE SAC VS. SCROOBIUS PIP- London Oxford Street Zavvi
13/05/08: MAN MAN (w/ Bloodgroup; Three Trapped Tigers )- London Cargo
14/05/08: BATTLES (w/ Dirty Projectors; Fuck Buttons)- London Astoria
15/05/08: THE NATIONAL- Dublin Olympia
16/05/08: IRON AND WINE (w/ Bon Iver)- Kentish Town Forum
19/05/08: XIU XIU (w/ Chris Garneau; Telepathe; Soiled Mattress and the Springs)- University of London Union
20/05/08: JENS LEKMAN (w/ Bon Iver; Jaymay)- London Scala
21/05/08: MGMT (w/ Florence and the Machine; The Runaway Sons)- London Astoria
22/05/08: SUNSET RUBDOWN (w/ Fireworks Night)- London Luminaire
23/05/08: BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE (w/ The Brunettes)- Shepherd’s Bush Empire
24/05/08: AVERAGE WHITE BAND- London Jazz Café
29/05/08: SILVER JEWS (w/ Monotonix; Port O’ Brien)- University of London Union

04/06/08: LYKKE LI (w/ Shout Out Louds)- London Cargo
05/06/08: WILDBIRDS AND PEACEDRUMS (w/ Joe Gideon and the Shark; Banjo or Freakout)- London Luminaire
11/06/08: FLEET FOXES (w/ Beach House)- University of London Union
16/06/08: MELT-BANANA (w/ DJ Scotch Egg)- University of London Union
17/06/08: LIARS (w/ Deerhunter)- London Koko
20/06/08: MY BLOODY VALENTINE - London Roundhouse
24/06/08: SIGUR ROS (w/ Helgi Jonsson)- Westminster Methodist Hall
25/06/08: RADIOHEAD (w/ Bat For Lashes)- London Victoria Park
29/06/08: WHY? (w/ S.J Esau; My Sad Captains)- London Madame JoJo’s

04/07/08: O2 WIRELESS FESTIVAL (w/ Morrissey, The National (x2), Guillemots, Siouxsie, The Wombats, Dirty Pretty Things)- London Hyde Park
08/07/08: FRIGHTENED RABBIT (w/ Esau Mwamwaya & Radioclit; Collapsing Cities)- London Madame JoJo’s
09/07/08: THE MAGNETIC FIELDS (w/ Darren Hanlon)- London Cadogan Hall
14/07/08: THE HOLD STEADY- London HMV Oxford Circus
14/07/08: PARTS AND LABOR (w/ Screaming Tea Party; The International)- London Corsica Studios
16/07/08: MICAH P. HINSON (w/ Absentee)- London Bush Hall
18/07/08-20/07/08: LATITUDE FESTIVAL (w/ The Godwits; The Joy Formidable; Rosie And The Goldbug; Broken Records; Slow Club; Derwyddon Dr. Gonzo; Micah P. Hinson; Bearsuit; a.P.A.t.T; British Sea Power; The Go! Team; Death Cab For Cutie; Franz Ferdinand; The Magistrates; Golden Silvers; Wild Beasts; Beth Rowley; Fanfarlo; dEUS; Seasick Steve; Elbow; Sigur Ros; Joanna Newsom; Polly Scattergood; Those Dancing Days; Noah And The Whale; Patrick Watson; Glasvegas; Okkervil River; Blondie; Interpol; Tindersticks)- Henham Park, Suffolk
23/07/08: RATATAT (w/ Micachu and the Shapes)- London Cargo

04/08/08: THE MAE SHI (w/ Dananananaykroyd)- London Old Blue Last
09/08/08: FIELD DAY FESTIVAL (w/ Of Montreal; Efterklang; Les Savy Fav; the Howling Bells; Laura Marling; Noah and the Whale; The Mae Shi, The Emperor Machine; Emma Pollock; The Magistrates;One Little Plane; Edward J. Hicks)- London Victoria Park
12/08/08: THE DODOS (w/ Collapsing Cities; Swanton Bombs)- London 100 Club
13/08/08: NINA NASTASIA (w/ O’ Death)- London Roundhouse
14/08/08: O’ DEATH (w/ Sennen; Rod Thomas)- London Cargo
18/08/08: WILDBIRDS AND PEACEDRUMS (w/ Bowerbirds)- London Social
20/08/08: FUTURE OF THE LEFT (w/ Fighting With Wire; Truckers Of Husk)- London Water Rats
22/08/08: THE SMOKE FAIRIES- London Rough Trade East
23/08/08: THE HIDDEN CAMERAS (w/ The Gadsdens; Lianne Hall) - London St. Leonards Church
27/08/08: RA RA RIOT (w/ Inbetween Days; The Daves; Rocketeer)- London Water Rats
28/08/08: YACHT (w/ Sportsday Megaphone; Applicants)- London Institute of Contemporary Arts

02/09/08: SHOUT OUT LOUDS (w/ The Boy Least Likely To; Peter and the Wolf)- London 229 Bar
05/09/08: BROKEN RECORDS- (w/ The Ruling Class; Prego; Capital) London 229 Bar
06/09/08: CAMERA OBSCURA (w/ The Clientele; Frightened Rabbit; Wave Pictures; Lawrence of Arabia)- London 229 Bar
08/09/08: AKRON/FAMILY (w/ The Acorn; Hush Arbors)- London Luminaire
09/09/08: CLARE AND THE REASONS (w/ Brendan Campbell)- London Borderline
11/09/08: SOMEONE STILL LOVES YOU BORIS YELTSIN (w/ Stagecoach; The Noughts and Crosses Band)- London Borderline
12/09/08: DOVES (w/ Manic Street Preachers)- London Royal Festival Hall
13/09/08: DEERHUNTER- London Rough Trade East
15/09/08: THE MOUNTAIN GOATS (w/ The Young Republic)- University of London Union
17/09/08: SHEARWATER (w/ The Constantines)- London Bush Hall
21/09/08: WOODPIGEON- London Rough Trade East
23/09/08: BROKEN RECORDS (w/ The Ryes)- London Luminaire
24/09/08: FUJIYA & MIYAGI (w/ Project Jenny, Project Jan)- London Bush Hall
25/09/08: THE SPINTO BAND- London Borderline
28/09/08: GET WELL SOON (w/ Hadar Manor)- London Luminaire

01/10/08: ISLANDS (w/ Lord Auch; Married To The Sea)- London Dingwalls
02/10/08: O’DEATH (w/ Bodies of Water; Frightened Rabbit)- Hoxton Bar and Kitchen
03/10/08: CONCRETE AND GLASS FESTIVAL (w/ Anni Rossi; Liz Green; Wildbirds and Peacedrums; Micachu and the Shapes; James Yuill)- London Strongroom/Café 1001/Old Blue Last
09/10/08: COLLAPSING CITIES (w/ The Hosts)- London Water Rats
13/10/08: OF MONTREAL- London Rough Trade East
15/10/08: THE DEARS- London Rough Trade East
16/10/08: OF MONTREAL (w/ Eugene McGuinness)- London Koko
17/10/08: TILLY AND THE WALL- London Pure Groove
17/10/08: JENNY LEWIS (w/ Benji Hughes)- London Koko
17/10/08: THE OUTSIDE ROYALTY (w/ The Jukebox Vandals)- London Tommy Flynn’s
18/10/08: HOLY FUCK (w/ Kelpe)- Kings College London Student Union
19/10/08: EDDI READER (w/ Lucy Wainwright Roche)- Shepherd’s Bush Empire
21/10/08: MIRACLE FORTRESS (w/ Swanton Bombs)- London 93 Feet East
22/10/08: M83 (w/ The Domino State)- London Scala
24/10/08: MOGWAI (w/ Fuck Buttons; Errors)- Hammersmith Apollo
25/10/08: OLAFUR ARNALDS (w/ finn)- London Union Chapel
26/10/08: THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS (w/ Ipso Facto)- Hammersmith Apollo
28/10/08: MARTHA WAINWRIGHT (w/ Angus and Julia Stone)- London Roundhouse
30/10/08: ERIN McKEOWN (w/ Ella Edmondson)- London Green Note

04/11/08: WHY? (w/ The Dead Science; Munch Munch)- London Scala
05/11/08: RUBY SUNS (w/ A.J. Holmes; Mike Bones)- London Lexington
11/11/08: OKKERVIL RIVER (w/ The Dodos; Stars and Sons)- Shepherd’s Bush Empire
13/11/08: EMMY THE GREAT- Rough Trade East
13/11/08: MERCURY REV (w/ The Howling Bells)- Shepherd’s Bush Empire
18/11/08: CHAIRLIFT- Pure Groove Records
19/11/08: TV ON THE RADIO (w/ The Big Pink)- Shepherd’s Bush Empire
20/11/08: SIGUR ROS (w/ For A Minor Reflection)- London Alexandra Palace
21/11/08: SIGUR ROS (w/ For A Minor Reflection)- London Alexandra Palace
22/11/08: SHEARWATER (w/ Absentee; Greg Weeks; Bird Engine)- London St. Giles-In-The-Fields Church
24/11/08: JEFFREY LEWIS- Brixton Windmill
25/11/08: I’M FROM BARCELONA (w/ Soko)- London Scala
26/11/08: WOMEN- London Pure Groove Records
27/11/08: V.V BROWN (w/ Birdpen)- London Scala
28/11/08: WOLF PARADE (w/ Dag for Dag)- Manchester Ruby Lounge
29/11/08: WOLF PARADE (w/ Giveamanakick)- Dublin Vicars Street

01/12/08: WOLF PARADE (w/ Chad VanGaalen; Dag for Dag)- London Electric Ballroom
02/12/08: DEERHOOF (w/ Underground Railroad)- University of London Union
03/12/08: DEPARTMENT OF EAGLES (w/ Hush Arbors)- London Borderline
06/12/08: THE OUTSIDE ROYALTY (w/ The Ruling Class; Molotov)- London Metro Club
07/12/08: GREGORY AND THE HAWK- London Northampton Square Bandstand
07/12/08: BON IVER (w/ Sarah Siskind)- London Victoria Apollo
09/12/08: VIVIAN GIRLS- London Rough Trade East
11/12/08: ALESSI'S ARK- London Pure Groove Records
11/12/08: RACHEL UNTHANK AND THE WINTERSET (w/ Felix Lajko)- London Union Chapel
12/12/08: M83- London St. Giles Church
14/12/08: JAMIE LIDELL (w/ Fujiya & Miyagi)- Shepherd’s Bush Empire
16/12/08: EMMY THE GREAT- London Pure Groove Records
17/12/08: THE HOLD STEADY (w/ The Mark Inside)- London Roundhouse
18/12/08: GOGOL BORDELLO (w/ DJ Pedro)- London Roundhouse
19/12/08: MUMFORD AND SONS- Pure Groove Records

UN! DEUX! TROIS! DIS: MIROIR NOIR!



(See the full-sized image here, it's pretty amazing.)


Today sees the digital release of Arcade Fire documentary "Miroir Noir," which details the making of their 2007 album 'Neon Bible'. The 70 minute film is directed by long-time AF collaborator Vincent Morriset, with cinematography courtesy of Vincent Moon of Takeaway Shows fame. A DVD release will also be available, due to be shipped at the beginning of 2009. Needless to say, I'm rather looking forward to getting home tonight!

Also, just found out She and Him (Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward) are playing Coachella. HOORAY!

ANDREW BIRD- NOBLE BEAST



Whilst demolishing my review backlog this morning, I took the opportunity to listen to the new Andrew Bird album. And what I can say- it's sublime. Yeah, there's less violin and whistling on this one, but because he employs them more sparingly they're much more effective. It's a more subtle album than the brilliant Armchair Apocrypha, but there's more going on under the surface and in many ways it reminded me of the measured lusciousness of Department of Eagles. Some have expressed a slight disappointment at the lack of killer hooks, but there's far more to these songs than that- they may not be instantly catchy like, say, Plasticities but they're even more satisfying. Plus he manages to sustain the awesomeness through the entirety of the album, unlike AA which tailed off heavily at the end. I'm actually over-awed- the Bird-Man has outdone himself again.

M83 (London St. Giles-In-The-Fields Church, 12/12/08)



Listening to M83 is like being trapped in the end credit sequence of a John Hughes movie, all shamelessly bombastic 80’s synths and ethereal Beach House vocals underpinned with powerhouse drums straight out of Genesis. It’s a huge, immersive sound, and one that’s a perfect fit for St. Giles, a venue noted for its fabulous acoustics. It takes a while for the show to get going- the first twenty minutes had main man Anthony Gonzalez performing solo, his preferred style being slow-burning atmospheric layering of synths which, whilst interesting, lacked the kick of their poppier work. But once the band joined him, they bewitched all and sundry with the same musical intensity they showed at the Scala in October- Kim and Jessie, Skin Of The Night and We Own The Sky all sounding celestially epic reverberating around the vaunted arches of the venue. The coloured lights added a visual dimension lacking from their previous London show, and the setlist was welcomely tweaked- no Graveyard Girl, but they played a lot more from their previous albums. Shame that no-one started dancing for the fantastically raved-up closer Couleurs (apart from one guy who was swiftly pulled back down to the pews by his embarrassed girlfriend), but it was pretty special experience nonetheless.

(Photo: Littlepants (Flickr))

RACHEL UNTHANK AND THE WINTERSET (London Union Chapel, 11/12/08)



There’s not enough clog-dancing at gigs. This is a sentiment likely to be shared by all that witnessed the Northumberland Mercury Prize nominee’s characteristically impressive show at London’s elegant Union Chapel, where the sisters Unthank engaged in some lively traditional folk dances to accompany their set highlight ’Lousy Cutter’. The name of the band’s a bit of a misnomer- although Rachel is the ringleader of sorts her sister Becky is just as much the star of the show, lending her more distinctive, husky vocals to the likes of Blue Bleezing Blind Drunk, a gorgeous piano ballad with a touch of Danny Elfman about it. The set’s pretty similar to their previous London shows, complete with Becky’s Robert Wyatt cover and a Shetland folk song performed without amplification (which brilliantly showed off the wonderful acoustics of the venue) but in honour of the occasion they added an festive song written by their father which was fantastically complimented by the twinkling Christmas trees and rings of flickering candles that adorned the church. Normally I wouldn’t touch trad folk with a bargepole, but anyone witnessing their rousing communal sing-along closer “Fareweel Regality” couldn’t help but be swept away by their charismatic twists on a traditional formula.

I’d also like to mention support Felix Lajko, whose self-indulgent showboating may have got pretty dull after 40 minutes, but dear God he knows how to play a violin. I’d sell my soul to be half as good a violinist as he is…

(Photo: Bart Wee (Flickr))