Dylan and the Velvets dusted off
A couple of old, old tunes surprised me yesterday - Bob Dylan's 'Talkin new York' and the Velvet Underground's 'The Gift'. I think I was kinda charmed by the way a 43 year old Dylan tune can come out of digital radio (BBC 6Music was the station) and sound like the freshest thing all day. Coincidentally I flipped VU's 'White Light White Heat' into the CD player and out came another spoken story song - John Cale's 'The Gift'. Although I'd often thought this tune a bit overlong and the story a bit laboured, it hit the same spot as the Dylan song, charming me with it's effortless delivery. I wish I could hear something in the similar vein from a band around right now. I am in a bit of a John Cale phase at the moment, but I think I might be delving back into Dylan soon too.
Gig of the year.... and it's still only January
There have been a few local shows that have given me a buzz since I returned to Belfast from London - Tracer AMC late last year, Desert Hearts a couple of times, maybe even the first time I heard TVR about a year ago in the Menagerie - but Friday night's gig in the Pavilion by Torgas Valley Reds was simply awesome. Clearly buoyant about their forthcoming release on the new Howl label and the impressive pre-publicity to go with it (it's out in April), the songs that they've been honing on the live circuit for the past year sounded better than ever. I'm looking forward to seeing them a lot more over the next few months.
There have been a few local shows that have given me a buzz since I returned to Belfast from London - Tracer AMC late last year, Desert Hearts a couple of times, maybe even the first time I heard TVR about a year ago in the Menagerie - but Friday night's gig in the Pavilion by Torgas Valley Reds was simply awesome. Clearly buoyant about their forthcoming release on the new Howl label and the impressive pre-publicity to go with it (it's out in April), the songs that they've been honing on the live circuit for the past year sounded better than ever. I'm looking forward to seeing them a lot more over the next few months.
"Several hundred" in Auntie Annies!
According to the NME's news story on the Hal gig at least. Surely some mistake???! AA's holds about 150 and it was nowhere near full. I can assume that the hype machine is in full swing then.
According to the NME's news story on the Hal gig at least. Surely some mistake???! AA's holds about 150 and it was nowhere near full. I can assume that the hype machine is in full swing then.
"I'm completely operational and all my circuits are functioning perfectly."
I had it in my head that the Dublin band (and new Rough Trade signings) Hal were named after the HAL 9000 computer responsible for the above quote. [And many quotes too, visit 2001: A Space Odyssey Sound Archive for more] I was very surprised when I caught then live the other night in Belfast to find that they're inspired by another Hal, namely Hal David of Bacharach and David fame. I guess the imminent hype and the fact that they're a melodic pop band from Dublin will invite lots of comparisons with the Thrills, but hopefully they can prove that they're unique in their own right. Yes, there are plenty of harmonies and keyboards, and if they lean in the direction of Brian Wilson's 'Sail on Sailor' and the aforementioned Bacharach and David they could be on to something. That is easier said than done though, and a couple of times they fell into Costello/ Supertamp territory - the lead vocal and piano pieces in particular set my teeth on edge. Ouch.
Overall though, I have to say I see what the fuss is about and it'll be interesting to hear the album when it emerges later on in the year.
I had it in my head that the Dublin band (and new Rough Trade signings) Hal were named after the HAL 9000 computer responsible for the above quote. [And many quotes too, visit 2001: A Space Odyssey Sound Archive for more] I was very surprised when I caught then live the other night in Belfast to find that they're inspired by another Hal, namely Hal David of Bacharach and David fame. I guess the imminent hype and the fact that they're a melodic pop band from Dublin will invite lots of comparisons with the Thrills, but hopefully they can prove that they're unique in their own right. Yes, there are plenty of harmonies and keyboards, and if they lean in the direction of Brian Wilson's 'Sail on Sailor' and the aforementioned Bacharach and David they could be on to something. That is easier said than done though, and a couple of times they fell into Costello/ Supertamp territory - the lead vocal and piano pieces in particular set my teeth on edge. Ouch.
Overall though, I have to say I see what the fuss is about and it'll be interesting to hear the album when it emerges later on in the year.
The end of a dark, tired year
Yeah, the new Piano Magic album summed 2003 up pretty well. Unfortunately it arrived too late to feature on any end-of-03 charts, so hopefully those people who evaluate and score their musical listening behaviour in 12 month intervals won't forget it when compiling their lists next time.
As I said elsewhere, I didn't get into the whole list-making end of year frenzy this year. Instead I've just listed my favourite albums and gigs off the top of my head with disregard for release dates (Broken Social Scene was first released in 2002, as was all the material on Wire's 'Send', and I'm not sure if the Sun Kil Moon album has seen a UK release yet). Here ya go....
Albums...
1. Sun Kil Moon Ghosts of the Great Highway
2. Sufjan Stevens Greetings From Michigan
3. Belle and Sebastian Dear Catastrophe Waitress
4. Cat Power You Are Free
5. M83 Dead Cities, Red Seas and Lost Ghosts
6. Broken Social Scene You Forgot it in People
7. The Clientele The Violet Hour
8. Yo La Tengo Summer Sun
9. Radiohead Hail to the Thief
10. The Fall The Real New Fall LP (formerly Country on the Click)
11. Wire Send
12. The Shins Chutes too Narrow
13. Lightning Bolt Wonderful Rainbow
14. Tindersticks Waiting for the Moon
15. Four Tet Rounds
16. Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band With Choir "This is our Punk rock" Thee Rusted Satellites Gather + Sing
17. Manitoba Up in Flames
18. The Postal Service Give Up
19. The Strokes Room on Fire
20. Arab Strap Monday at the Hug and Pint
21. Massive Attack 100th Window
22. Dean Wareham and Britta Philips L'Avventura
23. Mogwai Happy Songs for Happy People
24. The Rapture Echoes
25. Erlend Oye Unrest
Gigs...
1. Radiohead, Belfast Waterfront, May
2. Patti Smith, Belfast Art College, May
3. Massive Attack, Dublin Point, August
4. The Strokes, Belfast Ulster Hall, November
5. Manitoba, Belfast Art College, May
6. American Analog Set, Belfast Orpheus, June
7. Yo La Tengo, Dublin Ambassadors, May
8. Calvin Johnson, Belfast Duke of York, September
9. Torgas Valley Reds, many venues thoughout the year...
10. Tracer AMC, Belfast Auntie Annies, August
11. David Kitt, Belfast Empire, March
12. Teenage Fanclub, Belfast Limelight, January
13. Billy Bragg, Belfast Art College, May
14. Mogwai, Belfast Mandela Hall, October
15. Black Eyes, Belfast Front Page, December
16. Somedaysbetter, Belfast Giro's, April
17. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Belfast Art College, May
18. Acid Mother's Temple Soul Collective, Belfast Auntie Annies, June
19. Malcolm Middleton, Belfast Katy Daly's, August
I cannot think of a 20th - I hope that'll change at the end of this year!
Yeah, the new Piano Magic album summed 2003 up pretty well. Unfortunately it arrived too late to feature on any end-of-03 charts, so hopefully those people who evaluate and score their musical listening behaviour in 12 month intervals won't forget it when compiling their lists next time.
As I said elsewhere, I didn't get into the whole list-making end of year frenzy this year. Instead I've just listed my favourite albums and gigs off the top of my head with disregard for release dates (Broken Social Scene was first released in 2002, as was all the material on Wire's 'Send', and I'm not sure if the Sun Kil Moon album has seen a UK release yet). Here ya go....
Albums...
1. Sun Kil Moon Ghosts of the Great Highway
2. Sufjan Stevens Greetings From Michigan
3. Belle and Sebastian Dear Catastrophe Waitress
4. Cat Power You Are Free
5. M83 Dead Cities, Red Seas and Lost Ghosts
6. Broken Social Scene You Forgot it in People
7. The Clientele The Violet Hour
8. Yo La Tengo Summer Sun
9. Radiohead Hail to the Thief
10. The Fall The Real New Fall LP (formerly Country on the Click)
11. Wire Send
12. The Shins Chutes too Narrow
13. Lightning Bolt Wonderful Rainbow
14. Tindersticks Waiting for the Moon
15. Four Tet Rounds
16. Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band With Choir "This is our Punk rock" Thee Rusted Satellites Gather + Sing
17. Manitoba Up in Flames
18. The Postal Service Give Up
19. The Strokes Room on Fire
20. Arab Strap Monday at the Hug and Pint
21. Massive Attack 100th Window
22. Dean Wareham and Britta Philips L'Avventura
23. Mogwai Happy Songs for Happy People
24. The Rapture Echoes
25. Erlend Oye Unrest
Gigs...
1. Radiohead, Belfast Waterfront, May
2. Patti Smith, Belfast Art College, May
3. Massive Attack, Dublin Point, August
4. The Strokes, Belfast Ulster Hall, November
5. Manitoba, Belfast Art College, May
6. American Analog Set, Belfast Orpheus, June
7. Yo La Tengo, Dublin Ambassadors, May
8. Calvin Johnson, Belfast Duke of York, September
9. Torgas Valley Reds, many venues thoughout the year...
10. Tracer AMC, Belfast Auntie Annies, August
11. David Kitt, Belfast Empire, March
12. Teenage Fanclub, Belfast Limelight, January
13. Billy Bragg, Belfast Art College, May
14. Mogwai, Belfast Mandela Hall, October
15. Black Eyes, Belfast Front Page, December
16. Somedaysbetter, Belfast Giro's, April
17. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Belfast Art College, May
18. Acid Mother's Temple Soul Collective, Belfast Auntie Annies, June
19. Malcolm Middleton, Belfast Katy Daly's, August
I cannot think of a 20th - I hope that'll change at the end of this year!
, 
Putting 2003 to bed
New Year's resolutions are futile - but this year I will stop apologising for delays with this website.
This past year was the first for a long time where I didn't embark in a huge 'review of the year' style feature, although I am still threatening an expanded "albums of 2003" list than the one I'm about to post in a while.
Anyway, all I have to have to say about 2003 is that it was a year of a few very good releases, lots of bad releases and an awful lot of indifferent ones. Sadly, in my own world, it was a year where music mattered less than ever, and the words of that Piano Magic song keep entering my head - "Music can't save you from anything but silence/ Not from heartbreak, not from violence". I never used to believe that but I can see what they mean now.
New Year's resolutions are futile - but this year I will stop apologising for delays with this website.
This past year was the first for a long time where I didn't embark in a huge 'review of the year' style feature, although I am still threatening an expanded "albums of 2003" list than the one I'm about to post in a while.
Anyway, all I have to have to say about 2003 is that it was a year of a few very good releases, lots of bad releases and an awful lot of indifferent ones. Sadly, in my own world, it was a year where music mattered less than ever, and the words of that Piano Magic song keep entering my head - "Music can't save you from anything but silence/ Not from heartbreak, not from violence". I never used to believe that but I can see what they mean now.
INTERVIEWS: A-Z Index
Adrian Sherwood
Backwater
Bark Psychosis
Billy Mahonie
Bluetip
Bob Mould
Bright Eyes
Built To Spill
Butterfly Child
Calexico
Catpower
Chavez
Chris and Cosey
the Clientele
Danielle Dax
David Grubbs
Delgados
dEUS
East River Pipe
Foetus
Girls Against Boys
Guided By Voices
Jacob Golden
Jane Siberry
Labradford
Luna
The Make-Up
Mark Eitzel
Mogwai
Morphine
the Pastels
Pavement
Palace Brothers
Pooh Sticks
Prolapse
Radiohead
Rickie Lee Jones
Rocket From the Crypt
Salaryman
Sebadoh
Sol Invictus
Sonic Youth
Stereolab
Sugarplant
Superchunk
Swans
That Petrol Emotion
Tindersticks
Tortoise
Tunic
Urusei Yatsura
Ween
Yo la Tengo
Adrian Sherwood
Backwater
Bark Psychosis
Billy Mahonie
Bluetip
Bob Mould
Bright Eyes
Built To Spill
Butterfly Child
Calexico
Catpower
Chavez
Chris and Cosey
the Clientele
Danielle Dax
David Grubbs
Delgados
dEUS
East River Pipe
Foetus
Girls Against Boys
Guided By Voices
Jacob Golden
Jane Siberry
Labradford
Luna
The Make-Up
Mark Eitzel
Mogwai
Morphine
the Pastels
Pavement
Palace Brothers
Pooh Sticks
Prolapse
Radiohead
Rickie Lee Jones
Rocket From the Crypt
Salaryman
Sebadoh
Sol Invictus
Sonic Youth
Stereolab
Sugarplant
Superchunk
Swans
That Petrol Emotion
Tindersticks
Tortoise
Tunic
Urusei Yatsura
Ween
Yo la Tengo
REVIEWS: A-Z index
22-20s
Add N To (X)
Airport Girl
The Aislers Set
All Tomorrow's Parties, curated by Slint (Slint, Melvins, Mogwai, Deerhoof, Mum)
The Amazing Pilots
And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead
A Silver Mount Zion
Arab Strap
Ballboy
BelFEST 2002 (Olympic Lifts, Kidd Dynamo, Go Commando, Hornby, Little Hooks, Robyn G Shiels, The Embers, Barry Peak, Roque Jr)
BelFEST 2004 (Tom McShane, Torgas Valley Reds, Duke Special, Driving by Night, The Embers, Desert Hearts, Contraband)
Belle and Sebastian
Beta Band
Big Star
Billy Mahonie
bis
Black Heart Procession
Blonde Redhead
Boss Hog
Brian Wilson
Bridge and Tunnel
Bright Eyes
Broadcast
Built To Spill
Butterflies of Love
Calexico
Camera Obscura
The Clientele
Cornelius
Death Cab For Cutie
Delays
Delgados
Desert Hearts
Dick Dale
Do Make Say Think
Econoline
Electrelane
The Embers
80s Matchbox B-Line Disaster
The Fall
The Feline Dream
FIB 2004 (Kraftwerk, Belle and Sebastian, Air, Franz Ferdinand, Brian Wilson, Wire, Love, Einsturzende Neubaten, LCD Soundsystem, Lou Reed, Tindersticks, Teenage Fanclub)
Fiery Furnaces
Flaming Lips
Fly Pan Am
Four Tet
Fridge
Frankie Sparo
Giant Sand
Go-Betweens
Go Commando
Godspeed You Black Emperor!
Gorky's Zygotic Mynci
Guided By Voices
Hefner
Hood
House of Love
J Mascis
Jacob Golden
Jad Fair and Teenage Fanclub
James Yorkston
Jeff Martin
Joie/ Dead Blonde Girlfriend
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Kaito
Kepler
Kidd Dynamo
Ladytron
Lambchop
Les Savy Fav
The Lucksmiths
Luke Haines
Mark Eitzel
Mary Timony
Múm
Neko Case
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Of Arrowe Hill
Olympic Lifts
Oxbow
Patti Smith
Peaches
PJ Harvey
Posies
Pram
Preston School of Industry
Radar Brothers
Red House Painters
Robocop Kraus
Rocket From the Crypt
Rothko
Sigur Ros
Simian
Six by Seven
Sleater-Kinney
Slint
Smog
Soft Boys
Solex
Sonic Youth
Sophia
The Strokes
Suede
Television
Ten Benson
Torgas Valley Reds
Tracer AMC
Tristeza
White Stripes
Wisdom of Harry
Wolf Colonel
Yo La Tengo
Some go to blog entries, some to Geocities pages, so on the latter you may get a pop-up window occasionally.
22-20s
Add N To (X)
Airport Girl
The Aislers Set
All Tomorrow's Parties, curated by Slint (Slint, Melvins, Mogwai, Deerhoof, Mum)
The Amazing Pilots
And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead
A Silver Mount Zion
Arab Strap
Ballboy
BelFEST 2002 (Olympic Lifts, Kidd Dynamo, Go Commando, Hornby, Little Hooks, Robyn G Shiels, The Embers, Barry Peak, Roque Jr)
BelFEST 2004 (Tom McShane, Torgas Valley Reds, Duke Special, Driving by Night, The Embers, Desert Hearts, Contraband)
Belle and Sebastian
Beta Band
Big Star
Billy Mahonie
bis
Black Heart Procession
Blonde Redhead
Boss Hog
Brian Wilson
Bridge and Tunnel
Bright Eyes
Broadcast
Built To Spill
Butterflies of Love
Calexico
Camera Obscura
The Clientele
Cornelius
Death Cab For Cutie
Delays
Delgados
Desert Hearts
Dick Dale
Do Make Say Think
Econoline
Electrelane
The Embers
80s Matchbox B-Line Disaster
The Fall
The Feline Dream
FIB 2004 (Kraftwerk, Belle and Sebastian, Air, Franz Ferdinand, Brian Wilson, Wire, Love, Einsturzende Neubaten, LCD Soundsystem, Lou Reed, Tindersticks, Teenage Fanclub)
Fiery Furnaces
Flaming Lips
Fly Pan Am
Four Tet
Fridge
Frankie Sparo
Giant Sand
Go-Betweens
Go Commando
Godspeed You Black Emperor!
Gorky's Zygotic Mynci
Guided By Voices
Hefner
Hood
House of Love
J Mascis
Jacob Golden
Jad Fair and Teenage Fanclub
James Yorkston
Jeff Martin
Joie/ Dead Blonde Girlfriend
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Kaito
Kepler
Kidd Dynamo
Ladytron
Lambchop
Les Savy Fav
The Lucksmiths
Luke Haines
Mark Eitzel
Mary Timony
Múm
Neko Case
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Of Arrowe Hill
Olympic Lifts
Oxbow
Patti Smith
Peaches
PJ Harvey
Posies
Pram
Preston School of Industry
Radar Brothers
Red House Painters
Robocop Kraus
Rocket From the Crypt
Rothko
Sigur Ros
Simian
Six by Seven
Sleater-Kinney
Slint
Smog
Soft Boys
Solex
Sonic Youth
Sophia
The Strokes
Suede
Television
Ten Benson
Torgas Valley Reds
Tracer AMC
Tristeza
White Stripes
Wisdom of Harry
Wolf Colonel
Yo La Tengo
Some go to blog entries, some to Geocities pages, so on the latter you may get a pop-up window occasionally.
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