Just a little post to say that due to receiving some pretty devastating news about a friend i won’t be posting any more blogs until a week or so (maybe more) from now. Not because i don’t want to but because other things take importance at times like this and i don’t think i’ll really have the time to spend making lists or the like up.
Have a good New Year.
Hopefully i’ll be back posting next week.
S.I.T Wolf X
Filed under random
Christmas is a holiday that persecutes the lonely, the frayed and the rejected.
MP3: Sufjan Stevens – That Was The Worst Christmas Ever
VIDEO: Malcolm Middleton – We’re All Going To Die
Redemption?
It’s Christmas so we’ll stop
It’s on with the lights to warm the dark
It can cloak elsewhere
As the rot stops for today
Let the rot stop just for one day
Only good red eyes, red suits, and faces will radiate
And the cold will hide its face
Now the cold is turned away
We can be best friends with the people we hate
‘Cause we’ve all got blood
And it’s warmer than you think
Yeah it is warm and it is thick
We all breathe out clouds
We’re built to give at least once each year
And that’s better than never I guess
And life might never get better than this
With the perfect excuse for our natures to change
And wear shiny clothes
Oh it’s Christmas so press pause and we’ll go
Oh it’s Christmas so we’ll stop
‘Cause the wine on our breath puts the love in our tongues
So forget the names i called you on Christmas Eve
In fact forget the entire year
Don’t reflect, just pretend and you won’t feel scared
You won’t feel a thing
‘Cause it’s all been tucked away
And once you’re tucked in bed
You’ll hold on to the day for the last few seconds
Your gray dull face is protected from the wind
And I’ll protect you I promise I will
And the rest of our lives will be just like Christmas
With fewer toys
You’re a good girl I’m a good boy
Or so I thought
Oh it’s Christmas so we stopped
Were it not for the tick of the clock
And the spinning of the Earth in space
We could always be this way
And as we sleep at the fall of the day
In the room next door the tree lights brighten the rodents eyes
And catches a glimpse of the dust beginning to rise
The next day life went back to its past self
S.I.T Wolf
Filed under the quiet things that...
25 Years after MTV first aired “Video Killed The Radio Star” by The Buggles the art of the music video is still alive. Thanfully. Music and film together has always been the perfect combination and when it’s done right it’s art in its most inspiring form.
The Top 10 Music Videos of 2009
1. MODERAT – RUSTY NAILS
2. EX LIBRAS – RADAR
3. MAJOR LAZER – HOLD THE LINE
4. THE SUBS – MUSIC IS THE NEW RELIGION
5. TIGERS THAT TALKED – ARTIFICIAL CLOUDS
6. METRIC – GOLD GUNS GIRLS
7. BLODDY BEETROOTS FEAT STEVE AOKI – WARP
8. THE ROSIE TAYLOR PROJECT – LOVERS OR SOMETHING LIKE IT
9. OU EST LE SWIMMING POOL – DANCE THE WAY I FEEL
10. WILD BEASTS – HOOTING AND HOWLING
Honourable mentions for videos go to The Temper Trap for “Sweet Dispostition”, Ex Lovers and “You Forget So Easily”, “In Your Heart” by A Place To Bury Strangers, Florence and The Machine and “Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up” and The Big Pink with “Velvet”.
S.I.T Wolf XX
Filed under best of 2009
As the year comes to a close it’s time to start compiling the end of year “2009 Best Of” lists. Over the next 10 days there will be a list of the best EPs of 2009, the best music videos, a countdown of the top 30 tracks. Finally there’ll be a top 30 album countdown. As a bit of fun there might be a Top 5 Worst albums of 2009 and a Top 5 “Let Downs” of the year which will consist of albums that promised so much more than they delivered…..are you listening Andrew Weatherall?
So the first List we have is the Top 5 EPs of 2009.
1. THE TUPOLEV GHOST – SELF TITLED EP
Released on the 30th March 2009
1. A Hymn For
2. Zeroes And Noughts
3. Diagrams
4. Giant Fucking Haystacks
5. The Night
6. Our Greatest Destroyer *(downloadable MP3)*
I only just discovered last week that the Tupolev Ghost broke up on the 13th December and must say i’m more than a bit gutted. I’d been keeping tabs on them since 2006 and told anyone that would listen that i thought they were destined to be the new At The Drive In. If anything they were a bit more melodious than the famous ATDI, they’re certainly louder anyway thats for sure. Their live shows have left many an ear bleeding and their politically charged lyrics on certain songs acted as the perfect vehicle for their blend of edgy post-hardcore punk. They mixed elements of thrash with spiky drumming, thunderous bass playing and had the ability to pen a tune or two along the way. They’re a sad loss to the independent music industry.
2. HUORATRON – CORPORATE OCCULT EP
Released on the 17th November 2009
1. Corporate Occult (Original Version)
2. Gbay *(downloadable MP3)*
3. Prevenge
4. Corporate Occult (Mixhell Remix)
5. Corporate Occult (Passion Splatter House Remix)
6. Prevenge (SPA Remix)
This is the mighty electro Fin’s second EP release on New Judas. Following up “$$ Troopers” was going to be hard but the bearded nutter has somehow managed to do it and possibly eclipsed his previous effort. All the usual ingredients are there from the one man wrecking machine. His pounding rhythms, his chopped up glitchtronica noises, his electro loops. He seems to know the exact perfect time to drop his noises. The title track shows this more than others with its slow build up and vocal samples, it waits till it knows the listener can’t wait any longer then just goes all out assualt. This EP is perfect for getting you up for a night out or when you get back in from a big night out….depending on your state of mind obviously….
3. EX LOVERS – YOU FORGET SO EASILY EP
Released on the 22nd September 2009
1. You Forget So Easily
2. New Years Day
3. Just A Silhouette *(downloadable MP3)*
4. Incomplete
5. The Moon Has Spoken
This wonderful EP shot onto the scene in September and hasn’t been off my iPod since. With more than a tinge of Elliott Smith influence and a few leanings towards The Cure, the Exlovers have managed to make the perfect alternative pop EP. Every tune is accessible. Wistful lyrics, intricate guitar lines and delicate tones are the backbone of the acoustic driven songs. The title track is the standout and will be included in the Top Tracks of the year without a doubt but “New Years Day” is a thoughtful song that bares the Elliott Smith influence at its soul and the other tracks that follow fall into place perfectly.
4. TIGERS THAT TALKED – BLACK HEART BLUE EYES EP
Released on the 8th June 2009
1. Black Heart, Blue Eyes *(downloadable MP3)*
2. Smokescreen
3. The Electric Press
4. Duet
Described in some circles as “anti-folk” this Leeds group managed to separate themselves from the pigeonhole they were put in and produced an EP full of pop gems. The songwriting ability is clear on all four tracks and the element of catchy melodies are evident through the sombre guitar picking and the mood lifting violins. The fact that their best song (in my opinion) “Artificial Clouds” wasn’t included on this EP and was released as a separate single later in the year proves that we can expect so much more from this band in the future.
5. THE RADIO DEPT – DAVID EP
Released on the 28th July 2009
1. David *(downloadable MP3)*
2. Messy Enough
3. David (The Rice Twins Remix)
4. The Idle Urban Contemporaries
The Radio Dept already had an impressive discography before releasing “David” this summer. With a back catalogue that contains cult classics “Lesser Matters” and “Pet Grief” the Swedish shoegazers are in a world of their own when it comes to writing the perfect Dream Pop songs. “David” is set to be included on the upcoming 2010 album “Clinging To A Scheme”. It can’t come quick enough. Here on this EP the group stay true to their style and never stray from their usual songwriting structure. It’s the old saying “if it isn’t broke don’t fix it” and thats exactly the way i like The Radio Dept. Don’t ever change.
Some other EPs worthy of a mention are Blood Bank EP by Bon Iver, the self titled and online only EP by Union Of Knives, Unicorn Kids Lion Hat EP/Single, Up and Down EP by She Wants Revenge and The Rock N Roll EP from Dirt Road Logic.
S.I.T Wolf XX
Filed under best of 2009
This is the last mixtape of 2009 and is largely made up of songs that i played at the Halloween show in D.U.S.K back in October. It doesn’t really need an explaining, its just a straight ahead club/dancefloor type mix. It starts off slowly with a number (pardon the pun) that was aimed to get girls and boys on the dancefloor. It worked at the club that night so put it on at a New Years or Christmas party this year and see if it has the same effect. I decided to splice and cut the whole mix with some radio segments and audio samples i found kicking about online, i was contemplating using them during the gig but thought best not to incase i interrupted the flow of the music. I liked the idea of using segments and speach samples cos it reminded of my favourite album of all time, Songs For The Deaf by Queens of the Stone Age. The rest of the mix is just some glitchy, techno, electro songs that i enjoy. I put a few beats and bleeps into certain songs to try and maintain that live feel that i got during the gig.
If you download this mix i’d definitely recommend playing it at full volume for full effect.
MP3: Someones In The Wolf – You Can’t Teach Rhythm Mixtape
or
http://www.mediafire.com/?townymzgtti
You Can’t Teach Rhythm Mixtape
_________________________________
1. Girls On Top – I Wanna Dance With Numbers (Kraftwerk vs Whitney Houston)
2. Digitalism – HomeZone (Proxy Remix)
3. Glass Candy – Intro
4. Mix Hell – Highly Explicit (Huoratron Remix)
5. ZZT – The Worm (NT89 Remix)
6. Lovely Chords – How To Clean Your Boyfriends Teeth (Douster Remix)
7. Erol Alkan & Boys Noize – Death Suite (Bobermann Remix)
8. Bob Rifo – Kinky Malinki (Bloody Beetroots Remix)
9. Huoratron – $$ Troopers
10. Huoratron – The New Shit
11. Art Whiplash – Party, Sex and Bullshit (Toxic Avenger Remix)
12. Black Holes – War Drums
13. Mix Hell – Boom Da (Crookers Remix)
14. JFK – Baby Techno
15. Mikix The Cat – Wuz
16. Mikix The Cat – Zuluking
17. D.I.M – Frogger
18. Fake Blood – Mars
19. Bloody Beetroots – Warping Is Awesome (ToMy Edit)
S.I.T Wolf X
Filed under the weekend mixtape
First off i’d like to apologise for the delay in getting this song up. Its been a week since the last one. I had planned to get the song up as normal last Friday but my computer’s being playing up big time over the last week or so and basically wouldn’t allow me to. And i’ve also been busy recently, really busy. There’s been christmas shopping, wrapping, gigs to go to, hangovers, days in bed, shopping, family get togethers, more gigs, shopping. And did i mention shopping? Well it’s all done now anyway. Every last drop of shopping….apart from a few odds and ends that i’ll get on Sunday.
Song 5/Fridays Song: Mew – She Came Home For Christmas
This song is one that came into my head one day this week on the way home from work. I was on the bus with my headphones, it was absolutely freezing, i had my iPod on random and when this particular song came on i automatically warmed up. The key’s in the title. It just sounds happy, which is quite ironic given the lyrics. But it’s not only that, it’s everything else about it. The chord progression is very simple and popular. There are a thousand other songs that use the exact same chords in the exact same progression, style and delivery but Mew somehow make a B, F# and E sound like their own chords, like they made them. The intricate sounding piano and the operatic background take over eventually and somehow become the heartbeat of the entire song. Lets not forget Jonas Bjerre and his other worldly tones as well, on record he is unreal, live he is phenomenal. He can hold majestic notes. I’ve been lucky enough to see Mew twice. The first time was in November 2005, the second was November this year, about 7 weeks ago to be precise. Both times they’ve played this song. It was easily my highlight of both gigs when this song got an airing.
There are more than a few versions of “She Came Home For Christmas” around. It first appeared on the 1997 album “Triumph For Man” , there’s also been a few other re-workings of it, acoustics and so on. And then a newer, fuller version of the song was recorded for the breakthrough album “Frengers”. My favourite however will always be the first version they put to tape. I do, however, love all the versions, the original has an amazing guitar solo, the newest one has Jonas singing where the solo is on the original and the acoustic versions have a great bit of guitar picking at the breakdown but the original still sticks in my head and that’s the one i’ve decided to use here.
MP3: Mew – She Came Home For Christmas
Don’t touch her there, she’s blindfolded
She remembers on the bus
Into my heart, don’t remember
Like you left us without notice
Now you’ve come back, like you left us
Like you owe us
Into my heart
It’s not me, it can’t be
It’s not you, i can’t do what i do
If it’s you
This is not happening
Don’t touch her there
She told him
She remembers how it was
Into my heart, don’t remember
Like you left us without notice
Now you’ve come back
Like you owe us
Into my heart
It’s not me, it can’t be
It’s not you, I can’t do what i do
If it’s you
This is not happening
Don’t touch her there
He watched her
She knew his look from behind
S.I.T Wolf X
Filed under hot water bottle music
Day 4 brings me to a song that someone kinda requested as such. Well not really a request but more of an “oh, that song reminds me of Christmas and being warm” hint we’ll say. And if it’s good enough for Emma…..
Day 4/Thursdays song: Interpol – Say Hello To The Angels
“Say Hello To The Angels” is an example of a song that makes someone feel warm because of the memories it brings flooding back. Whilst in New York in the Winter of 2008 Emma had the Interpol album “Turn On The Bright Lights” pretty much on repeat the whole duration of her stay. From the moment Emma touched down in NY and pressed the play button she had “Turn On The Bright Lights” as her soundtrack. Even at night with the aid of her magical musical pillow the native New Yorkers were soundtracking her journey to dreamland and beyond. One song in particular got stuck in her head to remind her of that cozy warm New York apartment she was staying in. Step forward “Say Hello To The Angels”. With its warm, choppy (maybe even happy, Interpol being happy?!) chords, warm atmospherics and Paul Banks famous baritone-y delivery the song certainly has a feeling of warmth that would sit well on a cold night in NY. And as Emma put it, Interpol are the definition of night music. And night music usually equals music that’ll keep you warm. So as Emmas memories of NY and this song keep her warm this winter give it a listen yourself and maybe next year it’ll do the same for you.
MP3: Interpol – Say Hello To The Angels
I want your silent parts
The parts that the birds love
I know there’s such a place
I had my back turned,
You didn’t realize I’m lonely
You lack the things
To which I relate
But I see no harm.
Come way, come way, come way
It’s over.
And 1, 2, 3
When I’m feeling lazy, it’s probably because
I’m saving all my energy to pick you up when you
Move into my airspace
Move into my airspace
Something’s coming over me
I see you in the doorway
I cannot control the part of me that swells up when you
Move into my airspace
Move into my airspace
But each night,
I bury my love around you
Oh each night,
I bury my love around you
You’re linked to my innocence
This is a concept
This is a bracelet
This isn’t no intervention
This is a concept
This is a bracelet
This isn’t no intervention
This isn’t you yet
What you thought was such a conquest
Your hair is so pretty and red
Baby, baby, you’re really the best
Can I get to this way, I think so
Can I get to this way, I think so
Can I get to this way? Can I get to this way?
Can I get to this way? Can I get to this way?
We should take a trip now to see new places
I’m sick of this town and I’ve seen my faces change
We should take a trip to see new places
I’m sick of this town, I’ve seen my faces change
(Each night i bury my love around you)
Say hello, say hello to the angels
Say hello, say hello to the angels
WARM RATING: COZY NEW YORK APARTMENT ON A COLD WINTERS NIGHT
S.I.T Wolf X
Filed under hot water bottle music
It’s an age old arguement but does alcohol keep you warm or does it just make you think you’re warm?
Song 3/Wednesdays Song: My Morning Jacket – Death Is The Easy Way
Ok, so it’s not the most optimistic of titles but look beyond that and embrace the warmth of this song. I first heard this song back in 2002 on a compilation CD that i got with Uncut Magazine one month (Jan/Feb i believe). At first i was a bit sceptical of it but over the months it grew on me and within a year or so it had became one of my favourite night time songs. Yet again it’s another song that evokes a warmth through not just the music but the lyrics also. The voice and lyrics are enough but then there’s the harmonica at the intro that slowly gives way to the Southern picked guitars and the unique voice of Jim James, the washy sound of cymbals, the harmonica breakdown and the various spoken words that appear in the background at one point (listen closely). To me “Death Is The Easy Way” is the perfect song to play at a campfire or something along those lines anyway. Picture the scene. The air’s that cold that you can see your every breath, you’re wrapped up in 3 layers of clothing, scarf pulled round your face, woolly hat pulled down so all thats left visible are your eyes, your rubbing your hands round a fire as the embers flicker up towards the midnight moon. Now imagine this song playing as the soundtrack. Perfect.
MP3: My Morning Jacket – Death Is The Easy Way
So who cares if alcohol keeps you warm or not, this song keeps me warm and makes me want to have a straight whisky to put an extra bit of fire in my belly. Unfortunately for me, straight whisky doesn’t sit well in my belly (tried it once in my younger days which led to me having a face to face meeting with my toilet) so i’ll have to give it a miss. The song will do though. The video is amazing as well.
Some say, death is the easy way
And i think they’re right
Cause nights tick by like a long week
Except when you stop by
And i know that trying gets nothing done
And i see you’re about dry
Cause nothing gets you high
You’re poor the day you die
And alcohol it only makes you tired
But seeing you feels good
And its always understood
That anything much sweeter would make me die
Take some time rolling back the line
And time goes all night
Some say, death is the easy way
And iknow they’re right
Cause nothing gets you high
You’re poor the day you die
And alcohol it only makes you tired
But seeing you feels good
And its always understood
That anything much sweeter would make me die
WARM RATING: SIMMERING UP NICELY
S.I.T Wolf X
Filed under hot water bottle music
Day 2 of Hoter Water Bottle week and i’ve splashed out on a nice new jacket for winter…..and yet another hat. I have waaaay to many hats. One thing i forgot to buy? Gloves.
Song 2/Tuesdays Song: Bon Iver – Blood Bank
Despite the song being stripped back to the bare minimum of acoustic guitar and the inimitable voice(s) of Justin Vernon it seems unbelievably full and thick and it glows with a certain feeling of Christmas style warmth. From the “ooooh”s over the intro to the lyrics about being stuck in the snow with a girl and the comforting chords. It was originally to be part of the album For Emma, Forever Ago but for what ever reason Vernon decided to leave it off and released the song officially in January this year, although if i’m honest i managed to find a leak (like most people on the blogosohere probably did) of the track in late Novemeber/early December last year and it became my un-official Christmas song of 2008. It’s the perfect song for an early winter night in with a bottle of Jack D and memories/hopes.
Pretty much everything about Bon Iver and Blood Bank points to the makings of a song to keep you warm. He seems to have an obsession with the cold right enough. For a start he recorded the debut album (and this track) in the winter in a cabin in Wisoconsin and even the name Bon Iver pretty much translates as good winter in French. But that voice is enough to warm up the coldest of winters.
Well I met you at the blood bank
We were looking at the bags
Wondering if any of the colours
Matched any of the names we knew on the tags
You said “See look at that, yours,
Stacked on top with your brothers”
“See how they resemble one anothers?
Even in their plastic little covers”
And I said “I know it well”
That secret that you know
That you don’t know how to tell
It fucks with your honor
And it teases your head
But you know that its good girl
Cause its running you with red.
Then the snow started falling
We were stuck out in your car
You were rubbing both my hands
Chewing on a candy bar
You said “Ain’t this just like the present
To be showing up like this?”
There’s a moon waning crescent
We started to kiss
And I said “I know it well”
That secret that we know
That we don’t know how to tell
I’m in love with your honor
I’m in love with your cheeks
What’s that noise up the stairs babe?
Is that Christmas morning?
And I know it well
WARM RATING: TOASTY
S.I.T Wolf X
Filed under hot water bottle music
Some people find comfort from the cold in different ways.
Seeing as the temperatures seem to be dropping with every passing day i thought it’d be a nice idea to share a few songs that’ll make you fuzzy on the inside no matter how cold you feel. So every day this week (well, Mon-Fri) i’ll post one song that will keep you warm. It might be the music itself, it might be the lyrics, it might be both, it might be the atmosphere it creates or it might just be the thoughts and images it makes you conjur up in your head. Whichever it is i can pretty much promise the 5 songs will heat you up.
Let these songs be your equivalent of that really thick furry blanket you only bring out for winter or that extra pair of socks you stick on at bedtime, that hot chocolate before bed or the old wooden fire place you wish you had.
There’s only one stipulation. The songs must be listened to at night and through headphones for full effect.
Song 1/Mondays Song: Grand Archives – Sleepdriving
The song starts with picked chords and the very comforting voice of Mat Brooke. From there on in it slowly builds and swells to immerse the listener in strings and vocal harmonies. It’s melodies are almost hypnotic and from just after the 2 minute mark onwards it gives off an almost Christmas-sy vibe. Perfect for the very cold nights that lie ahead.
MP3: Grand Archives – Sleepdriving
Snow fell thick and small
It buried us all in a fog
You remembered it all
I’m sleepdriving away
Metal and mold, bourbon and clove
Mirrors and smoke, yesterdays clothes
I’m sleepdriving away
Eyes through your window, I stare out
And some, someday we’ll be too old
Cold air, will put an ache in your jaw
We’re only as old as you say that we are
I’m sleepdriving away
The trunk of the car filled with all that we own
This old Pontiac’s starting to feel like a boat
I’m sleepdriving away
Eyes through your window, I stare out
And some, someday we’ll be too old
It’s nearly dawn in a motel home
The shades were drawn to hide the storm
Without a sound the TV glows
The blankets tight around our throats
Swirling round, the light above
Outside the crows were waking up
It’s nearly dawn in a motel home
It was nearly gone
No sleep at all
Outside those crows in lines on those
Frozen roads and wires
WARM RATING: ROASTING
S.I.T Wolf X
Filed under hot water bottle music
Someones In The Wolf 