Music: It's the iTunes remix...

Something I haven't done in a while - I'm going to hit random on my iTunes and tell you all about the first ten songs it picks for me.  No shame here - if it comes up with the garage remix of Britney's Toxic I'll tell you all... I just might not be particularly complimentary about it.  

Crystal Fighters - At Home

From the album Star of Love, for those of you who have never come across them Crystal Fighters combine traditional Basque influences with dance music.  This is a track that I don't often listen to, favouring Follow or Plage, but it's a euphoric and melodic track that deserves a little more recognition.  Thank you, randomiser, for reminding me it exists.

India Arie - Brown Skin

What I'm listening to is an acoustic version of the track but I love it.  It's slow and smooth, and India Arie's voice is rich and velvety smooth.

Rihanna - S&M

Yeah, and so what?  I'm never sure if I like Rihanna because it's good or because I think I can sing the songs.  Either way, she makes good, honest pop music - she should be everything I hate because it sort of sounds like everything else but she seems like a beautiful rebel, and what could be wrong with that?

The Who - The Kids Are Alright

Phew - thank goodness, getting the credentials back after my Rihanna blip.  I don't need to say much about this track - no one needs me to tell them it should be heard.

Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains The Same

Probably not my favourite Led Zeppelin song but still, thumbs up (of course).  I prefer Good Times Bad Times, Dazed and Confused, Black Dog... But still, I don't get to choose.

The Libertines - The Man Who Would Be King

The Libertines...  Well they were good, but I've never been overly interested.  A couple of tracks I'll listen to on repeat (Campaign of Hate) but that's about it.  Bring on the outrage telling me I'm missing something or other blah blah blah...!!  

New Cassettes - Heart Don't Beat Right

Great example of indie dance music from the noughties.  I can't say that I ever listened to another track by the New Cassettes, but I imagine now it would be like meeting your hero - always a disappointment.  I don't want to ruin them for myself if everything else is rubbish.  Advice from anyone who has listened to them more is welcome!

Nirvana - Where Did You Sleep Last Night (MTV Unplugged)

An American traditional folk song now most associated with blues musician Lead Belly.  I love Nirvana's version because Kurt Cobain applies such emotion to the track.  It starts as a quiet questioning but towards the end strangled cries of lyrics are completely compelling (as they ever are) and complimented by that haunting backing track.

Ladyhawk - Dusk Till Dawn (The Shoes Remix)

Never listened to this before - came with the single.  Ruined a good song.  Listen to the original.  End.

Johnny Cash - I Walk The Line

End on a high.  One of my favourite Johnny Cash tracks - I love all the different pitches he manages.  A good starter a Johnny Cash newbie who's only ever heard Ring of Fire. 

Music: Lorde - Pure Heroine

Don't you think that it's boring how people talk - making smart with their words again well I'm bored.  That's how Lorde begins her debut album Pure Heroine with opening track Tennis Court, and with the recent online hate campaign I hope it's a line she really believes in.  Lorde is a talented 17 year old with an obvious interest in poetry and little (it seems) interest in most icons of popular culture - thank goodness!

She's had a couple of instances of honesty - including describing Nicki Minaj and Lana del Ray's musical content as irrelevant and, reportedly, called One Direction ugly.  This in mind, the only negative thing Lorde does is apologise and back track.  Not used to someone who has an opinion on their favourite stars that isn't entirely positive, the 'Internet' retaliated by posting photos of Lorde with her boyfriend, complete with abuse.

There are two things to learn from this - firstly, the Internet doesn't like it when someone has an honest opinion, and secondly One Direction fans are aggressive.  Don't mess with the One Direction fans.

Talking of an honest opinion, let's get back to mine!  Lorde's album is a great example of pop music that doesn't have to conform the rest of the dross you find in the charts today.  The variety of styles that have clearly influenced the album, along with mostly (not all) meaningful lyrics make it stand out through originality and innovation.

The most well known track, Royals, which reached number 1 in the UK singles charts (look at me listening to chart music without even knowing it....), does hold far more relevance to me that anything Nicki Minaj et al has released.  It's being a normal person in a normal town, but being bombarded by images and songs about money and bling: "But everybody's like Cristal, Maybach, diamonds on your timepiece, jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash - we don't care, we aren't caught up in your love affair".  Much more relatable than someone telling me to pound the alarm (what? what alarm? I completely don't understand).

Buzzcut Season is another must listen.  It manages to be both upbeat and melancholic completely simultaneously and without being mismatched.  Lorde explained buzzcut season previously as being the summer when the boys all get too hot and get buzzcuts.  And while this is nice, I interpret the song as having much more depth than just a haircut.  "Explosions on TV and all the girls with heads inside their dreams, so now we live beside the pool where everything is good" or "The men upon the news they try to tell us all that we will lose, but it's so easy in this blue where everything is good".  To me, it's about ignoring harsh realities and living in a dreamland where the world's problems don't exist - but equally it's not judging people living that way.  

In a recent interview Lorde said: "I don't play any instruments, so my voice needs to have the focus.  My vocal-scape is really important".  Buzzcut Season really is the track where this holds most truth - the chorus, the melody and rhythm of Lorde's voice makes it a powerful section, complimented by how the rhythm of the music kicks in almost out of nowhere.  It's uncomplicated but striking.

Glory and Gore is a dark and intimidating track, that paints it's picture as well as a film.  "There's a humming in the restless summer air, and we're slipping off the course that we prepared" and "Now we're in the ring and we're coming for blood - you can try and take us, but we're the gladiators... but secretly they're saviors".  The talent for strong imagery is repeated in White Teeth Teens where it becomes easy to imagine that particular kind of teen (it isn't restricted to teens...) where Lorde is their top lady - their Regina George (can't believe I just referenced Mean Girls) - and again, the laid back verse gives way just at the right second to a 60s inspired beat, all very simple but clearly and precisely planned that way.

So with a spattering of dark and eerie, a beat on Team that could be for Dizzee Rascal and a number 1 hit what could you lose by listening to Lorde?  Better than One Direction (bring it on Directioners).

You can find all of Lorde's numerous social networking profiles via her her website.

Music That Makes You Feel #2: The Distillers

If anyone wanted punk rebellion somewhere long past pop-punk but before the point where you feel obliged to adopt a mohican style haircut, The Distillers are for you.  They may have long split, but that doesn't mean you can't have a listen.

To 15 year old me, singer Brody Dalle was the coolest woman in the world.  I loved - and still love - her gravelly voice and don't-give-a-f*** attitude.  Everything about her was rebellion and that's a strong draw when you're 15.  

Brody Dalle (or Armstrong, or Homme, or any of the other seven surnames she's reportedly had for various reasons) often receives comparison with Courtney Love - I'll dispute that probably due to my dislike of Courtney Love!  Brody Dalle gives a far more genuine impression than Love ever has on me.  

I've heard The Distillers described before as hard-core punk, but there's certainly a melodic quality to the music that I don't tend to associate with that particular genre.  You certainly shouldn't let it put you off!

In terms of tracks to listen to, and off of the subject of my apparent girl crush, you can't go wrong if you listen to any part of the album Coral Fang as an introduction.  The title track is deserving of a mention; drums and discordant bass and guitar are rhythmic but give way easily to a more tuneful chorus. 

Drain The Blood (cheerful I know) has an excitable feel and will leave you wanting nothing more than a good mosh, if you're into that kind of thing.  The Hunger shows a softer side to Brody Dalle's voice, only occasionally interspersed by screams and a pounding beat.  Overall, it's a more laid back track in the context of a punk album.

Outside of Coral Fang, the track that really got me hooked was City Of Angels from album Sing Sing Death House.  I love the frantic punk nature of it but it remains structured and I'm drawn to the vocal harmonies against the aggressive backing.  Lordy Lordy from the same album is intriguing in that I would describe it as punk with a bluegrass influence.

So, in terms of music making me feel something, The Distillers give you a sense of rebellion and the urge to fight back.  They make me want to wear slashed jeans with fishnet tights, double up on eyeliner (which is almost impossible, as anyone who knows me will agree) and not give a... hoot.  And it makes me want to not be the kind of person to have to write hoot, but somewhere along the line I ticked a box to say this was suitable for under 18s.

But, anyway... DOWN WITH THE SYSTEM!! Or something...

Music That Makes You Feel #1: Woodkid

I've written about Woodkid a couple of times now, but it's only because you must - yes, MUST - listen to him.  There's certainly no one else at the moment that deserves to be top of the list of music with feeling, for me.

There are two things that will stand out when you listen to Woodkid - strong, orchestral music and a good story.  Strings, pianos and brass all make regular appearances and the music matches the tone and direction of the story every time.  The album seems to be a mixture of genres - modern, popular music played by the London Symphony Orchestra for example.

There are some tracks that feel like absolute musical epics and some that tell a tale.  The opening to Stabat Maker is slow, strong and haunting, and Woodkids voice is equal to the music - another instrument complimenting the music rather than an overshadowing presence.  Shadows, on the other hand, is a completely musical piece but certainly not inferior.

Outside of Woodkid's album, The Golden Age, a favourite track has to be Wasteland, which was released on the Iron EP.  To me, rightly or wrongly, it's a man expressing his gratitude for being rescued by love (it's all far more emotional than I would ever admit to feeling) - "How did you get to save me from this desolate wasteland" and "All the things you're trying to do make me a better man".  He then goes on to reflect on all of the good things that he had forgotten in misery that are coming back to him - "Most of what I used to be had vanished in the waste, the memories of the boy I've been were drowning and you saved them".

As what is essentially a love song (not the genre I'd usually go for) I find the track completely refreshing.  Rather than mourning a love lost the track celebrates the goodness of love found which, despite my heart of stone, is touching and enough to bring back the best memories.  A simple musical accompaniment of an off-beat piano, joined by a lone violin and a brass section compliments the nature of the track.  A demonstration of effective simplicity - no drum loops or synths required for impact here.

If you're after a more 'pop' song to gain your interest, you'll find it in album track I Love You.  Almost exactly opposite to Wasteland, it's upbeat and punchy describing the desperation of a love not returned, not sad in its delivery but certainly honest and with a hint of injustice - "Whatever I feel for you, you only seem to care about you, is there any chance you could see me too, cause I love you".  Equally, while it is more rhythm led there is still, what I think is, a church organ and a climactic string section towards the end.  

The talent for a good lyric is a theme throughout all of Woodkid's music and his ability to tell a story is beautiful, using metaphors without sounding like a pratt is difficult to get the hang of (I should know - I manage to sound like a pratt all the time using metaphors, I'm sure).  The Boat Song - "We tied a knot and raised a sail... The sea was rough and felt unknown... Can we keep our bearing straight, or will we be blown off course".

Deserving of a mention (they all are really but I want to leave you some mystery) is The Great Escape with its orchestral beginnings but then the fast, racing horse percussion and victory trumpets, plus "This road is finally standing up to this sky, boy we're free so what is fate to say how things are gonna turn out now".  The track Conquest starting with fairy flutes, which are soon brought down a notch by big drums and slightly sinister brass, but again so catchy and with another great line "I'm ready to start the conquest of spaces expanding between you and me".

Finally, two tracks you might recognise from the Assassin's Creed adverts.  Firstly, Iron, which I've raved about before, but it was my first Woodkid track and I loved it for being different, with its stirring and vivid imagery.

Secondly, Run Boy Run, which is urgent in its music and lyrics of escape and desperation.  I should mention the string section at the end that inspired this 'music to make you feel' series.  It was great to listen to something that made me excited to be listening to it, and happy to enjoy music so much again.  I must have listened to that a hundred times or more.

So, it doesn't matter why you listen to him - my ranting and raving, his involvement with some of the most popular modern music videos (Lana del Ray, Mystery Jets, Katy Perry to name a few), it could even be his French accent if that's what it takes - but I hope that when you do he brings you as much joy as he has to me.

http://www.woodkid.com/

Music That Makes You Feel...

Just in case you weren't already in the loop, my 25 year old body houses the mind of someone much older.  I like staying in over going out on a bender; I fall asleep with a blanket at 9pm; I take my blanket camping rather than a five litre bottle of cider.  I'm sure you get the idea.

So, now you know I'm completely qualified when I say "chart music today... it all sounds that same".  I'm sure that statement is entirely incorrect, but I genuinely struggle to distinguish one 'artist' (I use the word artist as loosely as I might if someone tried to potato print the Mona Lisa) from the next.

Fine, pop music is exactly what it says on the tin - it's popular, so clearly my opinion is in the minority.  It's designed to be catchy and easy to listen to (which some might translate as repetitive and challenging).  If I said there were no chart songs that I enjoyed or that got into my head like a little ear worm, I'd be lying, but it's certainly a minority.

But, before you all go away knowing nothing more about me than I'm the youngest OAP you've ever come across and I appear to have some kind of music superiority complex, let me just explain myself.  The problem with music nowadays (yes I did just say that) is that it doesn't make me feel anything.  Except disappointment - which as anyone with a parent willing to use emotional blackmail will know, is much worse than feeling angry.

Perhaps it's the monotonous backing tracks or perhaps it's a lack of meaning in the lyrics.  For example, consider the Black Eyed Peas track I Gotta Feeling - "Fill up my cup, Mazel tov".  More effort making the words rhyme than worrying about what they're actually saying.

And that's why, to me, finding music that really makes me feel something is a joy.  The song doesn't need to make me feel happy, just feel something... anything!! There are songs that remind me of friends I miss, tracks that I love to listen to when I feel sad or angry, and sometimes it's as simple as giving me a bit of a shiver if I love it.

So, I'd like to officially launch a short series of music that makes me feel something.... my aim was two weeks of posts but the list changes every time I review it, so let's just play it by ear shall we...?

Music: Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City

New album: Modern Vampires of the City

So, while everyone else is talking about Reading & Leeds lineups (Biffy, Foals, etc) I'm going to have a jolly good rant about Vampire Weekend.  Obviously, that's entirely because Vampire Weekend are great and in no way related to being bitter about not going to Reading OR Leeds... again.

First - the news.  Today Vampire Weekend, rather cryptically, announced that their new album will be called Modern Vampires of the City and released on May 7th 2013.

After tweeting mysteriously for several days 'VW', '#MVOTC', 'LPIII' and 'MMXIII' i.e. 'Vampire Weekend', '#Modern Vampires Of The City', 'Album 3' and '2013', it was clear that they were on the brink of the announcement.  This morning the tweet read just 'NYT classifieds'.  Fortunately, I can rely on a couple of trustworthy music journalists (and a photo...) that lo and behold in the lost & found: 'Modern Vampires Of The City May 7, 2013'

As seen on Pitchfork http://pitchfork.com

Two hours later and it was official.  Now, I can spend the next four months hoping that the new album will match up to their previous efforts.

I first heard Vampire Weekend when they released their single A-Punk and was immediately drawn to the sheer madness of it all.  The whole track hangs together on what seems like a thread - as though any second it could all descend into chaos.  I don't think that my 19 (ish) year old self had really heard anything like them in new music - I suspect it was the last time I really loved anything in the chart.  Next came Oxford Comma - the whole track is so simple when you break it down to it's component parts, but it manages to maintain it's unpredictability, a theme that ran through the whole first album and into the second.

I have two memories that stand out about Vampire Weekend.  Many years ago (four years ago) I worked in a well known high street music retailer (HMV).  A man approached the counter - not unusual as you might imagine - but when he opened his mouth I realised I was dealing with a first class w*****.  "Excuse me my dear, please could you tell me which of these two Vampire Weekend albums, might be considered more Afro-pop? I'd like to listen to some Afro-pop".  Oh Lord...

The second is seeing Vampire Weekend live when I DID make it to Leeds Festival.  Singer Ezra Koenig strolled onto the stage in some khaki shorts, a plain t-shirt and his loafers.  I glanced to the person next to me - we'd only heard the first album at this stage and we weren't quite sure how they were going to match up to the energy it had - especially not in loafers.  Completely unassuming, the crowd watching with an air of expectation.. "I see a mansard roof through the trees... I see a salty message written in the eaves... The ground beneath my feet, the hot garbage and concrete... And now the tops of buildings, I can see them too" and the whole tent (it was a festival remember) erupted with the music.

As well as a new album, tour dates have also been announced.  Though it mostly covers the US, they do have one London date, at The Troxy on May 8th.

www.vampireweekend.com

Vampire Weekend Twitter

Music: thenewno2 - Never Too Late

Spacesbetweenwordsissoyesterday

In brief - because it would be easy to write a manual on this lot - thenewno2 are singer / guitarist Dhani Harrison, keyboard / programmer Paul Hicks, keyboards / guitarist Jonathan Sadoff, guitarist Jeremy Faccone, bassist Aaron Older and drummer Frank Zummo.  A band including Grammy Award winners and a Beatles' and a Hollies' child, experienced in not only making music but also films and artwork, and who are not shy of a side project are clearly going to fit the brief for any challenge.  For a film score, for example.

And here is where we meet the track Never Too Late.  Never Too Late is one of two currently unreleased tracks by the band that feature on their score for upcoming film Beautiful Creatures, which counts Jeremy Irons and Emma Thompson among it's cast.  The films director, Richard LaGravenese, asked for a sound that he had never heard before, and said that he was 'knocked out' by the bands ideas, excitement, and creativity as they created a new genre, which the band dubbed 'swamptronica'.  Thenewno2 recruited almost a dozen extra voices and influences for the score, including The Duke Spirit's Leila Moss who features on Never Too Late as well as Run To Me (also featuring Ben Harper).

In anticipation of the release of the soundtrack on February 12th (followed by the film, Beautiful Creatures, on February 14th) you can listen to Never Too Late on Soundcloud.  You will find that the track fits perfectly with film music.  The variances in texture, from sparse and myseterious to thick, epic string undercurrents, and the unpredictable rythms and chords make for a piece of music that is able to capture your interest to hear it to the end.  Leila Moss's smooth, unassuming but powerful vocals compliment the track, as do the guitar solos, while it all builds up to a dramatic and slightly discordant, haunting finish.

You will find Never Too Late below, but to hear more please visit the Soundcloud page.  You can also visit their website or follow them on Twitter (@thenewno2).

Release of the Beautiful Creature Original Motion Soundtrack, on Watertower / Sony Music is on February 12th 2013.

Music: The Sound of Arrows - Conquest

The Sound of Arrows are to release their newest single, Conquest, from their critically acclaimed album Voyage on June 25th.

Stefan Storm (best name ever!) and Oskar Gullstrand have a sound similar to that of Lo-Fi-Fnk - electronic, contagious and just a little bit camp.  Their bass rhythms have the same gentle reggae/ska sway of Blondie's Tide Is High, and this applies to their remix of Maroon 5's Payphone, which you can listen to here.  There is constant change throughout the remix, but would be better if it was three minutes long rather than five.

Their remixes don't stop at their tinkering with other peoples songs - they've also had a fair few of their own tracks looked at by artists such as Tiesto and Fear of Tigers.  There will be a compilation of these remixes released at the end of June, which will be available from their band website and Facebook page (hint - follow).

Internet: Beat Suite Tweets

Music and apps and social media - surely there is no better combination.  Red Bull's Beat Suite Tweets app is a clever little animal, turning your tweets into a little snippet of music based on the mood of your words.  I'm sure this video will explain it much better:

If you want to try out your own tweets on the Beat Suite click here.  It gets old pretty quickly, but if you fancy a ten minute break from work...

Music: Two Wounded Birds - To Be Young

I'm not angry... I'm just disappointed

Goodness me, where to start?  Something could be said along the lines of "sounds like a wounded vocalist" or "this has literally wounded my ears", but that's not my breed of music reviewing, so I'm going to stick with frustratingly bad.

Remove the vocals, and the music has potential.  There's a classic feel to it, like it might be played at the Back To The Future school dance - it's been done before but it's upbeat and inoffensive, so well done musicians.  Sadly, the vocals have done the equivalent of a dog dragging it's bum across the new cream carpet.  This guy has listened to too much Morrissey (oooh woe is me, I must sound dark and mysterious) and too many bands from Manchester (whinge whine whine - looking at you Oasis).  There's an amount of flip flopping between these two styles and the result is an inability to understand what on Earth is being sung about.   The worst thing of all: he sounds like he can probably sing when he's not putting on this ridiculous show.  And that is what led me to frustratingly bad.

But regardless, have a listen below and make up your own mind.  Apparently Brian Wilson and Debbie Harry like them so what do I know anyway?  Credit where credits due - there is a little bit of this that won't leave my head.  Their Facebook page says the "band is bound to be written off by progressive tyres, excitement chasers and those who don't appreciate the art and craft of the popular song" but it also describes Johnny Danger's vocal tone as velvety.  Yes, that's right... Johnny Danger.

Music: Dear Reader - Monkey (You Can Go Home)

"Idealistic Animals is a well-crafted album; combining melancholic melodies with a real message" - Artrocker

Dear Reader, or Cheri MacNeil as her friends call her, has announced that single Monkey (You Can Go Home) will be released on January 23rd, to celebrate the release of album Idealistic Animals this week.

The acoustic version of this track (see below) featuring just Cherie and a piano, lovely though it is, is not a patch on the original version, full of strong drums and interesting strings and guitars.  She does have the voice of an angel and the poetic capability of Carol Ann Duffy, and this shines in an acoustic setting, but there is nothing like the beat-led original track, full of ups and downs and with a mysterious edge.  It manages to be soft and feminine, questioning and curious but at the same time strong enough to be different and at times, mainly towards the end, wonderfully chaotic.  It's a track that will appeal to a broad audience, from the Elbow loving masses right through to your mum... probably.

The original version:

Dear Reader - MONKEY (Go Home Now) by cityslang

And the acoustic version (good for hangovers!):

http://www.dearreadermusic.com/

Music: Enter Shikari - A Flash Flood Of Colour

For anyone who wasn't aware of Enter Shikari's new album release.  And for anyone who hasn't listened to Enter Shikari before, here is my favourite track Sorry You're Not A Winner - you should also keep an eye out for Anything Can Happen In The Next Half Hour.

Music: The Victorian English Gentlemens Club

"An aggravated three piece band making underground pop racket in the pop underground racket that is Cardiff"

There's nothing better than listening to something for the first time and knowing that it's great.  When you listen to a lot of new music you get used to reading good things about a band and being told their the best thing since sliced bread.  The you spend some time getting excited about them and then you finally listen to them... and it's the biggest anti-climax.  Music journalism is one let down after another and I'm not going to tell you all something is great unless I actually think it is.  This is one of the reasons you won't find a 'Best Music of 2011' or a 'Celebration of 2011's music' because on the whole I thought it was pretty poor.  There was a definite generic sound of 2011 and it's one that sounds just like Elbow, but unfortunately it now also sounds like 1000 other bands - and I didn't even like it on elbow.  If the sound was a colour, it would be beige.

And so, how lovely, a bit of light refreshment.  The Victorian English Gentlemens Club, are everything that is not Elbow, or chart, or Lady Gaga, or Professor Green, or those silly b*****s off The Only Way Is Essex.  Now, I won't lie, I listened to them for the first time this morning so we are learning together here but I please implore you to listen to the track below.  I've been through the album Bag Of Meat (which was actually released back in June - slow on the uptake!) and sometimes they're Gary Numan and sometimes they're MGMT and sometimes they're a big rock monster; sometimes they're Adam and the bloody Ants.  In the PR blurb they're described as "an agitable, tense and tetchy melodic laceration of neo/new/no/now/non/post/wave; an anthemic, torch bearing, porch burning anti-opera" and that almost sums up the non-sensical wonderfullness that is The Victorian English Gentleman's Club.

This is Conversation, which again was released months ago, and is supposedly a conversation between a woman and her executioner just before her beheading.  And if that doesn't strike up some kind of morbid curiousity I don't know what will.  But overall, if you're just looking for something that sticks two fingers up to Guy Garvey...

The Victorian English Gentlemens Club - A Conversation by thisisfakediy

Official Website with a listening page

YouTube

Music: Incubus: Sick Sad Little World

This is for anyone who has started out listening to Incubus with their most recent album, If Not Now, When?, which is probably one of the worst albums I have ever listened.  It's not often that I listen to an album and decide it's so bad that I'll never listen to it again, but If Not Now, When? was so tinged with disappointment that I just can't bring myself to put it on again.

If you look back to, for example, A Crow Left Of The Murder (which is one of my favourite albums of all time) there's not a single bad track on there.  I considered Incubus to be one of the most consistent and imaginative bands around, and this is probably why it was so disappointing when they released If Not Now, When?

So you can all hear just how good they should be, here is Sick Sad Little World.  I wish I could put the entire album up for you all....

Music: Los Campesinos - Romance Is Boring

From humble beginnings at Cardiff University to festivals and North American tours, Los Campesinos have come a long way.  Los Campesinos were on the outskirts of my radar when I saw them at Leeds festival many moons ago (2008).  I love their upbeat style (though it's not always upbeat content) and I was hooked off that very first performance.  There really is nothing like dancing in the mud to make you a fan.  This is the title track from their album Romance Is Boring:

http://www.loscampesinos.com
http://www.loscampesinos.com/blog/
http://soundcloud.com/los-campesinos

Music: Foals - Cassius

It doesn't matter how many new Foals songs I hear, this is still my favourite:

Music: Clare Maguire - Ain't Nobody (Breakage Remix)

Because recently adverts have broadcast better music than the radio:

02 Ain't Nobody (Breakage Remix) by claremaguire

Music: The Naked And Famous

Right, today is a two-for-the-price-of-one day - what a treat!  I couldn't choose between these two tracks by The Naked And Famous.  The first I think is the best song and the second is a good song with an excellent video.

So here is track number one, Punching In A Dream.  I heard the Does It Offend You, Yeah? remix of this track first but I think the original is better:

And the second is Serenade.  I love those little paper-foldy-wotsits!  See how long it takes you to forget that the sound isn't actually coming from them.

http://www.thenakedandfamous.com/

http://www.myspace.com/thenakedandfamous

https://www.facebook.com/tnafofficial

Music: The Knife - Heartbeats

"Ooh, isn't that that that song of the advert with all the bouncy balls?  You know that Gonzalez bloke..."

No, my misinformed friend it isn't.  This is The Knife and they released this song long before Jose did.  So, because I have been assured that it isn't common knowledge that this is a Knife track, here it is for you as my day two song.

http://theknife.net/

Music: Woodkid - Iron

Right, it's December and I am sadly without an advent calendar.  So let's do it with music.  Everyday for the month of December, I will give you a song to listen to.  And here is the first...

This song should have been massive when it was released back in March of this year and it wasn't.  But then, with all media seemingly terrified to think out of the box and play something a bit different (if it ain't broke... and all that) should we be so surprised?  Until, would you believe it, a computer game advertisement has broken the mold - whoever was on song-choosing duty that day is quite literally, my absolute hero.  Not only is the song fantastic but it fits the game absolutely perfectly - give that employee a pay rise!

If you haven't had the opportunity to hear Iron by Wookdkid yet then here it is:

And as I'm feeling generous today here is the Mystery Jets remix of the same song.  It's OK, you don't have to thank me...

Woodkid Iron (Remix By Mystery Jets) by JLUP

http://www.yoannlemoine.com/

http://www.woodkid.com/

http://www.myspace.com/woodkid