January 31, 2014

"Love letters, all I see
On every day I read
The bits of yellow paper
Addressed from you to me."

The festival summer of 2014 is starting to form and I guess I will include a few of them myself. What I do now is that I will head to Field Day in London early June and more will likely follow.

One of the headlines that Field Day has released so far is Metronomy. And why not, this is pretty good stuff.

Metronomy – Love letters is found on the forthcoming record “Love letters” scheduled to be released in 2014.

January 30, 2014

"She's got corpses in her mouth
Still she's holding hands with you
It's cut like crystal chandeliers
I'll shine like diamonds in her ears."

Another member of The Stone Roses was Ian Brown. As John Squire he also continued to release music following the breakup of The Stone Roses.

Though he caught some attention with his solo material I guess that Ian Brown otherwise is associated with incidents involving the law enforcement.

Anyhow, one got to remember that Ian Brown released a couple of awesome songs under his own name, especially this one.

Ian Brown – Corpses in their mouths is found on the record “Unfinished monkey business” released in 1998.

January 29, 2014

"Now, we know where we're going, baby
We can lay back and enjoy the ride
Take in the sights and drown in our senses
Love is the law, so, take me deep inside."

According to some sources the breakup of The Stone Roses back in 1996 was anything but friendly. According the same sources the rumors of an unfriendly breakup was emphasized by the name that The Stone Roses member John Squire chose of his new band.

“The Seahorses” you may ask yourself, why does that name stress a conflict among the members of The Stone Roses? Well if you make an anagram of “The Seahorses” you will instead read “He hates roses”.

A coincidence? Maybe. Or maybe not. I do not know. Do you?

The Seahorses – Love is the law is found on the record “Do it yourself” released in 1997.

January 28, 2014

"I’m not alive, I’m not alive without you
I’m not alive, I’m not alive without you."

When Warpaint released their debut album back in 2010 it was quite a buzz about the band and the record. I never really picked up Warpaint back then but when I heard their brand new single a couple of months ago I could not resist the band anymore.

At the moment this is one of my favorite songs.

Warpaint – Love is to die is found on the record “Warpaint” released in 2014.

January 27, 2014

"The room was empty as I staggered from my bed
I could not bear the image racing through my head
You were so real that I could feel your eagerness
And when you raised your lips for me to kiss.
Came the dawn
And you were gone
You were gone, gone, gone."

When I wake up following a good night’s sleep I can hardly ever remember what I dreamed about. In some ways it feels good; I am not sure that I would like to know what kind of stories my mind creates when asleep but on the other hand it would be funny to remember as well.

These guys had too much too dream last night. I really don’t want to end up there.

The Electric Prunes – I had too much to dream (last night) is found on the record “The Electric Prunes” released in 1967.

January 26, 2014

"No need to laugh and cry
It's a wonderful, wonderful life
No need to run and hide
It's a wonderful, wonderful life."

From a Black Hearted Brother to just Black. I wonder how many times I have played this song.

Hundreds? Doubtless. Thousands? Most likely.

Black – Wonderful life is found on the record “Wonderful life” released in 1987.

January 25, 2014

"For me, singing sad songs often has a way of healing a situation. 

It gets the hurt out in the open into the light, out of the darkness."

The latest project of Neil Halstead, previously in Slowdive, Mojave 3 and on his own is called Black Hearted Brother.

To me it seems that Mr. Halstead somewhat returns to his shoegazing roots as played by Slowdive. I do appreciate that.

Black Hearted Brother – Got your love is found on the record “Stars are our home” released in 2013. The quote above is taken from the American singer Reba McEntire.

January 24, 2014

 

"Veien e mitt nye hjem
Aldri gå på jobb igjen
For heile livet svinne hen
Ska aldri gå på jobb igjen
Og alle jævla bruer brenn
Aldri gå på jobb igjen
Du skal aldri mer få sjå
Sjå meg igjen!"

I am not a huge fan of the band Kvelertek but they have some good songs, especially this one.

This night they play live in my neighborhood, the few songs I like is not enough for me to actually head to the concert. At the same time I have this strange feeling I am missing something. Something really good even.

Kvelertak – Braune brenn is found on the record “Meir” released in 2013.

January 23, 2014

"Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking that cannot lose."

Last autumn, by pure coincidence, I found myself at a concert with Cheatahs. And lucky me; I was blown away by their walls of sound similar to the shoegazing acts I listened to all the time in the beginning of the nineties.

Now I just have to wait a few more weeks before their debut full-length record is released. In the meantime, the single once again.

Cheatahs – Cut the grass is found on the forthcoming record “Cheatahs” released in 2014. The quote above is taken from the American industry magnate Bill Gates.

January 22, 2014

"I been thinking
of a little place down by the lake
they got a dirty little road leading up to the house
I wonder how long it will take till we're alone
sitting on the front porch of that home
stomping our feet on the wooden boards
never gonna worry about locking the door."

Like Sahara Hotnights, White Stripes is band a band that I keep coming back to. I do not listen to them each and every day; I may not even be listening to them once per month.

But sooner or later I am there again, White Stripes in the headphones or in the speakers and I standing there listening with a smile on my face.

White Stripes – Hotel Yorba is found on the record “White blood cells” released in 2001.

January 21, 2014

"When you forgive, you in no way change the past - but you sure do change the future."

Another band that is back following a few years of silence is Hidden Cameras. I do hope that this means that an upcoming tour is on its way as well.

Hidden Cameras is a band that I like quite a lot when I hear them recorded. Hidden Cameras is a band that I love when I hear them live. Oh the energy they have on stage…

Hidden Cameras – Gay goth scene is found on the record “Age” released in 2014. The quote above is taken from the American radion host Bernard C. Meltzer.

January 20, 2014

"Hey little boy, whatcha got there?
Kind sir it's a mollusk I've found."

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to see a dear old friend who nowadays lives in Bogota, Colombia. It must have been at least five years since I last saw him so naturally it turned out to be an awesome night.

One of his favorite bands is Ween, so this one is something I will play as loud as it is heard in Bogota tonight…

Ween – The mollusk is found on the record “The mollusk” released in 1997.

January 19, 2014

"I have believed the best of every man. And find that to believe is enough to make a bad man show him at his best, or even a good man swings his lantern higher."

I have mentioned this before but here I go again. Sometimes I just know that I will like a certain band by having a look at the band name. My latest discovery that fits right into this category is “Lanterns On The Lake”.

And if I need further proof I got it by reading a description of saying “Lanterns On The Lake is band for you guys that are a fan of Mazzy Star, Low and This Mortal Coil”.

Reading that there are no doubts that I will head to the Lanterns On The Lake concert taking place tonight.

Lanterns On The Lake – Another tale from another English town is found on the record “Until the colors run” released in 2013. The quote above is taken from the Irish poet W.B. Yeats.

January 18, 2014

"If you were any good I would have heard about you before."

One of the most interesting bands that have come out of Sweden in recent years is Tiger Bell. It is as simple as cheerleader-punk but that is for sure enough (and beyond that) for me.

Check them out, this is great stuff.

Tiger Bell – Don’t wanna hear about your band is found on the record “Don’t wanna hear about your band” released in 2013.

January 17, 2014

"Jump in the cockpit and start up the engines
Remove all the wheel blocks there's no time to waste
Gathering speed as we head down the runway
Gotta get airborne before it's too late."

The first full-length working week in a month has come to an end.

This call for a celebration in form a pure-energy-hard-rock-song!

Iron Maiden – Aces high is found on the record “Powerslave” released in 1984.

January 16, 2014

"It all seems everywhere
Made of time, made of wool, I can't
Don't think they would mind
I will keep you here, time again."

Ever since I heard the song “Black water falls” by The War On Drugs I have been a fan. Hence it is nice to discover that the wait for new The War On Drugs material is over.

And even better, it has been worth waiting.

The War On Drugs – Red eyes is found on the forthcoming record “Lost in the dream” scheduled to be released in 2014.

January 15, 2014

"No, you've got it the wrong way round
You shut me up, and blamed it on the brown
Cornered the boy kicked out at the world
The world kicked back a lot fuckin' harder now."

Every now and then I hear a rumor about a reunion of The Libertines. Though Pete Doherty once said “The Libertines definitely have a future as a band” it still seems that their reunion stays as rumors.

But one cannot stop hoping.

The Libertines – Can’t stand me now is found on the record “The Libertines” released in 2004.

January 14, 2014

"I’m waiting for the end."

To me PINS are the daughters or even the granddaughters of The Ramones. There is no surprise then that I like this band a lot.

PINS – Waiting for the end is found on the record “Girls like us” released in 2013.

January 13, 2014

"And he knows how to smile
When she's feeling quilt
Oh please leave all the hard words behind."

The first time I heard about Sahara Hotnights my mind played a trick on me making me convinced, based on the band name, that it was some kind of techno/rave act.

Though I am listening to some bands in techno/rave genre I did enjoy the fact that Sahara Hotnight played some fairly straight-forward rock’n’roll. Since then it is a band that I do come back to every now and then, like today for instance.

Sahara Hotnights – Drive dead slow is found on the record “C’mon let’s pretend” released in 1999.

January 12, 2014

"There's only one way of life
and that's your own."

A dear friend of mine celebrates his 42nd birthday today. If I had been within a listening distance I would have played this song for him.

I am convinced he would have appreciated it a lot since I am more or less sure that he forgot all about this tune and the weird but amazing days we experienced together when the record was released back in September 1991.

Those were indeed the days…

The Levellers – One way is found on the record “Levelling the land” released in 1991.

January 11, 2014

"Holding you all night through to the dawn
You turn my dying days away
My steady guide on how to love
Then taking dope to cope, had to come down sometime.”

Though I am rather big fan of The War On Drugs I cannot say that I have been a big fan of the solo material released by former TWOD member Kurt Vile.

But I guess one should never say never, this is a song that I for sure find listenable.

Kurt Vile – Never run away is found on the record “Wakin on a pretty daze” released in 2013.

January 10, 2014

"No I just can´t believe
I can´t believe
I can´t believe
No I can´t believe
I can´t believe that he will be the one you´ll choose."

Just before Christmas I got the opportunity to watch a documentary featuring Henric De La Cour, the singer of Yvonne (and other bands).

A rather interesting documentary actually, and of course a nostalgic trip down the memory lane to the days when I was a huge Yvonne fan.

Yvonne – Only dancing is found on the record “Getting out, getting anywhere” released in 1997.

January 9, 2014

"Last night when I was sleeping a devil came to me.
She said "Malcolm... Malcolm... your soul belongs to me.
And you'll never amount to anything,
You'll never achieve anything,
You'll never be good at anything... and your songs are shite.""

Speaking about Arab Strap… Besides Aidan Moffat the other member of the band was Malcolm Middleton. Hence I cannot keep myself from publishing this little story…

Malcolm Middleton – Devil and the angel is found on the record “5:14 Fluoxytine Seagull Alcohol John Nicotine” released in 2002.

January 8, 2014

"Are you still breathing?
Are you holding it in?
Was it you I heard sniffing when you were stooped at the sink?"

A couple of days ago I found out about this Scottish collaboration. The band Frightened Rabbit team up with the former Arab Strap singer Aidan Moffat.

The end result is nothing but excellent.

Frightened Rabbit – Wedding gloves is found on the EP “State hospital” released in 2012.

January 7, 2014

"Well that sounds fine so I'll see you sometime
Give my love to the future of the humankind
Okay, okay, it's not okay.
While it's on my mind there's a girl that fits the crime
For a future love dream that I'm still to find
But in the meantime."

This is a song and a band that fits perfectly well into the “one-hit-wonder” category. At least to my best knowledge this was the one well-known song released by Spacehog.

Or am I wrong?

Spacehog – In the meantime is found on the record “Resident alien” released in 1995.

January 6, 2014

"Day dead bye-gone
Laying near the lights
Of the knights of the northern lodges
There’s a border road
No one slip slides or stoppin’
And the neighborly, sleeping in a coffin."

For some reason I manage to miss this awesome song 2013. I am at least very glad to discover it early in 2014.

Volcano Choir – Byegone is found on the record “Repave” released in 2013.

January 5, 2014

"Saw things!
Clearer!
Once you; were in my rearviewmirror."

This is a song that falls in my category of “song-that-always-bring-a-big-smile-on-my-face”.

For me it is impossible to listen to this song without getting that warm feeling of comfort in my body. And a big smile on my face.

Awesome!

Pearl Jam – Rearviewmirror is found on the record “Vs.” released in 1993.

January 4, 2014

"I want you to love me
More than I love you
Tell me if that's something you can do
I want you to love me
More than I love you
Tell me if that's something you can do."

In my opinion one should not lie. On the other hand it is not necessary to speak the whole truth either. As complex as it sounds…

Further on, it is hard to not use a white lie every now and then.

White Lies – First time caller is found on the record “Big TV” released in 2013.

January 3, 2014

"Ooh, I'll be the one who'll break my heart
I'll be the one to hold a gun
I love you more
I love you more
I don't know what I knew before
But now I know I want to win the war"

Back in August last year I caught Feist live at the Way Out West festival in Gothenburg. Two things struck me during that concert:

1, This is great stuff.
2, This reminds me of Tori Amos. Maybe not the style of music but the voice.

Hence, as a natural continuation of yesterday, this one.


Feist - I feel it all is found on the record "The reminder" released in 2007.

January 2, 2014

"Caught a lite sneeze. Caught a lite breeze.
Caught a lightweight lightningseed.
Boys on my left side. Boys on my right side.
Boys in the middle - and you're not here.
Doot do, do do do do do, doot oo...
I need a big loan from a girl zone."

Tori Amos is an artist that I have listened to on and off since she released her debut album in the early nineties. Still I have never really dug that deep into her releases so one possible New Year's resolution from my side is to promise to do so.

I am convinced I will like what I hear a lot. 

Tori Amos - Caught a lite sneeze is found on the record "Boys for Pele" released in 1996.

January 1, 2014

"Oooo
Fall in light, fall in light
Fall in light, fall in light.
Feel no shame for what you are
Feel no shame for what you are
Feel no shame for what you are
Feel no shame for what you are
Feel no shame for what you are
As you now are in your heart"

A somewhat haunting start of 2014. Nevertheless there is no doubt from my side that 2014 will be an awesome year.

Jeff Buckley - New Year's prayer is found on the record "Sketches from my sweetheart the drunk" released in 1998.