Panic On The Streets Of London

London. Also known as the place I’ve been planning to move to since I was about seven. However, I’ve only been to London once and rather late, meaning last summer (when I was 20… 20 minus seven. Do the math yourselves). And, much to my distress, I realised I was not mistaken: I need to move there. I say ‘distress’ because it was great and I didn’t want to leave but I had to and … yeah, you know the deal.

So it was my utter and complete love for this tiny, tiny town that made me do a list of songs about London and various places on and about the city.

1. The Clash – London Calling (Yes, shocking, this song on a list about London.)

2. Lily Allen – LDN (again, I keep making controversial choices)

3. White Rose Movement - London's Mine (electro-sleaze. Lovely)

4. The Clash – London’s Burning (it’s not my fault they wrote songs about the city)

5. The Lambrettas - London Calling (no, not a cover, but a great mod-revival piece)

6. The Smiths – London

7. Patrick Wolf – London (yes, artists have no creativity when it comes to song names)

8. The Kinks – Lola (yes, it all happens in LDN)

9. Madness - Mr Speaker (Gets the Word)

10. Pulp - Mile End

11. Elvis Costello - I Don't Want to Go to Chelsea

12. The Small Faces - Itchycoo Park

13. The Clash - Guns of Brixton

14. The Stranglers - (Get a) Grip (on Yourself)

15. The Jam - Eton Rifles

16. The Jam - Down in the Tube Station at Midnight

17. The Kinks - Dead End Street (about a bedsit in Kentish Town. A crappy bedsit)

18. The Kinks - Dedicated Follower of Fashion (and Carnaby Street)

19. Morrissey - Come Back to Camden ( to be more specific, I want to move to Camden. Walking cliché I am)

20. Sham 69 - Cockney Kids are Innocent

21. The Jam - Carnaby Street (I wonder what this is about)

22. Babyshambles - Black Boy Lane

23. Pulp - Bar Italia

24. Babyshambles - Albion (various London districts are mentioned. Cause, like, Albion means just London

25. The Rakes - 22 Grand Job

26. The Jam - 'A' Bomb in Wardour Street

27. The Clash – (White Man) in Hammersmith Palais

28. Bloc Party ­ - Waiting for the 7.18 ("the Northern Line")

29. Dirty Pretty Things - Tired of England

30. XTC - Towers of London (really now)

31. Pulp - Sorted for E's and Wizz (or how Jarvis got lost in Camden)

32. Secret Affair - Soho Strut

33. Jamie T - Sheila (she does drown in Thames)

34. Madness - Primrose Hill

35. Babyshambles - Pentonville

36. Television Personalities - Part Time Punks

37. The Rakes - Just A Man With A Job (“Three floors below from Piccadilly”)

38. Good Shoes - Morden

39. Larrikin Love - Downing Street Kindling

Flower-Power

No, no hippies included. It's just that, when you have a video called In the Flowers (or having any title that includes the word "flower"), the first thing you have in mind is this expression. Blame in on the 60's and on Animal Collective for that, don't blame me. Speaking of the '60s, even there are no hippies included, the colourful drawings that appear in this video made me think of all that psychedelic crazy shit (crazy shit in the good way, okay?!). If you're afraid that your eyes will hurt, don't. You have the chance to rest your eyes once in a while, between flowers and black and white frames and those two dancers and... oh my God, I've never took drugs in my life, but I guess this must be the feeling. Don't ask me what the hell is with that mask at the end, 'cause I don't know. Peace and love.

Bloodlines

The ones who don’t know Shakira’s She Wolf raise your hands. What, no one? Sam Endicott must be so happy, he got another 15 minutes of fame besides The Bravery’s 2005 hit An Honest Mistake. For those of you who had no idea to why She Wolf’s instrumental is oddly enjoyable, here’s news: Endicott took his love for New Order influenced guitars and co-wrote the song. So you can stop feeling guilty. Well, ok, no, you should still feel guilty. I know I am.

Now, I need to get something else out of the way. The Bravery’s electro-coated rock probably aims to fill in the gap left by Killers’ change of sound after Hot Fuss. Sometimes, they might sound like Day & Age, but what Bravery want is to take the glitzy glam of Hot Fuss one step further. On paper, it wouldn’t be a bad thing: in my opinion, those days, before Brandon Flowers grew a moustache, where the best days The Killers ever saw (I'm not including Tranquilize here. It doesn't count, it had Lou Reed on. Of course it was brilliant). Only problem is Bravery’s new effort (and what an effort it was to write this one), Stir The Blood, doesn’t really take anything anywhere, maybe just three steps back.

The intro isn’t very helpful: Adored is, hands down, the most annoying and unsatisfying (music-wise) opening track ever. Sure, the drums are ok, the guitar is ok, but the voice really pushes your buttons. Oh, that voice that tries to be Ian Curtis meets Brandon Flowers is mostly annoying. It scratches your brain, especially during the chorus. I actually felt the need to crack open Endicott’s skull. So we skip it and vow never to play it again.

Quickly as you walk past the next track, a forgettable music piece (however the voice is slightly less annoying), you get to the album’s highlights. Yeah, two songs that are actually fun and good and stand on there own. Instrumental-wise. Slow Poison is an early New Order-fused gloomy piece, while Hatefuck is a future synth-rock anthem that’ll surely find its way on club playlists around the world. And then we sink back into electro-coated songs that are easily forgettable. Wait, no, there’s also She’s So Bendable, a track with a bluesy riff and some Primal Scream-scented chords and pointless, stupid lyrics.

You see, the instrumental is not one of the band’s big issues. No, in fact, even the haters will agree that, after a few glasses of vodka, it’s passable and one could easily dance to the songs. Cause when you’re almost drunk, you don’t really hear the lyrics anymore. The cringe worthy lyrics. When you hear the gems on Stir The Blood (“I am a nerve ending without a brain” is one of the best), even the lyrics of She Wolf will sound like sheer poetry (and it’ll become blatant Endicott had no part in writing the lyrical content of that song). Yeah, even the “I’m starting to feel just a little abused like a vending machine is an office” line.

So it’s safe to say you can save the space on your computer and delete Stir The Blood, except maybe Slow Poison and Hatefuck. They might come in hand at a house party, who knows. And yes, buying this is out of the discussion.

Shiny Happy Placebo

Placebo announced a few days ago the release of a new single from their sixth studio album, Battle for the Sun. The song is called Bright Lights and it's maybe the most unusual Placebo song you ever heard until now (including I Do) – but I guess they already made a passion out of releasing unusual songs, so that shouldn't be very surprising. This version is a bit different from the one on the album – it has been re-recorded with backing vocals towards the end ("Bright lights in black holes").

The song has a powerful drum line, with the guitar and the bass more or less in the background. However, what strikes you about this song is the electronic touch which make the tune sound all happy and optimistic. Yes, it isn't the first Placebo song of this kind, but the main difference is given by extremely hopeful lyrics. It's not the usual, metaphorical speech we got used to; it's more like a confession, and, like any confession, it's put in very simple words. Goodbye to open sores.

This is a song which most old-school Placebo fans won't find very interesting (translation: they will hate it), but new fans will find it really nice. As for me, my only hope is that the video for this song won't be as shitty as the one for The Never-Ending Why. I'm praying for that.

Enough With The Moaning

I heavily dislike this period. Several reasons (all the commercial Xmas stuff etc) actually among which a rather painful one: the fact that as the year ends and January kicks in (ok, some days into the new year) I am one year older, one year closer to being forced to become a responsible adult (I mean, no one actually shoves this down my throat, but I don’t want to end up being a 30-something year-old who dances to ‘Bare Necessities’ at weddings).

But this really isn’t about me, it’s about the end of the year. This being 2009, let’s call this the end of the decade in capitals. Woho! And what do we get as the year (decade in this case) ends? Yes, lists. Best of lists. And, no, this isn’t about some hate I have for such lists. Because, you see, I am one of those weird people who hate lavender and love rose-scented soaps and also love end of the year lists. I don’t care who did it, who put it together, if it’s a list/top we’re talking about, I want to read it. Why? Because it shows what people like, what magazines staffs actually listen to blablabla. Yeah, it’s about opinions (that, according to Larry Flint, are like asshole, we all have one).

What I actually hate is the constant moaning. “Oh, your bands suck, my band is the best and you are all gay”. This sort of things. And the typical ‘Who do you think you are to say which song was the best?’ You know all the lines. They’re used every single year by, I like to believe, the same constant group of virgins.

Here’s news for all of those complaining. Usually, the magazine that does those lists states that this is the best of list as voted by fill in the blanks with staff/artists/etc. So, shouldn’t it be clear that it’s just an opinion, an opinion on a given subject you’ll like or dislike? Lists are not shitty, just view on who is better are different.

It’s like the whole thing with reviews and journalism in general. You know it’s biased or subjective. We give you the impression it’s not, but you have to be an idiot to think this, what we write, is impartial and not influenced in the slightest bit by what we like, what we’ve been through, by our own point of view. Sure, when I write a review I might pretend the world loves or hates the album, but you and me both know it’s just me who loves it.

The same with ‘Best of’ lists. ‘Best Of’ or “Greatest” are used to give the impression of, well, being not so subjective. But it is. Incredibly subjective, actually. Music is something really subjective and we all know that any music fanatic (including myself) has a bad habit of thinking or saying their favourite tracks are the best ever and no one else is entitled to a different opinion (usually the ‘You’re gay’ argument comes in).

So, for once, let’s stop moaning and let’s just admit that all these lists are just a means by which music journalists tell you what they thought was really great that year/decade. Don’t worry, you can still listen to your favourite band and think they are the best and the rest suck. No one’s telling you that you can’t.

I'll Believe In Anything

Now would be the perfect moment to start this post with “They have landed” or something along the lines. Which I won’t cause then you’ll all be rolling our eyes and say “Bu-hu, this is so boring and not funny, I don’t want to read your blog anymore. Go away”. And because we want to be loved by you, our readers (well, hello there), I won’t.

Anyways, I guess it wouldn’t really be accurate. And there, I am going to use a cliché in order to make a joke. You see, Big City, Spacemen 3’s contribution to the spilt 7” I am talking about in this post, feels really otherwordly/out of this world/etc. It’s a great track to listen to while getting high. Actually, to think about it, it’ll do the job (no illegal substances required) thanks to the 80s drone-meets-Kraftwerk overall feeling it has. And no, for your information, I was not high or getting high when I heard this.

The second track on the 7” is by Wooden Shjips (not a typo, not a typo) and is named I Believe It. And here’s the fun part: it feels like it could belong on any Spacemen 3 album. It’s sort of psychedelic and slow paced and has some great chiming guitars. And, yes, the two tracks fit really well together and make for a great musical journey… into space. There, another bad joke, this time about Spacemen 3’s name. Now go away, stop reading this, listen to the 7”.

Take Your Revelation To The Station

Kumm – Mister Superman

Kumm is a Romanian band which is not very well known outside the country's borders, in spite of its twelve years of musical activity. They have released an album at the end of October, maybe their best album to date, called Far From Telescopes, and the opening song happens to be my current obsession. It starts with a simple guitar line, then you can hear the drums somewhere in the background and after a few more seconds you hear the voice, and you guess from the very first line what it's all about: "We have always been here, we don't wanna fight, the future is so clear, just like a cat in the night". As the song flows, the sound becomes more diversified, with harmonica and tambourine coming in to support the guitar. I listen to it at least once a day, and I haven't got bored yet. On the contrary, I still find myself singing at work the obsessive chorus "It's just another way of falling of the roof if you can watch and see who's choking on your youth". And that's something, considering it has been almost a month since I've heard it for the first time.

Say Yes!

I've recently had the occasion to listen to Snow Patrol's new release, a double album called Up to Now. The band had put together forty songs for this compilation, but they realised eventually that they couldn't include them all – so they had to reduce the number to thirty. Even if the album is called Up to Now, the songs are not listed chronologically, but are chosen in order to represent all the studio albums. And, as the band stated, the title means actually that they have even more to offer in the future.

The compilation features most of the band's singles, including the live version of Chasing Cars, which will always remain in my memory as the song that made me listen to Snow Patrol. You can find here all the singles from Eyes Open (in my opinion, the best album Snow Patrol released until now); and we can't but approve of this decision, considering that Set the Fire to the Third Bar, the sensual (I can't find a more proper word to describe it) collaboration with Martha Wainwright also enters to this category. However, if they would have asked me, I'd have rather recommend them to forget about "teeeeeeeeeeeeeeell me that you'll..." Open Your Eyes and put You Could Be Happy or Make This Go On Forever instead. Uh well. They say you could be happy, not that you will be happy.

Also, I've been kind of disappointed to realise that no, Get Balsamic Vinegar... Quick You Fool! is not part of this release (I guess I'm the only one who thinks that the distorted-voice-weird-instrumental-bitchy-lyrics song should have been a single). Actually they included only two songs from the first album, Starfighter Pilot (what was wrong with them?) and Fifteen Minutes Old (that's more like it). A pleasant surprise has been… no, not Ask Me How I Am (I expected to find this crazy song included here and I wasn't wrong), but Batten Down the Hatch. All the other songs from the second album represent great choices, making me say every time "Good, they put this one too!" Never Gonna Fall In Love Again didn't appear though – why can't things be perfect? But the fact that they included two versions of Run (the original one and a brilliant live version from Union Chapel) brought the smile again upon my face. I won't say very much about the singles from the last album, as it didn't quite impress me – it's good, but not as good as the previous ones. Just this: Crack the Shutters is cool. Enough.

The album also features a few B-sides (Crazy in Love amongst them - yes, that Crazy in Love, yes, yes, Beyoncé's song) and three previously unreleased songs, Just Say Yes (the new single), Give Me Strength (translation: Thank you for buying mah albums and listening to mah music, xoxo Gary) and Dark Roman Wine. All in all, it's a very good release, and if you're not bothered by the huge quantity of honey and sugar ('cause it's all about love, darlings), you'll agree with me.

*photo courtesy of Snow Patrol official site

Fall Was Kind

It’s rather annoying really. There are bands that take out an album every four-five years and you just want that new album and complain every single time you get the chance that the said band hasn’t taken out anything new. And then there are bands that just keep them rolling. Especially mainstream artists, probably in some twist of fate, some new unwritten law of Murphy. Or, if not a commercial artist, one you could give a, as the saying goes, rat’s ass. And here is where I used to file Animal Collective under. Notice my choice of verbal tense when speaking of my relationship with Animal Collective. Yes, past. Bear with me and you shall see why (if you haven’t already guessed).

Eight studio albums, one compilation, two live albums and four EPs in nine years is quite a lot, you’ll have to admit to it. And we’re not counting the five side projects Avey Tare and Panda Bear have. This year alone an album and an EP. The EP which is entitled Fall Be Kind and came out yesterday. It has five tracks and this is where we get down to business.

The first two songs could very well be seen as four songs. Graze is a dream-state-infused, mellow, piano-driven piece until, at about 3:15, a flute kicks in and you could almost swear this is the Shire and all the hobbits are having a carnival. What Would I Want? Sky sets of as a nice piece that seems to belong to that weird new world music that Flaming Lips’ Embryonic was full of, only to shape into a Grateful Dead-sampled spacey and rather stoned piece (the chimes and clapping make it a priceless trip).

Bleed is probably the EP’s break, with is drone-ish out-of-this-world beat. The reason it’s there, right before On A Highway, is probably because Bleed is the lullaby and On A Highway (with all it’s bleepy sounds) is the dream. Yeah, that’s how a dream sounds, your best dream ever in fact. The closing track, I Think I Can, is most probably the darkest track on the record and it also has the most surreal drums and the most perfect xylophone.

And while the last track ends, I think it’s safe to say I’ve been converted to Animal Collective. Alas, we all give in at a certain point.

Superbe!

I just love French music, and when I get the chance to listen to some good French songs, I don't even think to miss it. Speaking of good songs, I think it is rather difficult to express in words the way one perceives a certain track that feels like flying or dreaming – far away from this world. I just think words are not enough.

And now I am here, in front of you, trying to tell you a few words about Benjamin Biolay's new release, La Superbe. It is his fifth studio album (or better said, double album), and I was really curious, considering the fact that it was one of the most praised new released albums. However, in my mind the verdict was already given: it will be either a complete failure, or a masterpiece – nothing in between. That's how I think when it comes to such releases. And usually I'm right. In a way or another.

At the beginning of the article I mentioned something about songs which make you fly or dream. Well… when you will listen to this album, you'll discover the fact that you don't have one or two songs of this kind here, but an entire collection. And you don't know the reason. Maybe it's just Biolay's voice, warm, tender, soft and seductive at the same time. Maybe it's those hypnotic, slow instrumentals that I cannot describe without feeling I rip them into pieces and ruin all their beauty. Maybe the female voices (Gesa Hansen on La superbe, Jeanne Cherhal on Tout ça me tourmente, Valérie Donzelli on 15 août and Alka on Lyon presqu'île). Maybe the lyrics written in Spanish (sang by Frederico Schindler) from Buenos Aires. Maybe it's you and your dreams. Or maybe… it's everything all together. You simply cannot put your feelings into words, one must hear to understand.

All can I say at the end is that the album title is more than deserved.

*photo courtesy of Banjamin Biolay official site

I'm A Weirdo

I mean… these are weird, man.


1. The Cure, Lullaby (1989)

I don't think any of you would like to wake up covered in web and sweat, and see a strange creature in the corner of the bed with black eyelids and messy hair. And discover afterwards that you have a few more limbs than you should. And to live this nightmare over and over and over again.


2. Klaxons, Magick (2006)

Now, kids, what have we learn today? You shouldn't ever stand in front of a wall writing things on it when you have Jamie and James right behind you. That, if you don't want to end up with your eyes covered, your hands tied and a strange fluid substance flowing on your cheeks. Got it?


3. MGMT, Time to Pretend (2008)

Just Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser pretending to be members of a tribe, hunting some cartoon animals, riding on cats and stuff. And the nice thing is that it starts very normal, with them on a beach, dancing around a fire with some more people. I guess nothing is what it seems to be.


4. Nine Inch Nails, Closer (1994)

Bugs, pieces of meat, a beating heart on a chair, a naked lady with a cross on her face, Trent Reznor in chains, a crucified monkey, a pig head with an apple in its mouth, Trent Reznor with an apple in his mouth... Translation: one of the cutest, brightest and uncontroversial videos you've seen in your life. Some scenes had to be cut so the video could be aired (including the monkey scene).


5. Tool, Prison Sex (1993)

It's almost painful to watch due to the implications. A broken doll, without legs, is imprisoned in a strange place and tortured by another doll, almost ripped to pieces, but never destroyed. The images are very violent, suggesting child abuse – so of course MTV banned it.

When We Were Young

A long time ago (somewhere around 1994), I was watching a French soap-opera on TV (the name is irrelevant). You might wonder what the hell does that has to do with the main subject of this blog. Well, the fact itself has no relevance. The idea is that before the show there were broadcasted a few music videos, every day the same ones. And one of them was Björk's Human Behaviour.

As I didn't know a single English word at that time, for me this song was the-video-with-that-cute-girl-and-with-that-bad-teddy-bear. No, seriously, I hated that bear, and every time I was hoping that the girl will somehow escape. However, there was something more, something that kept me glues to the TV screen. Her voice and the way she sang, with those ups and downs, the bizarre instrumental, the impression that she was saying something very complicated and very simple at the same time. And I remember that at least once the soap-opera started earlier than usual, and the video was cut short – which somehow annoyed me.

Now, as I am a big girl, I know what Björk wanted to say in that song, but… Even now, when I listen to it, I cannot help but think at that little girl who hated the teddy bear rather than meditate to the complexity of the human behaviour.

Sympathy For The Devil

Simple. Some songs that mention the one down there.

1. Biffy Clyro - God&Satan

Simon Neil says he speaks to both of them. So, is the conversation something like 'Simon, would you please tell Satan I'm still not talking to him cause he like disobeyed me’, ‘Simon, please tell God to leave that soul alone, cause like it’s mine?’

2. Future of the Left - You Need Satan More Than He Needs You

Especially if you're a sad 14 year-old who wants to scare some old and really religious ladies.

3. Sonic Youth - Satan Is Boring

On the other hand, I heard God will be going to the NY Public Library to see Lou Reed, Moe Tucker and Doug Yule talking about The Velvet Underground. How cool is that?

4. Morrissey - Satan Rejected My Soul

Yeah, Satan rejected your soul because you're too cool for Hell.

5. Beck - Satan Gave Me A Taco

True story apparently.

6. Mogwai - Mogwai Fear Satan

Smart boys the guys from Mogwai.

7. Teenage Fanclub – Satan

It actually features Satan on guitar.

(As it happens, some of us get sick. In this case, yours truly which means that you shouldn't expect reviews or any serious articles written by me anytime soon. A high fever usually affects one's capability of concentration and creativity. )

Reality Might Kill You

Okay, so bad boy Robbie Williams released a new album. I must recognize he's not one of the artists I listen to every day, but hell, he had some great songs in the past, so why not? The fact that this album was presented as "the fabulous comeback yadayada" was another reason to make me want to listen to it, even if my mind was whispering to me that usually "fabulous comeback" equals crap. "Shut the hell up, we'll see!"

The title is very interesting: Reality Killed the Video Star (of course it's inspired by Video Killed the Radio Star, which is a song I truly like, and it's certainly more inspired than the first title, Il Protagonista). Morning Sun, the first track, is pure love, the piano line is just great, so it doesn't really matter that it reminds you (strongly) of Elton John. And… now I guess I should say something about the other tracks too? Ummm. Well there are some slow songs and some songs you can dance to, and… that's pretty much all I can say about this.

Don't get me wrong, the album is actually quite enjoyable (especially the slow tracks) and Robbie's voice is great as always. However, there's not too much out there to make you jump off your seat or close your eyes and think "Oh my God, how could he write such an amazing piece?" No, you won't find anything similar to She's the One, or Feel. And certainly nothing that'll make this album a "fabulous comeback". I guess the assumption that "fabulous comeback" is usually a synonym for "No, it's not that great, but maybe if I'll go and tell anyone it is wonderful they'll believe me" is proven to be correct.

However, I still love Morning Sun.

*photo courtesy of Robbie Williams official site

Primary Colours

They kinda sound like Echo and The Bunnymen, they look really cool in those black outfits and they lights used in the video are a very nice effect. Nothing more, nothing less. Ladies and gents, this it Running Away by Goldhawks.

'Head down to the town to get on this puscifer!'

Maynard James Keenan. When hearing his name, some older people’s thought flies simply to Tool, while the younger bunch’s towards A Perfect Circle or Puscifer. I consider Mr. Keenan to be that kind of people – packed with a tone of talent. Like Trent Reznor. That can’t simply display their imagination through a single band. They need a couple projects and countless albums. And like Johnny Depp at looks, this case in musical value, they are like the wine – better in time!

Tool was and most likely is a brick in the international pyramid of musical valor. If Tool was strength, A Perfect Circle was pure boldness. With a clear objective to surprise the audience and people to experience more of its work at a completely new approach, Maynard then emerges in 2003 with Puscifer and a song called Rev 22:20 on an entirely cool soundtrack of a rather cool movie called Underworld. The song stood out clearly marking the bloody, dark revolution that the movie aimed to be for the fantasy genre. The second part of the installment was granted with another center piece for its soundtrack, The Undertaker (Renholder Mix). After V is for vagina, the debut album from 2007, this end of year Maynard throws and hits (and it hurts so well) us with C is for (Please Insert Sophomoric Genitalia Reference Here) – long but mad funny.


This EP is magical. This girl (me) adores it. Polar Bear is a good teasing of a foreplay. Its composition, voice and negative flows and scratches in the speakers in such a suave manner. The Mission is the It thing without a doubt. I’m a fan of Milla the actress and now the singer, here the lady proving to be perfect for the chorus of this masterpiece song. Never ever like Maynard, has anybody asked “What do you know?” in such a fine and horrifying way. The high and low timbre alternation of voice for the sentence is what I call pure fantasy land to my ears. The sedated pace of the tracks continues boldly with Momma Sed and this “momma” said wisely: “where the light don’t shine, son/ take it like a man”. Here the guitar is the queen and the drumming is its consort prince. Vagina Mine, a live performance like the previous track, sways and enchants with its loveliness, especially lyrical: “This vagina mine teach ya patient diligence/Keep the chain-gangs waiting, make a cat-bird sing”. And with a chorus full of intelligent sounds and the drums as queens this time, the track is brilliant.

And still, I am not bored. Potions Deliverance fastens the pace a bit and presents one of the finest mixes that together with Maynard’s voice can co-exist. It’s not stellar but not mediocre at all. The final track The Humbling River is the ultimate ballad and lyrical chanting. It excellently concludes the EP, bringing the closure to the magical/ fantasy feeling of this entire musical material.

Another album just for the connoisseurs, this is an album with class. Maynard doesn’t just shine (again), he simply reigns. I have found the album that I can say, with hand on heart, that it educates top to bottom. This is indeed music, with the heavenly M.

I'm Medicated, How Are You?

Danger. Addiction.


1. Blur, Beetlebum
Blur (1997)

The song's title seems to be a reference to "chasing the beetle" which means to inhale the smoke from heated heroin that has been placed on a piece of tin-foil. Lyrics are strongly related to drug abuse ("Beetlebum, get nothing done, you beetlebum, just get numb") and sex. It is believed by many that the lyrics are about heroine experiences lead singer Damon Albarn shared with his former girlfriend, Justine Frischmann (ex-Elastica).


2. IAMX, Nightlife
The Alternative (2006)

The drug use is presented here as being part of the nightlife, some kind of a mysterious and daring element that keeps you alive and helps you to see the truth. However, this (somehow) positive approach is attenuated by the phrase "I want to know how to survive in the nightlife", which implies the idea that things aren't actually what they seem to be.


3. Jesus and Mary Chain, Some Candy Talking
Psychocandy (1987)

At first sight, it seems that the lyrics are about heroin use, but lead singer Jim Reid denied that, telling it is just a misunderstanding. Hm, let's see.
"I'm going down to the place tonight
To see if I can get a taste tonight
A taste of something warm and sweet
That shivers your bones and rises to your heat"
No, this has nothing to do with drugs. Right.


4. Nick Drake, Been Smoking Too Long
Time of No Reply (1987)

This is not just about drug abuse, is more about the feeling one has after the drug effects end and he's again all alone with himself. Drug is seen as a shelter, but the hero knows that this shelter is only temporary, and he'll eventually have to face reality again. It's a very pessimistic song; the way Drake sings it makes it even darker. Don't try this when you're too depressed, it might have very negative effects.


5. Placebo, Special K
Black Market Music (2000)

"It's comparing the rush with falling head over heels in love or being infatuated with someone and coming upon controlled substances of any kind." says Brian Molko about this song. This parallel between ketamine and love got the single banned in UK; however, it remained one of the most famous Placebo songs to date. It's such a strong piece, that even the pa-dam-pam-pam-padadadam thing becomes pure perfection.


6. Queens of the Stone Age, Feel Good Hit of the Summer
Rated R (2000)

"Nicotine, valium, vicodine, marijuana, ecstasy and alcohol… Co-co-co-co-co-cocaine" – now that speaks for itself I'd say. The band managed to convince their record label to let them include this song on the album, saying that it doesn't actually have references to drug use. Americans didn't buy that one and the song hasn't been released as a single in the US.


7. Suede, Heroine
Dog Man Star (1994)

This one is even more interesting and poetic than Special K. At the first listening, it seems that it's nothing more than another obsessive love song, but Anderson & co go farther away than that. A double addiction, to the loved one and to the drug, is suggested not only lyrically ("I'm aching to see my heroine"... "I'm with her and nobody knows") but also through the title (heroine, which is very close to heroin).


8. The Velvet Underground, Heroin
The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)

The band had been accused of glorifying drug abuse on this track. However, the song is actually descriptive rather than glorifying; lyrics are written from a junkie's point of view, presenting the feelings he has every time he uses the drug ("Heroin, it's my wife and it's my life"). Not only journalists misunderstood the meaning of this song. Lou Reed was hesitant to play it live due to fans that were coming at him and saying they "shot up" while they were listening to Heroin.

Please, Please, Please

Well, hello, Monsters Of Folk! Are people skating in your new video? And are M. Ward, Mike Mogis and Jim James dressed-up like WWII soldiers ? And is that Conor Oberst playing guitar in a beginning-of-the-century-southern-town outfit? And I who thought Patrick Wolf had weird videos.

You'll Hear About These Guys Again

A band formed of three musicians who happen to be part of three of your favourite bands is quite certainly a success… or a complete failure. Some of you who read this blog often will probably remember I have already said that in a previous post, so I will not insist on it. Let's talk about what makes me say it again instead.

The subject is a band, called Them Crooked Vultures. The members are three young debutants on the music scene: Josh Homme on vocals and guitar (known as the singer of the obscure band Queens of the Stone Age), Dave Grohl on drums (he also drummed for Nirvana and sang in Foo Fighters, if you ever heard about them) and John Paul Jones on bass and keyboards (a former member of a rather unknown English rock band called Led Zeppelin).

Now, after we smiled a little bit, let's be serious. Not only these guys started to sing together (which is great and beautiful enough) they actually decided to record an album, called (fairly enough) Them Crooked Vultures. It has thirteen tracks, and two of them had already been released as singles, namingly Mind Eraser No Chaser and New Fang. Very Queens of the Stone Age like – and this impression is given not only by Homme's voice, but also by the instrumentals, mostly. You get the same refreshing, kick-your-ass-baby feeling you have when you listen to a QotSA album. Powerful guitar riffs and some drums lines which invade your ears and your brain, making you want to shake your head until your neck will break.

And, of course, due to Jones' presence, we have also some Led Zeppelin moments mixed in the whole thing, the most noticeable ones being Reptiles and Elephants. One of the most interesting tracks is Warsaw or the First Breath You Take After You Give Up, and please don't think it's just because of the title. It's very long and it has a very, very elaborated instrumental (which brings us back to good-old-Led-Zeppelin days again).

If you expect to hear something new, then… better don't. Them Crooked Vultures don't try to make something innovative or to enlarge their (or our) musical perspective. They do what they know and they do it good. That should be enough.

*photo courtesy of Them Crooked Vultures official site

Commercial Breakdown

Back in 2007, probably fueled by Klaxons’ success, there was an invasion of ‘Rock taking over the dancefloor’ cd stickers. This was, of course, no news. It was just some people pointing out something going on since the Hacienda days. Or, if you have the combo ‘cowbells, triangles and neon skinny jeans’, LCD Soundsystem and the whole DFA label. The Sunshine Underground didn’t escape this tag. Cowbells, triangles, neon skinny jean (worn by the audience, not the band, they’re a bit chavish actually) and a certain love for Summer of Love ’89 were of help.

Today (actually the new EP came out on the 3^rd of November, but you get it), The Sunshine Underground offer us what should be a more mature studio effort. We wouldn’t want our public to wear neon skinny pants forever. The EP, which is titled Everything, Right Now, features the first single off their upcoming album and four non-album tracks.

The first song, Coming To Save You aka the single, sounds like the future hit of 2010. It’s just as catchy as the band’s debut album, it features an incredible riff and some epic keyboards. What’s interesting is that none of the other songs sound like a classic b-side, meaning something that was ok but not really so it didn’t make the album. Dark Days is groovy and sexy, Animals sounds a bit like Kasabian back on their debut, Everything Right Now (Sounds Of Sirens) sets off as a monster electro rock piece with a lovely web of feedbacks, while Standby For Nothing is slow-paced and has some incredibly grand drums.

There is but one thing that comes to mind after hearing this EP: God, these are non-album songs and they kick ass, maybe the album will turn out to be an instant classic. All the songs actually sound fresh and like something that hasn’t been done (in ages), while you do know that’s maybe now the case. So, 2010, new album,we’re waiting for you.