You might not realise this, but there is some amazing disco music out there. God, even just writing “disco music” feels wrong on so many levels. Such are the depths to which disco’s reputation has sunk in popular opinion.
But in honour of the fact that italo disco-fixated “metal band on synths” Heartbreak (left) are due to spend the next month blowing socks off up and down the country - beginning with the latest Levi’s Ones To Watch show at London’s Macbeth on Thursday 23rd April - I thought I’d do a thing about this nu-disco hoo-ha which is probably going to soundtrack a fair few debauched evenings this summer. Continue reading »
Posted by
Stuart Waterman on
Tuesday April 21st, 2009 at
11:00 am
Remix monumentalist Alex Metric releases the Head Straight EP on 18th May 15th June, and it’s triff. The lead track is also one of those earworms which is doubly nagworthy because you can’t work out what the heck he’s singing (although this tweet seems to clear that up).
Also amazamundo is the second track on the EP, “What Now”. Imagine one of the Daft Punk robotheads taking a big old hammer to your ears, and that being a pleasant rather than life-threatening sensation. That gives you some idea of the bangerific nature of “What Now”. I don’t know why I’m even bothering to describe it mind you, since you can just listen to it - and “Head Straight” - below.
“Head Straight”:
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“What Now”:
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As you’ll be aware, we are now experiencing a post-Boyle entertainment landscape. Pre-Boyle, it was a commonly-held belief that non-pretty people were unable to sing - it was thought that the sheer weight of their ugly faces meant their mouths could not be held open long enough to complete a song.
Susan Boyle’s Britain’s Got Talent performance has opened the world’s eyes to the fact that, somehow, a beautiful voice can emerge from a middle-aged Scottish virgin lacking the physical traits of conventional attractiveness.
What Dizzee Rascal’s Armand Van Helden collabo “Bonkers” lacks in “Dance Wiv Me”-style pop hooks it makes up for in doof-doof elements: a phat bassline that is Mr Rascal’s “kind of silence”, and a driving club rhythm likely to soundtrack a summer of spilled pints. Nice jim-jams in the video, too.
Oasis’ Noel Gallagher, like Jarvis Cocker, is one of those pop stars who gives as good value when he’s not performing as when he is. There aren’t many of those about these days, are there? You may recall it was his entertainingly curmudgeonly disposition that got him a regular spot on Russell Brand’s old Radio 2 show, from which Brand resigned last year. Why was that again?
This Sunday Noel and Russell are back together again in a football-based setting on talkSPORT, but one would hope the sporty nature of the show won’t preclude the pair from sharing the odd anecdote/argument/whinge unrelated to the beautiful game. The show’s a one-off, so don’t go expecting Russell Brand to chuck in his burgeoning movie career for two hours a week on little old British radio.
The show airs from 9pm - 11pm on Sunday 19th April on talkSPORT, which is available on 1089/1053AM, DAB Digital Radio, Sky Digital 0108, Freeview 723, Digital Cable and at www.talkSPORT.net
Posted by
Stuart Waterman on
Thursday April 16th, 2009 at
2:38 pm
Del The Funky Homosapien - whose real name I dearly wish was “Derek” - has rather a fine new album out called Funk Man (The Stimulus Package). I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that the latter part of that title was probably added at the last minute, following recent economic events
The album’s available for free download, but just in case you’re thinking that must mean it’s a pile of unlistenable garbage, I can assure you that’s not the case. Just listen to “Land Of Funk”, below - it risks throwing too many things at the wall, but the end result is a vibrant, bouncy delight which will make you want to have a funky barbecue, whatever one of those is.
And… doesn’t it remind you of a certain Justin Timberlake song?
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Chicago’s I Fight Dragons, like Anamanaguchi, are one of those bands who use Nintendo equipment to create music. Unlike Anamanaguchi, I Fight Dragons create radio-friendly powerpop with their Gameboys and Guitar Hero controllers.
I do wonder if creating this chiptune music using videogame accessories shows even more get-up-and-go in a band - it must be quite tempting to just stay on the couch and play games, no? Continue reading »
Posted by
Stuart Waterman on
Wednesday April 15th, 2009 at
11:00 am
This is Joe. He’s four years old, he’s been drumming for less than a year, and if you watch him doing “Rock And Roll All Night” this well without cracking a smile, you’re out of blood.
Click the image to watch - and while you’re there check out his other videos, which feature him rocking the shit out of Korn, Green Day, The Who and AC/DC, among others.
There’s nothing worse than showering away, soaping up your breasts and/or balls, only to discover a killer is lurking just the other side of the shower curtain. Worranitemare! And don’t you find this kind of shit tends to happen when you’re singing a song that virtually begs them to dagger you up?
To help you avoid such an embarrassing fate, here’s a handy list of songs never to sing/listen to in the shower if a horrid knifey killer has been threatening to stab the shit out of you.
Des’ree - “Life”
You might be having the bestest day of all your days on earth, but if you start belting out the inappropriately life-affirming “Life” while lathering up your locks, you’re almost guaranteed to find a blade resting somewhere about your organs by the time you reach that appalling “ghost/most/toast” rhyme. Continue reading »
Posted by
Stuart Waterman on
Tuesday April 14th, 2009 at
11:00 am
You might not realise this, but there is some amazing disco music out there. God, even just writing “disco music” feels wrong on so many levels. Such are the depths to which disco’s reputation has sunk in popular opinion.![[Post to Twitter]](../../../../../wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-twitter-micro3.png "tt twitter micro3 photo"){kind=icon}
Remix monumentalist 
Oasis’ Noel Gallagher, like Jarvis Cocker, is one of those pop stars who gives as good value when he’s not performing as when he is. There aren’t many of those about these days, are there? You may recall it was his entertainingly curmudgeonly disposition that got him a regular spot on Russell Brand’s old Radio 2 show, from which Brand resigned last year. 
There’s nothing worse than showering away, soaping up your breasts and/or balls, only to discover a killer is lurking just the other side of the shower curtain. Worranitemare! And don’t you find this kind of shit tends to happen when you’re singing a song that virtually begs them to dagger you up?
The Priscillas@ Left 4 Dead 2 launch, Old Blue Last, London 19.11.09