The British Are Coming
Paul Weller turns fifty, makes more music.
The Modfather, or Paul Weller to the rest of us, turned 50 this year. He also released his ninth solo album , entitled 22 Dreams. I have a fear in life that if I hit the age of 80 I will still be driving a car. The fear is not that I don't think I can drive a car at that age, but that I'll be a burden to others on the road. Many bands/artists have the same problem; they just don't know when to quit and realize their greatest achievements were reached a long time ago. Not the case with Mr. Weller.
22 Dreams was released last week in Britain and shot straight to number one on the album charts. Not bad for a man past the halfway mark. Paul Weller's influence is felt far and wide in today's music. Whether it be the progressive soulful punk of The Jam, the jazz-funk pop of The Style Council, or his solo work starting at the dawn of Brit-pop, Mr. Weller's touch can be felt today.
His latest single, "Echoes Round The Sun" is a tripped out guitar driven groover with Weller tapping into his inner Donovan (at least vocally). Noel Gallagher from Oasis gets his hands dirty, too, playing bass and piano. If this song is any indication, 22 Dreams promises to be as engaging and thought provoking as the man himself.
Posted by Joe Roth on Jun 11, 2008 @ 12:00 am
We've Got You Covered
Anberlin enjoys the silence with Depeche Mode.
It's been almost 30 years since new wave peaked. It started to decline when Depeche Mode came along. The quartet, and later trio, from England have been without a doubt, the most successful, longest-lived and most influential band to come out of the new wave movement. They've had 45 songs on the UK Singles chart, but never had a number one hit. This earns them the distinction of having the most charted singles without having any of them reach number one...
Posted by Cory Roop on Jun 09, 2008 @ 12:00 am
The British Are Coming
My Sad Captains invade America
Easy, sleazy, bright and breezy; or at least that's how London based My Sad Captains plays it. The London based group quintet capture that laid back stoned pop minimalism wrought so well by The Go-Betweens and the gentle side of Pavement. Formed in 2004 just as British bands reclaimed their guitar dominance(Libertines, Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs), My Sad Captains represent a possible sea change in the signature British indie sound.
The musical pendulum is due for a swing back to the states, and what better time to tap into than the mid-nineties American experience? Exhibiting a jovial restraint without loosing the listener's attention lead singer Ed Wallis and backing vocalist Cathy Lucas play off each other like a school children playing patty cake. To the average person, My Sad Captains may sound like they hung out in Evan Dando's basement as children, tempted, but avoiding the illicit substances. 2008 should prove to be a promising year for this little known British group. A year that may see London dandy's wearing Yankee hearts on their sleeves?
Posted by Joe Roth on Jun 05, 2008 @ 12:00 am
We've Got You Covered
PlayRadioPlay! revamps the Killers.
In 2003 and 2004, the Killers stormed the airwaves with their single Mr. Brightside. The catchy tune was both loved and hated by throngs of music fans for mostly the same reasons. The ladies loved Brandon Flowers' voice and the rhythm of the song that lends itself so well to dancing. On the other hand, scores of people hated the song mostly because it got more radio airplay than any other song and therefore became instantly annoying...
Posted by Cory Roop on Jun 02, 2008 @ 12:00 am
The British Are Coming
Late of the Pier have come for your children.
Beginning in 2007 many UK Indie clubs began hosting "All Ages" festivals. The first generation raised on the Internet are not only tech savvy, but also have an insatiable appetite for "the next big thing." As fans get older and general disdain for concert going sets in, promoters had to think fast and ease the long held "18 and over only" policy. The kids have to spend their parents' money somewhere and "13-17" aged events have become common in the UK. One band to capitalize on the youth inititiative is the very immediate sound from Late Of The Pier.
The Castle Donington quartet have taken a rather refreshing approach to crafting a pop song. Their sound is part analog frenzy of Brainiac, the bombastastic energy of The Fleshtones and time changes Jim Steinman would be proud of. One could even compare them to Klaxons, but that would be doing a disservice. Appealing to scenesters, hipsters and fatso record mafia alike, Late Of The Pier formed in 2005 releasing thier debut home recordings for free via Myspace. The Zarcorp Demo went on to attract popular London DJ Erol Alkan, who would go on to produce the groups second proper single "Bathroom Gurgle."
Late Of The Pier have recently signed to Parlophone Records and expect to have debut album Fantasy Black Channel out by August. Here's the latest single from LOTP this is "Focker"
Posted by Joe Roth on May 28, 2008 @ 12:00 am