This Ain't No 'Living Thing'

I've just reviewed Peter, Bjorn and John's latest album 'Living Thing' for 4ortherecord.com

Release date: 30th March 2009.

"After their tranquil, yet ultimately disappointing last outing, ‘Seaside Rock’, I was hoping that Swedish trio Peter, Bjorn and John would redeem themselves and produce a record in the realms of ‘Writer’s Block’. No such luck. ‘Living Thing’, while romantic in both thought and sound, simply has no substance..."
READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE.

The King's of Monkey-Head

I've got my ticket, have you???


And here is the sexy line-up...


I'm most excited about...
1. Prodigy
2. Kings of Leon
3. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4. Jamie T
5. Florence and the Machine

BOOK TICKETS.

Girls Aloud. are my guilty pleasure.

What? I'm a homosexual. It's allowed.

Hottest video they've ever done. Spacey, sexy, synth heaven.

Need. To. Stop.

Everyone's At It

Benicassim 2009 has revealed it's latest act...

LILY ALLEN will be playing the Valencia festival on Saturday 18th July 2009.

Be there, or be square.

"All Hail the New America"

I do like to try and keep all you boys and girls out there on your style tippy-toes. (although, admittedly, it is usually the boys I cater for).

So today, here are 5 of the top S/S09 trends that you'll need if you're to look your best this season.

And, with the style pointing towards the New casual American, there's some living up to do...


L--->R
1. Neon. Click to shop
2. Bumbag. Click to shop
3. Straw Hat. Click to shop
4. Perforated. Click to shop
5. Chinos. Click to shop

#3 Tracks of Addiction x5

This weeks tracks make me want to grind like Ed Macfarlane's sexy hips...

1. The Kills - Cheap and Cheerful. Dirty, tambourine rattling, toe-tapping tune-age.

2. Ladyhawke - Manipulating Woman. Sublime electronica that manipulates your ears with it's quirky kicks and distinctive lyrics.

3. The Music - The Truth Is No Words. "The, the, the, the, the truth, truth, truth, truth, truth is, is, is no words."

4. Frankmusik - 3 Little Words. Sounds like it should be in The Goonies. Don't know why. Just does. Old school synths.

5. Sebastien Tellier - Kilometer. Parisian God-of-a-DJ musters up a fast-paced (race)track.

It's all a bunch of Latitude

More festival news for you...

Latitude Festival has released it's headline acts for 2009. They're a bit, ahem, different:

1. Grace Jones
2. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
3. Pet Shop Boys

The festival takes place between 16th and 19th July at Southwold in Suffolk.

Buy tickets.

Love Music Hate Racism

No, those are not just random words I have strung together.

It's a festival. Yeahhh.














And the venue has just been confirmed...

May 30th 2009. Stoke City FC's Britannia Stadium

Buy your tickets.

Munch, Munch, Munch

THE most amazing Google picture.

EVER.

Arctic Monkeys do Lady G

A four-minute video of the Arctic Monkeys has been posted on YouTube showing them rehearsing for their third album in a London studio.

The group are seen playing a tiny bit of a previously unreleased song - new material?!

The video also shows them joking around and attempting a sing-a-long to Lady Gaga's 'Poker Face'.

'Tis funny stuff. Watch it below...

A few little Blue-Collar(ed) pills...

The Blue Collars go t’ Underground

THE UNDERGROUND in Stoke has been host to Peter Doherty in the past, but tonight was the turn of one of its finest home-grown talents – The Blue Collars.

On a Friday the 13th, this quintet fit perfectly into the setting. The venue is small, sticky and about to get very sweaty.

Having only been together for just over two years, these lads are not the average amateurs you would expect. Front man, Rob Morris, is dominant and in control - you could say poised.

Guitarists, Simon Taylor and Jake Grocott; drummer Kris Hassal and bassist, Rob Henton, all add insult to injury playing the cool, couldn’t-give-a-Mary roles.

A fan base – built up from the internet lands of Myspace and Facebook, mean that The Blue Collars have a great turn out. It’s pretty electric.

Opener, ‘The Dance One’ opens with a drum beat that wouldn’t be out of place on a Foals record. The bass builds up and the kids are starting to move to the grinds. The strums and taps sound mathematical but it works to their advantage.


On the bands Myspace page they list their influences as a variety of typical boyish fancies – girls, drinking and unemployment.

These influences, along with their love for Stoke, provide the inspiration for tracks like ‘This Old Town’, in which Morris sings “(its) dragging me down.” It’s a real power house of rhyme and great vocals, complimented by jaunty guitar glides and dirty drums.

‘Tears of Rain’ showcased a subtler side to The Blue Collars. The song is dour and heartfelt as Morris sang about receiving “no gratitude”. This number also delves into the minds of these guys; with the line “telling more lies than Pinocchio” letting us know they still hold onto their youth.

Closing track ‘It Wasn’t Meant to Be This Way’ is a collision of drum crashes and gritty guitars. A colliding backdrop for Morris who hasn’t “done nothing wrong.”

Other crowd favourites, ‘Jealous’ and ‘Fat Cats’ brought both edge and class to the stage, showing that The Blue Collars well and truly deserve the applause they receive in this little gem of a venue.

Sun, Sea, Sangria & Sexy, Sexy Songs

I'm going. Are you?

On top of the four major headlines acts: Oasis, Kings of Leon, Franz Ferdinand and, The Killers - Benicassim 2009 looks set to soak up the sun this year, as further acts have been announced to play at the summer fetsival in Valencia.


These include:
Friendly Fires
Mystery Jets
Glasvegas
Late of the Pier
White Lies
Bell X1
plus heaps more...

Buy your tickets here.

Crying into an empty glass...

Marley & Me
Jennifer Aniston. Owen Wilson. A dog.
What isn't to love?
It's a box-of-tissues-film.
Go see it. (I just have and I insist).

Top Shelf, Please.

Spring has arrived and Summer will, hopefully, be swiftly upon us.

So, whats hot this season?

I've scoured Topman's website to try and bring you the top looks to make you look lovely during the festival/holidaying season.


Create the Looks...

Left: Day
Grey Marl Polo with Check Plkt, £14.
Emerald Green Tailored Shorts, £30.
White Cross Strap Sandals, £15.

Right: Night
Red Short Sleeve Check Shirt, £25.
Light Wash Skinny Jeans, £35.
Orange Plimsoll, £25.

Featured Addiction #3

Antony and the Johnsons are not a new name, although many people are still unaware of the hidden gem that they are. Having already garnered critical acclaim, won the Mercury Music Prize in 2005 for his album, 'I Am A Bird Now', and had success in solo project, Hercules and Love Affair, what is left in store for this man?

Chart success for the group has been limited - they reached #5 with their second album 'I Am A Bird Now'. But, with a new album just released - 'The Crying Light', will they reach the heights that they truly deserve? New single, 'Epilepsy is Dancing' will be released on April 7th 2009.


If they tickle your taste buds, track them down at one of the following:

24/03/09 - Royal Albert Hall, London.
22/05/09 - Symphony Hall, Birmingham.
24/05/09 - Colston Hall, Bristol.
27/05/09 - HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London.
29/05/09 - The Sage Gateshead, Gateshead.
01/06/09 - Waterfront Hall Auditorium, Belfast.
04/06/09 - Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh.

OR... Buy a dose here...

Antony and the Johnsons Tracks of Addiction
1. Fistful of Love.
2. Another World.
3. My Lady Story.
4. Hope There's Someone.
5. Cripple and the Starfish.

#2 Tracks of Addiction x5

This week I have fallen in LOVE with...

1. La Roux - Quicksand. A smooth, hip, track from one of 2009's hottest artists.

2. Deadmau5 feat. Kaskade - I Remember. Sublime and sweet, a definite getting-ready-before-going-out song.

3. Metro Station - Shake It. A giant slice of pure power punk/pop. Kicking and kitsch.

4. Jack Penate - Tonight's Today. More upbeat than his previous tracks and all the better for being so.

5. Adele - Hometown Glory. Goose-pimpling and gliding; an old favourite.

It's a R-R-R-Rave, Dave...

Okay, so I lied. There is no rave.
BUT.

Royksopp have exclusively revealed the artwork for their new album, and I have to say it is smokin' hot.

'Junior' will be released on 23rd March and features the vocals of Robyn, Lykke Li and, Karen from The Knife.

And here is the fine piece of artwork...


And if you can't wait for that to come out go to their website (click on the Royksopp link above) and listen to it!

Oh, and here's the video for their new track 'Happy Up Here'...

Sex, Drugs and Rock & GOLD

S/S09 is slowly approaching and GOLD seems to be a big hit for accessorising. So here's a few of the best from asos.com



From left to right...
1. Adidas Gold Digital Watch. £98
2. Rayban Classic Aviator Sunglasses. £95
3. Chunky Anchor Necklace. £8

"Let's Have a Weekender!"

I don't need to say much on this subject.

Evolution Festival 2009.

BOOK TICKETS.

I need some Oxegen in here. NOW

Irish Festival - Oxegen - has announced it's 2009 line-up.

The festival, presented by the lovely MTV will be headed up by The Kings of Leon, The Killers, Snow Patrol and Blur.

Taking place at Ireland’s Punchestown Racecourse between Fri 10th and Sun 12th July, tickets for the festival go on sale on Friday 6th March.

NEW: Tracks of Addiction x5

There is a *NEW* feature on the blog...

Wooooo, I hear you cry. What?

Well, if you look to your left (and then to the right and if there aren't any cars you can cross the road) you will see that there is a 'ickle music player.

Each week or so I will be changing the tracks - the 5 of them - to what I am listening to at the moment in the hope I inspire and influence you beautiful folk to listen to them too.

Downside - you cannot skip them so you have to listen to them. Ha! Nah, you can wait for each to load and slide the player to the end of the track.

The latest 'Tracks of Addiction x5' are...
1. Ane Brun - Treehouse Song
2. Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream
3. The King Blues - What If Punk Never Happened
4. Black Lips - O Katrina!
5. Jason Mraz - I'm Yours

**GAWP**

After years of searching for the perfect combination between music and fashion, it has finally arrived.

I am so excited - even at 00:45am!

What is it?


TOPMAN'S BLONDIE TEE as part of their Hot Picks: House of the God's range.

BUY IT. I insist.

The Controller - March

METRONOMY have been revealed as Topman CTRL's first Controllers - specifically Joe from the band.


He will be the Controller, which means he gets to play lots of music he likes and tell us all about his life and career.

Speaking on the Topman CTRL Myspace blog, Joe has said: "Topman CTRL is a great chance for me to go out and see some bands that I really like. The best part is that I also get to force people to hear the music that has influenced me, or at least force them to read about my influences. I plan to be in everyone's face for a month."

Metronomy are playing an exciting one-off show at London's Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen on Wednesday March 25th. You can buy your tickets here.

For anyone who's fancying the gig, here's a tipple of what Metronomy sound like live...

Out of CTRL

Topman have launched a new music concept - TOPMAN CTRL.

Always a supporter of new music - having supported Gonzo on Tour this year - Topman are now giving us the chance to get closer to all things noisy and new.

The concept?
Each month a band/artist (of the new generation) will take over and be The Controller. They will program a gig, as well as providing an accessible music blog.

Topman will be taking the CTRL concept further, having stages at Brighton's The Great Escape and the Underage Festival at London's Victoria Park in the summer.

NY's Party Monsters

New York Dolls have exclusively revealed the tracklisting for their forthcoming album, 'Cause I Sez So'. Due for release in the US on May 5th 2009.


This is how it will look:
1. Cause I Sez So
2. Muddy Bones
3. Better Than
4. Lonely So Long
5. My World
6. Ridiculous
7. Temptation To Exist
8. Making Rain
9. Drowning
10. Nobody Got No Bizness
11. Trash
12. Exorcism Of Despair

Sounds like some exciting stuff.

V should be for Vodka...

V - the Staffordshire/Chemlsford festival - has announced it's headline acts for 2009.


Oasis and The Killers will headline this year, with the festival taking place on the 22nd/23rd August, at one of two places - mentioned above.

Other acts include...
Razorlight
Snow Patrol
Fatboy Slim
Keane
MGMT
Katy Perry
The Wombats
James Morrison
Peter Doherty
The Streets
Lady GaGa
Dizzee Rascal
The Saturdays
The Specials
Elbow
Lily Allen
The Enemy
Pendulum
The Script
Biffy Clyro
The Ting Tings
Paolo Nutini
+others.

Check availability and buy your tickets from Friday 6th march 2009, 10am.