Now That's What I Call A Music Thread: 2009

[YI]

New Pulley EP, "Time Insensitive Material" has been released. I can't believe it's been 5 years since they released "Matters" (What the fuck?!?!?! Surely it can't be, Jesus Christ!). Pulley are a band I forget how much I love. All of their albums are fabulous; "Esteem Driven Engine", "60 Cycle Hum", "@#!*", "Together Again For The First Time", "Matters" are all great...it's a bit shit having to wait 5 years, just for 5 new tunes (one which had been on myspace for about 8 months) but it's better than nothing I guess (and the tunes are pop-punk awesome-ness, but not cheesy in the slightest, which is why I love Pulley).

In The Red (Mike Hale's current band) have released their second album "Volume 2" too. On first listen it's vastly better than "Volume 1", which while solid felt like it was missing something. Still more excited about his 2nd solo album though.

Also, "Be Disappointed" by This Is A Standoff has leaked...awesome punk-rock day. Getting hold of this now.

Also on the punk-rock front, I will also suggest checking out "Small Town Stories" by A Death In The Family - http://www.myspace.com/adeathinthefamily - They're from Australia and have toured with the likes of Leatherface, Against Me! and are now on tour with Rise Against, before coming to America to support The Gaslight Anthem. I get a big Hot Water Music vibe from them, I've been listening to the album a lot the last couple of weeks.

Speaking of tours, I hate how in like the UK...we get shit like Strung Out w/Pure Graft (one of the shittest bands to ever pick up instruments) and Chief (who are good, but I missed them) and Canada gets Strung Out w/No Use For A Name, Death By Stereo, Only Crime, This Is A Standoff and Pour Habit...WHAT THE FUCK!!?!?!?! That's STACKED!!! STACKED!!!! If I ever had the opportunity to go to one of the shows on that tour, I think I'd cry. Yeah bands would probably be relegated to ridiculously short sets, but still.

Edited March 25, 2009 by YI

[METALMAN]

Funeral For A Friend are really friendly, interesting and funny guys. One of my better interviews.

[Gabriel]

Yesterday's newly obtained albums:

KMFDM's Blitz

If you're a fan of the band already, or looking to expand your musical horizons into industrial/electronic territory, this is a pretty kickass listen. Nothing really stands out, but it's solid from beginning to end.

MxPx's On the Cover II

Who doesn't get a kick out of cover albums? Some less covered tracks are used on this album, as well as a pretty kickass version of I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) and a version of Heaven is a Place on Earth, featuring the guest vocal stylings of the delicious Agent M.

[YI]

Saw Paige/Me Vs Hero tonight. First abnd were Astro CHimp, saw them last time Me Vs Hero were here...weren't as good this time, and had to stop after a few songs because of faulty equipment hahahaha! Castro were up next, and really good. The lad I was qwith is a big Castro fan so helped me get into them a bit more. Did a pop-punk cover of "Wait And Bleed" which was surprisingly cool.

Me Vs Hero were next. Pretty rocking. i ahve some comments about 'kids' at this point (the gig made me feel old), but I'm too hamered to do it now. Let's just say, the 'pit' was full of absolute cunts, like people got thrown out, people were just absolute gobshites looking out for no one. I LOVE a good pit, but people trying to start fights, people pushing people purposely out of the pit into people standing around, not looking out for everyone/trying to knock people over...is not the kind of shit I want to go to gigs for, a pile of shit. Ruined what was otherwise a good performance for me. They did all of the EP, covered "Understatement" by New Found Glory, did their new myspace song and another new one (which was bordering hardcore, and surprising in comparison to the other new song) called "My Spider Sense Is Tingling" which is dedicated to Alex (the name made me laugh, at least they have a sense of humour).

Paige were pretty good. Did all their 'new' ones. "Dorothy's Right There's No Place Like Home", "A Good Fight Is Never Clean", "For Better For Worse" , all of the EP and another new one which I didn't catch the name of. No covers. Crowd had tamed a little by this point. Unfortunately no awkward dance moves from the band. I was so disappointed.

Solid gig, well worth a fiver and the hassle it cost me today (with people deciding not to go), do think I've got a good new gig companion though (as we had a proper 'music' discussion throughout the night)...a gig companion I might add who finally twigged where he'd 'seen me' before he was introduced to me (which was around December I think), which happened to be Strung Out...so yeah...he's probably my best friend at this point. Plus he was full on singing along to Paige, and loves The Gaslight Anthem (FROM THE FIRST ALBUM!)...yeah, he's a god in my book, even if he likes Gallows.

Oh yeah,m the new Pulley EP is sooooo fucking good.

There's also a new Dredg song doing the rounds called "Saviour", got a bit of an electronic vibe to it, quite liking it, but doesn't really feel 'atmospheric' enough for me, which is where I feel they get a lot of their style/quality from.

Edited March 26, 2009 by YI

[TheRossWalker]

Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.

I knew there was something coming up this week. I was stuck in the fucking house all night too.

[METALMAN]

You need to pay more attention ross wilson.

[TheRossWalker]

You need to get bent, aluminiumman.

[YI]

Saw Doherty tonight,

Apparently Graham Coxon suported (althog i can't rember him, cnot susre if he actually did, or some random guy). O have no idea. No idea what Doherty played. Mtymate last his shoes. A;ll I remeber. AMAZINF!!!!

Edited March 27, 2009 by YI

[YI]

Tunes from "Loungecore" are now up on "Black Heart and The Pistoleros" myspace. "Ballad Of Murder River" and "Civil War" are both bloody amazing. Some quality tunes up there to be honest. Lovely mix of some more experimental tracks, Ennio Morricone style Western landscapes and some laid back lounge music, and just Jason Cruz awesome-ness.

http://www.myspace.com/pislolerosmusic

[YI]

FUCK YEAH!!! "Little Bribes" on the new Death Cab EP is "Casino Blues". AWESOME! AWESOME! AWESOME! AWESOME! Tune. (Ben was doing it acoustic at the same time he was doing "Cath..." and "The Ice Is Getting Thinner" before the album came out).

[METALMAN]

The singer of BWitched gave me a balloon last night.

[Skummy]

No idea how long it's been around or anything, as I never cared for the original in the slightest, but Peter Gabriel and Hot Chip's version of Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa is BRILLIANT.

[YI]

I still have like no real form of memory of the gig...youtube isn't particularly helping, but christ some of these videos are epic;

[Jack_Attack]

I was there, it was awesome. The set list was most of his solo album with:

Music When The Lights Go Out

Killamangiro

For Lovers

Tell the King

dropped here and there in between songs. Albion was the closer (the "NEW-CA-STLE" line was amazing) and the encore was Time For Heroes and Fuck Forever, both of which tore the place down. Awesome gig, best I've been to for a long time.

[METALMAN]

Was it just him alone or did he have a backing band?

[Jack_Attack]

Drummer and bassist from the Babyshambles, Graeme Coxon from Blur on guitar, and a small string section.

[METALMAN]

Ah that's awesome. I love Drew McConnell.

[YI]

There was a string section? Haha.

I remember "Albion", as he did the thingy Squires stuff. And the "NEW-CAS-TLE!" bit was, as always EPIC!

Did he do "Lost Art Of Murder" too? I think I remember it, but I dunno.

Awesome show though. It went APESHIT during the encore, my mate lost his shoes and everything, nuts.

[Jack_Attack]

There was a string section? Haha.

I remember "Albion", as he did the thingy Squires stuff. And the "NEW-CAS-TLE!" bit was, as always EPIC!

Did he do "Lost Art Of Murder" too? I think I remember it, but I dunno.

Awesome show though. It went APESHIT during the encore, my mate lost his shoes and everything, nuts.

I'm not sure about Lost Art Of Murder. But yes, he said if we were going to throw beer could we please direct it at the string section. The encore was amazing as well. On the way out I was vaguely aware of some rather scary chav men bellowing about a party upstairs, but I opted out.

EDIT: Forgot about What A Waster. That went down very well.

Edited March 30, 2009 by Jack_Attack

[Turbo Yannis]

What's the general opinion of Glasvegas? They're at T In The Park and I can't decide if I despise them or think they're alright :/