Torr

Bits & Bobs

Download Embrace's new 7"-only b-side "Hallelujah" here. It's not a cover.

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Watch Tim Burgess' 35-min session and interview from KCRW MBE here. I saw him play at Spaceland - LA in Nov '03 as his first(?) u.s. gig in support of his solo album, and it was pretty shambolic and awful. Which is too bad since I Believe is better than the latest The Charlatans albums Up at the Lake. Anyway, this session includes The Charlatans "North Country Boy", "A Man Needs To Be Told" (without falsetto!) and a cover of "Who The Cap Fit" (which was only on the U.S. release of his solo album.) The backing band for this session includes the rhythm-section of Starsailor (who were in LA recording their next album.) It's also worth noting that Tim has finally cut his hair and it looks nice. P.S. "Oh My Corazon" is a great tune.

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Placebo are returning to the studio to start recording their 5th studio album. The new album (due for release in 2006) is being produced by Dimitri Tikavoi, who has previously worked with the band on tracks such as "The Ballad of Melody Nelson" and "Running Up That Hill."

Speaking of Placebo, the new Timo Maas album titled Pictures will be released in the UK on June 13th, and it features 3 tracks co-written with Brian Placebo, titled: "First Day" (watch the vid), "Like Siamese" and the title-track of the album. Brian sings on "First Day", well actually he repeats one line over and over, along with a female singing. He's not in the video, and I'm not sure if he sings on the other two songs.

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Ash will be touring the U.S. in June. Full dates are as follows:

04.06.05 Seattle KNDD Endfest White River Amphitheatre
06.06.05 Portland Doug Fir's Lounge
07.06.05 Sacramento Harlow's Nightclub
09.06.05 Los Angeles Knitting Factory
10.06.05 San Fransisco Live 105 BFD at Shoreline Amphitheatre
12.06.05 San Diego Casbah
13.06.05 Phoenix The Club House
16.06.05 Dallas Gypsy Tea Room

I don't like Meltdown much, so I will probably not attend.

Update: They've cancelled everything after SF.

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According to Modern Laundry Damon Albarn of Blur/Gorillaz sang backing vox on "I Predict a Riot" at Kaiser Chiefs recent Toronto gig. Talk about obvious. Employment might as well be called We Love Modern Life Is Rubbish.

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A fake impromptu U2 concert by the guys over at Improv Everywhere, funny stuff!

Stream new Coldplay album

Stream X&Y in full at MtvAsia.

Sunday downloads

Bloc Party - Silent Alarm

Secret Machines - Now Here is Nowhere

The Ponys - Celebration Castle

The Boo Radleys - Giant Steps

2 Rilo Kiley albums

Requiem for a Dream soundtrack

[I did not upload (nor do I host) any of these files. If you find a dead link please let me know in the comments below.  If you represent the copyright owner and would like a link removed, e-mail me. ]

UK chart report

The decent stuff that entered the UK chart this week:

Singles:

#2 Coldplay "Speed Of Sound" (Parlophone)

#15 The Magic Numbers "Forever Lost" (Heavenly)

#26 Arcade Fire "Power Out" (Rough Trade) (#2 on the Indie Label chart)

#31 Nine Black Alps "Not Everyone" (Island)

#34 British Sea Power "Please Stand Up" (Rough Trade) (#3 on the Indie Label chart)

#40 Sons & Daughters "Dance Me In" (Domino Recordings) (#5 on the Indie Label chart)

#41 The Bravery "Fearless" (Island)

#45 The Glitterati "Heartbreaker" (Atlantic)

#60 Wolfman "Ice Cream Gorilla" (Beyond Bedlam)  (#8 on the Indie Label chart)

#70 Morning Runner "Drawing Shapes" (EMI)

Yes, Coldplay were kept off the top spot by a remix of the ringtone(!) Crazy Frog "Axel F." Surely this wouldn't have gotten #1 had it been released a couple months ago when downloads were not counted in the chart. So Coldplay still have never had a UK #1 single ("In My Place" also got to #2.)

I'm really surprised The Magic Numbers did that well. I guess their sound is 70's enough to appeal to some older folks, while twee enough to appeal to some younger folks.

It's criminal that a perfect pop-song like British Sea Power's "Please Stand Up" only reached #34. I thought for sure it would at least get top #20 after 1st single "Oily Stage" was #18 while being much less catchy. But I guess pre-album singles always fare a lot better.

I'm glad to see The Bravery's weak "Fearless" just miss out on the top 40.

I'm surprised Morning Runner didn't chart better since they did a ton of radio promo and have major label backing.

Indie Label chart entries that weren't mentioned above:

#13 Little Barrie's "Long Hair" (Genuine)

#20 Emilianna Torrini "Showstopper" (Rough Trade)

Albums:

#1 Gorillaz Demon Days (Parlophone)

#3 The Coral The Invisible Invasion (Deltasonic)

#40 Belle & Sebastian Push Barman To Open Old Wounds (Jeepster) (#3 on the Indie Label chart)

Saturday funnies

Hilarious 10-minute mockumentary on The Old Negro Space Program.  It's non-politically correct without being stereotypical or offensive, while poking fun at blacks and whites. This is exactly the sort of thing Dave Chappelle should be creating right now, insteading of chillin' in South Africa making us all wait even longer for season 3 of his show to appear.

Saturday downloads

Oasis - Don't Believe the Truth + "Lyla" b-sides
Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker 
Belle & Sebastian - Live in the Netherlands, 2003

The Killers - Hot Fuss and The Shins Chutes Too Narrow can be found at afternight.org/deepa/muzak

[I did not upload (nor do I host) any of these files. If you find a dead link please let me know in the comments below.  If you represent the copyright owner and would like a link removed, e-mail me. ]

Out in the US on Tuesday

Oasis - Don't Believe The Truth [Steam it here] $9.99 @ Best Buy
As available as a DualDisc cd-dvd $11.99 @ Best Buy

Maximo Park debut album A Certain Trigger [Stream it here] $13.99 @ Best Buy

The Dead 60s - self-titled debut album [Stream it here] $10.99 @ Best Buy

Amusement Parks on Fire self-titled debut album [Stream a few songs here] $11.99 @ Best Buy

Complete James Dean Collection [3-DVD set]

Check out New Music Tip Sheet for a full list of this week's releases.

Out in the UK on Monday

The interesting singles that are out in the UK this week:

Embrace release another great single from their brilliant album Out of Nothing. There's a page on their site for the single, it's got the full a-side streaming, along with the video, and one-minute clips of all four b-sides.

"The Spell" is the first single from Leaves’ forthcoming album The Angela Test, and it bears all the hallmarks of this Icelandic band’s distinctive and compelling sound of piano-led widescreen rock. It's backed with two new tracks, including a cover of The Beach Boys' "Til I Die." - HMV

Benjamin Diamond was the voice behind Stardust's mega hit ‘Music Sounds Better With You’. Thankfully he’s left the face chewing chemical electronic effects out of this one and now sounds more like Suede than Cher. The acoustic version especially is definitely more Turin Brakes than turn tables. Having said that, you can definitely see hints of his past in this emotional and euphoric number. - xfm

Beginning with the menacing riff and bassline from The Cure's "A Forest", "When I'm Alone" proceeds to form the finest three and three quarter minutes of brooding but danceable new wave this year. Unlike most of The Rifles' material this is no Jam-fest though the vocals do have Weller's estuary English intonation; it swells with power drumming, chopping rhythm and a wall of swirling Stone Roses fuzzed effects. A truly golden bullet from the North London fourpiece and a surefire automatic replay. - SoundsXP

"You’re So Good" is the first new material from US duo Joy Zipper since their critically acclaimed American Whip album from 2003. Sounding fuller and more muscular than their previous efforts, it's a driving indie/ pop track, backed with chugging guitars and dreamy female vocals, providing a great appetizer for their forthcoming album The Heartlight Set. - hmv

Madison Strays' "Last Train". Drawing on The Cure, New Order and Psychedelic Furs for inspiration, there’s also a good helping of Echo And The Bunnymen spooky eighties piano. The band have emerged from the latest wave of vibrant New York talent, but have a darker more melancholic twist than the likes of The Bravery. - xfm

Also out this week, the latest singles from Mighty Six Ninety, Stillman, Fleeing New York, Teenage Fanclub, James Blunt, Hoggboy, Blackbud, Amsterdam, Kubb, The Blood Arm, Arctic Monkeys, Vinny Peculiar, The Tenderfoot, C-Jags, and Midlake (a year after the album!)

Oldplay

Has anyone else noticed the similarity between Coldplay's X&Y sleeve and that of New Order's Radio1 Live?

Update: I've just been informed that the New Order sleeve above is actually a composite of a couple of their previous sleeves, "Confusion" and "Blue Monday":

Stream a few new albums

       

Go here to stream the latest albums from Teenage Fanclub, Maximo Park, HAL, Oasis, Spoon, Stephen Malkmus and more. Once you're at that site, click "OMLAGG" to scroll.