As amazing as it is rediscovering old favorites, nothing compares to discovering great new artists/bands. I can't remember how I stumbled across Failed Attempts At Facial Hair, but it was certainly not intentional. Apart from Jam On Bread and occasionally Jacob Borshard the whole lone-man-with-a-uke thing isn't really my thing. But now I'm gonna have to add another name to that list, because his songs have been played more than anything else over the past month.
Failed Attempts At Facial Hair is John Crodian and I really don't know anything about the guy. According to his myspace he's from West Chester, Pennsylvania, and I guess his influences says it all:
"Magnetic Fields, Mr. T Experience, realizing you've had dried toothpaste in the corners of your mouth all day, plan-it-x, Tullycraft, Calvin Johnson, feeling like everyone at the show is laughing at you for dancing stupid, snobbery, positive hardcore"
It's random yes, but when you hear his music it all makes sense. The songs are simple but instantly likeable, covering subjects such as falling for grindcore girls with Anal Cunt badges to sleeveless t-shirts and bad haircuts. It's sweet, funny and feels very sincere.
Go to his myspace page to order the CD-R of the album Girls, Friends and Girlfriends. You won't regret it. Here's a taster.
It's nice to rediscover lost loves of music. The Magnetic Fields have a new album out in a couple of weeks. A few years ago, this would have been the most exciting thing in the world to me, but I haven't been in the mood for Merritt for quite some time. But after the craziness of the previous album Distortion I was a bit curious to see what he'd come up with this time. So without any great expectations I had my first listen yesterday morning on my way to work. And...wow...the first track is absolutely incredible...just wow. It's called You Must Be Out Of Your Mind and it made me remember exactly why I fell in love with the MF in the first place. It's as good as anything Merritt has ever written and already a strong contender for the best song of 2010.
"You can't go round just saying stuff because it's pretty and I no longer drink enough to think you're witty"
awwwwwwwwwwwwww...
That's right. There's no file for you to download. I imagine I'd get my ass kicked by Mr Merritt's goons if I shared anything. But it's out there. So search and you shall find.
Everyone's doing it so I guess I should as well....while I still remember last year So, here it is…'ye olde best of 2009' list. However, since my memory is a bit rubbish, I'll just make it a big post with a bunch of names and gigs thrown in here and there....I think...we'll see how I get on and when I run out of juice...
So…
Best gigs of 2009
Matt and Kim,Old Blue Last (1st June) Matt and Kim are always great live, but this one was special. The Old Blue Last packed far beyond capacity and an amazingly enthusiastic crowd made this my favourite gig of the year. Kim crowdsurfed, Matt ripped off his back brace, the audience went mental. It was fucking ace.
Blur, Hyde Park (2nd June) The biggest concert I've ever been to and just an amazing experience. I'm not a massive Blur fan, but this was a pretty incredible show. Best memory: a gazillion people waiting for Song 2 to kick in and when it happened, the stage and Hyde Park almost exploding with energy.
Adam Green, The Flowerpot (14th October) This one was announced at the very last minute, which made it extra exciting. Adam's only headliner show was this free entry show at an otherwise pretty mediocre venue. Adam and Co were just amazing and the crowd loved it. Jeffrey Lewis, Betsey Trotwood (20th February) Another "secret" mini-show. I'm starting to see a connection here. However, a Jeff Lewis show at the Betsey was never going to stay secret for very long and there was of course queues around the building. I managed to get in to see the full Jeff Lewis band play a brilliant set on the tiny Betsey stage. One of the best shows I've seen them do.
Ryland Bouchard, Wilmington Arms (6th January) I've been a fan of Ryland and The Robot Ate Me for years, so this was always going to be special. Real shame that almost noone turned up, cause Ryland played a magical set of old and new songs.
Art Brut, Indietracks (July) Apart from playing on the train with Moustache, this was definitely the highlight of Indietracks 2009 for me. I'd never seen Art Brut and I was a bit scared I'd missed their best days. Turned out I was worrying about nothing, because Eddie Argos and Co turned the normally quite boring indoor shed stage into an ocean of excitement. Price for stage banter quote of the year goes to Eddie Argos for "Don't share your sweets with the Kings of Leon".
Sweet Baboo, The Betsey Trotwood (17th July) Ok, so my own show, but it was everything I hoped for. Upstairs at The Betsey with a great crowd. Allo Darlin and Let's Whisper were both great as well, but it was my first Sweet Baboo live experience. Simply stunning and I can't wait to see him again in two weeks time.
Allo Darlin + Suburban Kids With Biblical Names + Vit Päls, Cosy Den @ Gula Villan (August) This whole day was amazing, but by the time Suburban Kids and Allo Darlin played, the energy in that tiny little house was amazing.
Jonathan Richman, Bush Hall (28th March) Didn't really know much Jonathan Richman until this night and what an introduction it proved to be.
Eagleowl, Betsey Trotwood (February) The first official Records Make Great Pets night and what a way to start. We managed to squeeze in 70+ paying people downstairs at the Betsey, which has to be some kind of record. Eagleowl got the respect they deserve and the audience didn't make a sound during the songs. A sweaty and incredible night.
Casiotone For The Painfully Alone, The Luminaire (27th April) CFTPA is always great. Half the show was a solo performance with songs requested by the audience and the second half was with a full band. Amazing.
Yo La Tengo, The Roundhouse (8th November) Just loud and great.
FILMS I didn't really see many new films in 2009, but out of the ones I saw, the following comes highly recommended:
Mammoth Thirst Anti Christ Trash Humpers Fantastic Mister Fox 500 Days Of Summer
SONGS Love In The Time Of Ecstacy – Withered Hand Henry Rollins Don't Dance - Allo Darlin'
ALBUMS Withered Hand – Good News Sweet Baboo – Hello Wave Failed Attempts At Facial Hair - Girls, Friends and Girlfriends Matt and Kim – Grand Jeffrey Lewis – Em Are I
That'll do for now. Perhaps I'll add more later. Ahh...the wonders of the internet.
And what flyer it is! Made by the multi-talented Paul Rains of Allo Darlin and Hexicon fame. I'm soooo looking forward to this night. It's gonna be magic. Tell your friends!
I haven't posted anything here for over a month. I simply haven't had time.
So, what's been happening in Nik land. Well, the new Moustache EP is almost finished. We've recorded all the songs and only need to add some keyboard bits and do some mixing. Paul from Hexicon will be doing some of the artwork, which I'm rather excited about. Woot! Hopefully it'll be ready before the end of the year, but it probably won't. Haha. We're just not very efficient when it comes to these things.
The next Allo Darlin' single, The Polaroid Song, is officially out on 7th December, but as far as I know you can pre-order the seven-inch already. If not, you should at least be able to get it at Allo Darlin' shows, the next of which is tomorrow at Jamm in Brixton. Both songs are absolutely incredible and guaranteed to make you want to dance the winter blues away. Irresistable bouncy pop songs and just the perfect stocking filler for just about anyone. Oh, and the artwork! Let's not forget the artwork, since it consists of Polaroids taken by me :)
The single cover, a Polaroid of Elizabeth taken in Brooklyn a couple of years ago.
What else is new in music land. Oh yes, the new Eagleowl single Sleep The Winter dropped into my mailbox the other week and what a stunner that is! The Edinburgh gang has really outdone themselves this time, with two glorious songs of alt-folk-fuzz-bliss that recalls Low at their very best. Hell, I much prefer it to Low. Yes, I said it. So, keep an eye out for Sleep The Winter, which is released any day soon. Another perfect stocking filler, perhaps to be used to calm down after the energy burst that is The Polaroid Song. So, in short, Allo Darlin' provides the perfect soundtrack for tearing the wrapping off your presents on Christmas morning and Eagleowl might be better suited for sipping mulled wine by the open fire in the evening. Or, I guess you could reverse the two and open your presents really slowly to Eagleowl, then get drunk on mulled wine in the evning and dance manically by the open fire to Allo Darlin'. Either way, they're both pretty awesome ways to spend Christmas.
I'm starting the new year with a bang, by putting on a show with an incredible line-up. Withered Hand, Sweet Baboo and Lofty Heights will be playing a Records Make Great Pets night at The Wilmington Arms on 22nd January. A flyer will be coming soon, but advance tickets are available now for only FIVE POUNDS from wegottickets. Another great stocking filler!
I can't really begin to say how excited I am about this show. Withered Hand's album Good News is definitely a candidate for album of the year and I can't think of anything that could beat Love In The Time Of Ecstacy to my song of the year title. Here's a clip of Withered Hand playing that very song at some birthday party in Edinburgh.
Awesome! Yes.
I don't need to tell you about the awesomeness of Sweet Baboo. Steve played the last Records Make Great Pets night in July and simply blew everyone away. Lofty Heights are from London and if their performance at the Duke of Uke's easter alldayer is anything to go by, this should just be stunning.
All bands have new releases out, so get yourself to their respective websites and get ordering.
Autumn. Love it or hate it…or maybe love it AND hate it. For every fluffy pile of leaves to jump in there's soggy shoes and giant spiders. You marvel at the beautiful colours everywhere, but the daylight only lasts as long as the working day, so there's no time to enjoy it. You get excited about snuggling in front of the fireplace only to remember that you live in London and can't afford a flat with a working fireplace.
This is quite a mellow podcast. Better suited for strolling through pretty parks than jumping in piles of leaves. Kinda like the musical equivalent of a knitted jumper. Hope you enjoy it.
1. The Robot Ate Me – Just One Girl 2. Vit Päls – Vackert Väder 3. Quasi – It's Raining 4. Burl Ives – A Little Bitty Tear 5. Only Son – Only A Tool 6. Let's Go Sailing – Heart Condition 7. Pavement – Harness Your Hopes 8. All-time Quarterback – Dinner At Eight In The Suburbs 9. Palace Music – The Mountain Low 10. Camper Van Beethoven – Good Guys & Bad Guys 11. Pit Er Pat – Baby's Fist 12. Laurel Music – Dreams And Lies 13. Megamoog – Icicle 14. Mount Eerie – Domesticated Dog 15. Park Ave. – All Boy Band 16. The Mekons – Only Darkness Has The Power 17. Azure Ray – November
So, last night was an absolute blast. Found out that Adam Green was playing a (not very well-kept) secret show at The Flowerpot in Kentish Town, so we headed down. The show was meant to start at 9pm, but I really didn't want to miss out, so we got there around seven. Good thing we did, cause around eight it was completely mobbed with a queue around the whole buliding.
It was just a brilliant show, with an electric atmosphere you don't get very often at gigs these days. Adam played with a full band and played a mix of newer songs and oldies, including classics like Jessica, Dance With Me and No Legs. It's a real shame I only had my phone with me, since I pretty much had the best position in the house for pictures.
Woo-hoo!
I decided to try the video recording on my phone during Dance With Me, but the quality is really, really terrible. Anyway, you get the idea :)
I'm Nik, a Swede in the wonderful mess that is London. I watch a lot of films and I listen to a lot of music.
I mainly seem to write about films these days, but occasionally I do post about music. If you want me to remove a song, send me an email (recordsmakegreatpets@gmail.com) and I will remove it immediately. If you like what you hear, please support the bands by buying their albums and going to their shows.
As amazing as it is rediscovering old favorites, nothing compares to discovering great new artists/bands. I can't remember how I stumbled across Failed Attempts At Facial Hair, but it was certainly not intentional. Apart from Jam On Bread and occasionally Jacob Borshard the whole lone-man-with-a-uke thing isn't really my thing. But now I'm gonna have to add another name to that list, because his songs have been played more than anything else over the past month.
