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Playlists

141 Spotisfaction Monday – 22nd November 2010 – Hyperdub

Morning folks. Quick call to arms for you this morning – for the first time since our launch, we’re running really short on playlists. If you have a Spotify playlist that you’re quite proud of, or would like other people to see, then please get in touch in the usual fashion (Twitter, email, on the site, etc.). Seriously, anything you can send to us will be gratefully received and used – we survive on your content, guys and dolls, so please get it to us!

Anyway, to business. We have something a wee bit different for you today. Today’s playlist is one that was recently published by prolific dubstep label Hyperdub, and features many of the label’s artists such as Kode9 and Burial. It’s a cracking playlist, and one I’ve very much enjoyed listening to – I hope you enjoy, too.

Take it easy, friends.
Dave

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Playlists

140 Spotisfaction Friday – 19th November 2010 – Dan Herlin

Afternoon all! Sorry for the slight delay in getting the playlist to you today – I had this morning off as holiday and quite short-sightedly forgot to ask anyone to cover! Oops. My apologies. Tonight is episode 3 of The Walking Dead, which is ridiculously exciting – I’ve not been this gripped by a series in a long time. Are you watching it? If so, what are your thoughts so far? Having said that, I guess, I was equally as engaged by Lost season 1, and look how seasons 2 and 3 panned out…

Anyway!

Today’s playlist is by Dan Herlin and is entitled “Paraphrasing”. It’s a long one, but stick with it as it’s very enjoyable – some great versions in there, kudos to you Dan!

Have a lovely weekend, kids, and see you next week.

Dave

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News

News: The Levellers Add Dates

As announced recently Levellers are on tour next year with an anniversary show of their seminal album Levelling the Land. Well it would appear that it isn”™t just me that”™s excited about being reminded of those heady days 20 years ago when the album was first released, as demand for tickets has been so high that 5 extra dates have been added to the tour.

You can now catch Levellers, being supported by the equally effervescent The Wonder Stuff, at Dublin Academy, Liverpool O2 Academy, Cambridge Corn Exchange, Lincoln Engine Shed, and Bournemouth O2 Academy.

I”™d suggest getting in quick for your tickets as these shows are bound to be popular as well.

Hit the link for these new dates.

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Reviews

Review: 3 Daft Monkeys, Gloucester Guildhall

Inflatable Buddha - image courtesy of Martin Svancar

I’d not heard much of 3 Daft Monkeys before we reviewed their latest self-released album The Antiquated & The Arcane a short while ago, but since then I’ve had the album on near-constant repeat and have fallen in love with their eclectic folk stylings. It was with some excitement, then, that I recently attended their gig at Gloucester’s Guildhall.

Arriving late due to a slight guestlist kerfuffle and having a bit of a chin-wag with an old friend in the bar, I missed the start of opening act Inflatable Buddha. It turns out that this was a major mistake on my part. Wandering in to find enigmatic poet/mandolin player Steve Larkin joking around with the crowd as naturally as if he were best of mates with everyone in the room, I was instantly hooked. Their particular brand of quirky folk punk was quite mesmerising to behold, a relentless energy surging from Larkin, and also double-bass player and co-vocalist Susannah Starling, through the remainder of their set. Particular highlights for me were ‘Clown’, a highly entertaining tail about a bi-polar, alcoholic circus worker which very clearly showcases the poetic nous that won Larkin 2004’s Spoken Word Olympics in Canada, and ‘Life Is Sweet’, which got the crowd well and truly warmed up through the liberal use of well-timed hoi‘s. A thoroughly enjoyable set, and I shall certainly be looking out for this 4-piece in the future.

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Playlists

139 Spotisfaction Wednesday – 17th November 2010 – Dave Christensen

Hey hey Spotisfaction crew! Bit of a rush of things this morning so I may have to be brief. I’d like to echo Dave P’s Black Ops shout out – add me on Xbox live (Mr Strangent) for some zombie nonsense. Saw Holy Fuck on Monday night at the Electric Ballroom, absolutely incredible; I’ve been a very lucky boy for amazing gigs this year, and long may it continue.

Still always need your playlist submissions. You don’t want to hear from me all the time do you? We love all the quirky little playlists and all the reasons you guys listen to the music you do, so all those playlists you’ve got saved on the right hand bar of your Spotify account? Think about submitting them!

Now, on to today’s playlist, a great showcase of the Old Guard still making great music, from Dave Christensen.

James

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Reviews

Review: The Mystery Jets, The Roundhouse London

The Mystery Jets have had a good year. Off the back of their third album proper, Serotonin, in July, William Rees and Kai Fish made a guest appearance on The Count & Sinden’s hit track After Dark, which was a mainstay on dance/indie playlists for most of the late summer. Since then, they’ve been on tour literally non-stop since mid-September, playing 38 European gigs since starting off with a double-header at New York’s Mercury Lounge on 14/15 September. They bring this mammoth tour to a close with a home-coming gig at London’s Roundhouse tonight, with signs of tiredness starting to set it.

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Features

Feature: Tomorrow’s Sounds Today

Hello everyone and welcome to another editions of Tomorrows Sounds Today – sorry it’s a little late, but we had a manic one at the ol’ day job yesterday. Anyway, let us welcome you in from the cold cold winter and settle you in from of our roaring fire of new and exciting music. Slip off the shoes, pop on the slippers and we’ll make you a warming mug of some tasty new albums, we might even slip in a wee dram of hot releases as its a super cold day.

My first choice this week is one which is not part of Spotify but I feel it is an important thing to raise. I try not to be a charity plugger as there are far too many out there doing too much good work and inevitably they don’t all get equal voice.

That said, I have friends in the field on active service and I’ve spent different periods of my life tied with different Army Units (it was almost a full time career choice for me) so I am a strong supporter of the work the Royal British Legion do, not just at this time of year but all year round. Political views around war aside, people are dedicating their lives on a daily basis.

http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/remembrance/the-nation-remembers/two-minute-silence

Anyway…. morale guilt trip over with, onto the normal tunage!

Weezer ”“ Death to False Metal – This album comes very close to the latest studio release Hurley which we covered previously and whilst the songs are all ‘new’, it is not intended as a new album, although the band have professed to giving it the same energy and coverage. It acts as a collection of work spanning their careers, and all I will say is if you are a fan of Weezer already, I think there is plenty in there you will like. However, I don’t think (as you would expect from an informal, non studio release) that it will necessarily convert any non-fans. It is still a great album and worthy of mention along with their main releases, and for me at least it certainly doesn’t feel like a weak B-sides cash in attempt. For that alone they should be applauded, as that is all too easy to do these days.

The Radio Dept. ”“ Never Follow Suit – This EP from Swedish outfit The Radio Dept. is one of an ever growing list from a band who never seem to release many albums but are always punching out the EP’s. To say never is a little unfair as there are a couple out, but EP’s seem to form the backbone. As their name might suggest, they are on the more electronic spectrum and certainly make me think of some of the 80’s electronica bands with hints of New Order, Cocteau Twins and the like. A great piece of work and worthy of the rest of their catalogue.

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Playlists

138 Spotisfaction Monday – 15th November 2010 – Simon Mogg

Morning guys and dolls. I trust your weekends were great? My wife spent the weekend at her sister’s, so I spent a large amount of my weekend sat on the sofa in my pants, grinding out levels in Black Ops’ multiplayer. Good times! A wasted weekend, you say? How very dare you. This week should be pretty good – James T and I have a few live reviews for you, along with our regular mix of content and playlists.

As always, if there’s something you’d like to see us cover, or even if you’d like to cover said thing yourself, please do get in touch – we’d love to hear from you.

Anyway, to business! I shall hand you over to Moggy for todays playlist, and his passionate defence of Nu-Metal. Readers of a nervous disposition are probably best advised to stop here; readers with a sense of humour are encouraged to read on.

Take it easy, kid-faces.
Dave

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Features

Feature: Gig Rig

Afternoon folks! Tomorrow is the LCD Soundsystem and Hot Chip gig up in Sheffield, which I’ll be going to and am getting insanely excited about. It should make for a cracking night!

There’s really not a huge amount of new live music that I’ve found to report about this week. The most notable bit of info is that tickets for the NME Awards Tour 2011 go on sale today, and I must say that the line-up is looking pretty special: Crystal Castles, Magnetic Man, Everything Everything and The Vaccines all on one stage at various locations across the UK in February next year, and I imagine tickets for these gigs will sell out quite quickly.

Esoterica are a relatively unheard of and underrated band hailing from Surrey, whose vocals and prog metal tendencies draw instant comparisons to the likes of Maynard James Keenan of Tool and A Perfect Circle fame. They’ve recently added a new London date to the end of their UK tour in December.

As always, hit the link for the full up-and-coming gig listings. Enjoy your weekends!

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Playlists

137 Spotisfaction Friday – 12th November – Kev Atkinson

Friday, we’ve made it to the weekend. Let us know what your plans are for the next couple of days – where are the places to be this weekend? It’s been a busy few days for Spotisfaction – they took a dislike to Davey P at the 3 Daft Monkey’s gig last night and nearly didn’t let him through the door, but he convinced them in the end. The Mystery Jets and Fenech-Soler were on top form for me over the last two nights; Dave and I will be preping our reviews this weekend.

Now, following my Last.FM playlist on Wednesday, Kev Atkinson has taken up the idea and done his own. This might be a good idea for everyone to pick up on, so lets see an influx of Last.FM based playlists in our inbox soon! It’s a simple idea, so if you’re struggling for playlist inspiration, give this a try! Anyway, here’s Kev’s contribution, so I’ll hand you over to him.

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Reviews

Review: Cee Lo Green – The Lady Killer

For an artist with so many hit records and singles, Cee Lo Green is a name that has only recently become ingrained in the public’s consciousness. Known to some for his work as a founding member of hip hop group Goodie Mob, to others for his collaboration with DJ Danger Mouse in Gnarls Barkley, and to everyone else for the ridiculously popular ‘Fuck You’ (aka ‘Forget You’, it’s neutered brother), Cee Lo’s voice has been gracing our clubs, radios and YouTubes for a good long while now. We’re now 8 albums into Green’s expansive, 20-year career, and so it comes as no surprise that with all of this experience his new album The Lady Killer is a mature, intelligent and highly polished record.

However, could the high production values and lack of grit take something away from the album? You see, Cee Lo has always been someone who works best when allowed to experiment and push the boundaries. His last two solo albums, 2002’s Cee Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections and 2004’s Cee Lo Green… Is the Soul Machine might not have had the sheer polish and production of his latest, but they were genre-mashing, adventurous and downright exciting listens. They were warts-and-all insights into a thoroughly creative man who is a self-described freak, and his personality made these records worth listening to.

The Lady Killer is an album that has been crafted specifically to propel Green into the spotlight. He has mentioned that he wanted to create a more accessible album so that he would no longer be the “underground underdog”, and he has reigned in his eccentricities in order to avoid his creative output becoming a “kamikaze mission”. So, how has this affected his sound?

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News

News: Skindred Album

It was announced today (10 November) that Welsh Ragga Metal 4-piece Skindred are releasing their fourth studio album next year, titled Union Black. It’ll be released 2 May 2011 and is currently being recorded at Britannia Row Studios in London. On the bands official website front man Benji Webbe had this to say about his new album,

“This is the first album we have written and recorded in the UK, it”™s a big departure from our usual sunny California or Florida surroundings, its bloody freezing! The album will be darker and heavier than any of our previous recordings and I”™ve not been this excited whilst writing since I was a kid! “Union Black” is bringing the darker side of the Dred out for sure!!!!!”

Having previously toured with Gogol Bordello, Flogging Molly, Korn and Disturbed they are set to bring their high energy live show to Rob Zombie‘s sold out UK tour next February. Skindred have been fighting their way into popularity ever since the success of their first album Babylon and the inclusion of a number of their songs on various video games.

I am personally greatly looking forward to this album. I really enjoy the combination of Benji’s screeching Ragga vocals, the Drum n Bass beats and Heavy Metal guitars from the first two albums (I haven’t yet had a chance to hear the third). Shame it’s half a year away. Lets hope they release some teasers soon.

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Playlists

136 Spotisfaction Wednesday – 10th November 2010 – James TAE

It’s Wednesday, the hump of the week. You look like you need another playlist – if you’re like me, your entire life is spent listening to music, and each day is a joy because of it. We’ve got some great live reviews coming up: yours truly will be going to see Fenech-Soler at London’s Heaven this evening, and the Mystery Jets at Camden’s Roundhouse tomorrow evening. Spotisveteran Dave Prowse will be seeing 3 Daft Monkeys at Gloucester’s Guildhall tomorrow evening too, following my review of them a fortnight ago. Keep your eyes peeled over the next week or so for these.

Now, today I have done a playlist generated exclusively by my Last.FM page, taking the top 20 artists and making a playlist from them. I’m going to start doing this more regularly, and perhaps every few weeks will submit a playlist of my ‘most listened to’ of the proceeding week. For now, this is the top of everything I’ve listened to, so read on for the blurb.

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Reviews

Review: Unwritten Pages – Pt 1

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, of the Mars Volta, said of progressive rock: “We are really tired of those labels and questions. Concept album? How can any huge project that takes up most of your life for a year not have a concept?” and it’s fair to say that Unwritten Pages, too, is lifted straight out of the bedrock of conceptual progressive rock.

The conception of Frederic Epe, a vocalist and instrumentalist of seemingly boundless imagination, who has been able to group together some of the finest musicians working in Europe’s progressive rock scene to create debut album Noah, he has been living and breathing this project for the last 5 years, and true to progressive form, the album is dense, challenging and carries a tense conceptual sci-fi narrative.

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Features Playlists

Feature: Classics Collected

Hi everyone, and welcome to another edition of Classics Collected, where we at Spotisfaction grab our musical scuba gear and go skin diving through the deeps of the Spotify oceans searching for hidden treasure. This weeks hefty booty that we’ve managed to haul to the surface is below, and we hope you enjoy each shining, jewel encrusted example…. can I get a “yarrrrrrr?”

Portishead ”“ Dummy ”“ At the time trip-hop was at it’s peak, this album was an absolute blockbuster. A fantastic mix of trip hop beats, haunting vocals and musical craftsmanship. It was an album that was almost too great for its own good, and it caused the group tremendous strain trying to follow it up and produce something as successful, or that would be received in the same vein. Whilst follow up albums have also been fantastic, Dummy has never quite been beaten. Its sufficiently accessible that even if you weren’t the biggest fan of the genre you could still appreciate it.

The Specials ”“ The Specials ”“ Unknown to some, revered by others The Specials managed to produce some of the most innovative music of their age. Deftly weaving punk sensibilities with ska beats and twotone styles, they single handled restarted a ska revival in the late 70’s which kept going into the 80’s. This album is a shining example of what started the movement and what made them such a powerful force of their age.

Placebo ”“ Without You I’m Nothing – Not their first album (which is also excellent), but certainly I think the album with the most impact which they have released to date. It certainly moved them as a band with a certain hype to serious contenders in terms of mainstream appeal. A little dark and melancholy in places, but musically a fantastic collection of songs.

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