Buffet Libre Tour

On February 2ND, the Buffet Libre boys will be embarking on a tour dubbed: The Music Tastes Better With You (see what they did there?)

Starting at Casio Royale at London's Barfly and ending up in Barcelona's Red Room, Buffet Libre promise a night of "spicy beats and bitter sweet pop, mixed with just the right dose of 80's sound".

Believe me, if I wasn't so broke and didn't live 200 miles away, I'd be there. Alas, one cannot have it all.

MP3: Buffet Libre - Verbene Rewind 1 DOWNLOAD

Stars/Destroy Cowboy

On Monday, I will be hitting Birmingham with the aim of killing two large birds with one stone. The birds? My favourite Birmingham five piece, Destroy Cowboy supporting my equally beloved Canadian five piece, Stars. Tickets? HERE.

MP3: Stars - The Big Fight DOWNLOAD
MP3: Destroy Cowboy - 1000 Candles DOWNLOAD
BONUS: MP3: Stars - Sleep Tonight (Junior Boys Remix) DOWNLOAD

Cold Act Ill

We've all done it. Downloaded tracks willy-nilly from our most trusted of audioblogs (CTA included of course) and never actually got round to listening to what we've pulled from the site. Aside for the unnecessary bandwidth wastage and prehaps contributing to the increasing cheapness of music, there's always the potential that we've missing out on some great music.

Classixx Cold Act Ill is one such track. Laying dormant on my ipod for what must have been a month, I finally stumbled across it (again) while loitering in a traffic jam. Now, pressing that little play button doesn't seem much but on this occasion a full scale phonic assault was unleashed on my ears. A chunky motorcycle bassline wrapped around a fabulous Roxanne Shante vocal hook made for a deliciously infectious slice of electro genius that warrented a press of the repeat button (very rare).

Having already featured on esteemed blogs like Ohh! Crapp, Discobelle and Electronic Crack, it shan't be long before Cold Act Ill is cemented into the consciousness of all but the proverbial cave dweller.

"We came here tonight to get started. Cold Act Ill or get retarded"

MP3: Classixx - Cold Act Ill (Removed As Per Artist Request)

MP3: Roxanne Shante - Def Fresh Crew (Feat. Biz Markie) DOWLOAD

Check out Ohh! Crapp for a great Classixx interview.
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Psychiatric Abuse

I was actually going to post something else today, but this bit of news wound me up so much I felt the need to vent some of my anger...and what better place to do it than here.

My outrage concerns Massachusetts Judge Rotenberg Educational Centre's (JRC) 24/7 Behaviour Modification Program. Sounds ominous, and indeed it is. Essentially an aversive therapy, JCR employs the use of electrodes attached to the skin that allows for the administration of an electric shock to the wearer, often an individual which psychiatry has labelled ADD/ADHD or other such 'illness'

A recent report from New York education officials listed several areas of concern, including reports of students receiving burns from the shock device and ability for staff to view students while they dress or bathe.

Abuse like this should not happen, least of all to children. Yet psychiatry, with its endless myths and pseudo-science has justified the schools actions to the U.S. government, who seem happy enough to shell out the $200 000 (£100 000) yearly fee.

For more information of Psychiatric abuse head over to: Psych Watch, Psychatric Abuse, End Psychiatric Abuse. And read this book

MP3: The Ramones - Gimmie Gimmie Shock Treatment DOWNLOAD

MP3: Dragonette - Shock Box DOWNLOAD

Don Juan Dracula

WARNING: Pointless anecdote regarding the choice of MP3's posted is contained below.


An unbelievable thing just happened that has frankly made my day. Let me explain. About a year ago, before I started university, I used to work in a factory, filing the edges of sheet metal. To keep my sanity, I'd fill my ipod with podcasts to last the 12 hour shifts. One such podcast was a Canadian based independent science magazine (the of which name, I forget).

During the introduction, there was a tune that always caught my attention, however, being so laid back, I never bothered to email the show to find out what the song was.

But a few days back, unbelievably, I received an email from The Orchard that featured the very song from that podcast!

MP3: Don Juan Dracula - Take Me Home DOWNLOAD

MP3: Don Juan Dracula - Take Me Home (Johan Agebjörn Remix Feat. Sally Shapiro) DOWNLOAD

New Surkin Track

This wedge of 90's influenced electronic brilliance comes courtesy of Parisian based Surkin. Absolutely ravetastic, I can't lap up enough of it.

A slight discussion point: does anyone else think music is moving this way in general? I mean, the 80's has had rather a monopoly over music (especially electro), is it now time for piano stabs, chopped vocals and baggy trousers?

MP3: Surkin - White Knights Two DOWNLOAD

MP3: Teki Latex - Les Martins De Paris (Surkin Remix) DOWNLOAD

Goodbooks

I saw Goodbooks in either January or February of last year (I forget exactly). They were supporting the frankly awful The Maccabees. I was a little unfortunate in the fact that their singer/guitarist was suffering some kind of illness having his place as lead vocalist filled by bassist Christopher Porter, who actually did the band proud.

But it's funny. Even though I warmed to the bands live performance, it's taken me until now to buy the album, Control. Why not sooner, I'll never know.

Aside from the way they pronounce dance (proper southern tha'knows) I really enjoy listening to this Sevenoaks' four piece. Unlike a lot of indie music out there Goodbooks don't come across as brash and have none of that misplaced arrogance. Instead, Goodbooks appeal comes via their refrained, slightly laid back approach to the genre, which, thanks to both the thoughtful lyrics of Max Cooke and vocal harmonies of said bassist never becomes ponderous.

MP3: Goodbooks - Leni DOWNLOAD
MP3: Goodbooks - The Illness DOWNLOAD
MP3: Goodbooks - The Illness (Herve Dub Remix) DOWNLOAD

Sia/Adele

Whenever I listen to this:

MP3: Adele - Hometown Glory (Removed As Per Label Request)

I can't help but think of this:

MP3: Sia - Breathe Me DOWNLOAD

Bag Raiders - Acoustic Cover

Have Fun Club posted this the other day. It's...get this... an acoustic cover of Bag Raiders Punch Fun by 19 year old, Sydney based Cassian. The fact that it sounds like it's been layed down using the most rudemetory of recording equipment, and that the timing is sometimes a little off, only adds to the tracks overall charm.

MP3: Bag Raiders - Punch Fun (Cassian's Acoustic Remake) DOWNLOAD

The Hype Machine didn't index the Enkel Apa tracks I posted, so for their benifit, here they are agian:

MP3: Enkel Apa - Selleck DOWNLOAD

MP3 Enkel Apa - Back In The Days DOWNLOAD

Q Magazine

Q Magazine's review of Feist's album, The Reminder:

"Considering the more daring company Leslie Feist keeps...her own work in suprisingly conventional. There are moments of creative flair on The Reminder, notably Sea Lion Women...and I Feel It All. She can certainly sing, but sadly the bulk of her introspective ballads to acoustic guitar accompaniment falls short of giving KT Tunstall any reason to look over her shoulder" (May 2007)

Fair enough. Their opinion is as valid as mine. But as we fast forward 8 months we find that as the magazine has become aware of Feist's appeal, all notions of intergrity are flung right out the window:

"Recorded in an old Parisian manor, it channels immediate emotional depth through delerious layers of jazz, pop and gently textured electronica"

Oh, and let's not miss My Moon, My Man featuring at number 11 in it's 50 Essential Tracks To Download This Month list. Little wonder music fans are shunning their once beloved print press. To hell with 'em.

MP3: Feist - Mushaboom DOWNLOAD

MP3: Feist - My Moon My Man (My!Gay!Husband! Remix) DOWNLOAD

Accidents Never Happen

With it's world famous dock featuring so highly in it's 800 year history, Liverpool has always found itself home to a multitude of peoples and cultures. This influx of outsiders has seeped its way into the current musical make-up of the city, with a flock of non-native talent settling in the area with the view to carving out a career in music. Case in point: Accidents Never Happen.

Originating from Oslo, Norway, ANH relocated to the city after touring the UK, soon realising their hometown was "not where it was at". Feeling the Norwegian reaction to their music was more "huh??", it seemed obvious to base the band in Liverpool, were feedback was far more enthusiastic.

Inspired by the likes of Sonic Youth and The Walkman, ANH effortlessly float between frantic angst ridden indie to lush, edgy ballads, not just between tracks, but within them. Consistently refusing to conform to the restraints of the Alt-Rock/Post-Punk pigeonhole, front man Magz describes the band's debut album Oslo Beat (perhaps a homage to the Mersey Beat sound associated with the city) as "a beautiful mess", which, for those of us who are hopelessly addicted to the rounded sound of electronica, is devilishly enjoyable.

MP3: Accidents Never Happen - Killer Boots DOWNLOAD
MP3: Accidents Never Happen - Saturday Night DOWNLOAD
MP3: Accidents Never Happen - Killer Boots (Ian Hall Remix) DOWNLOAD