christian rock for masses.

OK, so I'm not a proper blogger. I think that's been established by the amount of effort I put into my posts and the amount of time it actually takes me to post 'em up. However, I do enjoy sticking stuff up now and again, especially stuff that matters to me. This is one of those posts...

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Anergic is 18 year old noise musician, Darren from Glasgow. That's about 90% of the information he gives on his myspace page. However, who needs to read about a musician when you can hear HIS music.



Darren's music isn't so much heard as felt though. In his influences, he mentions "frequencies that make you feel fucked" and his "Anergic" alter-ego is a term referring to a lack of reaction by the body's defense mechanisms to foreign substances which are apt considering it feels like your brain has been infected by some sort of euphoric virus.




His self branding of being a "noise musician" doesn't really do much justice as it calls to mind the the cliched vision of art students hitting random instruments and calling it art. Below the head crushing feedback and the foreboding doom, Anergic shows a beauty, not least so in his more ambient works such as "Fallen Angels". Close your eyes whilst listening and you'll be floating on a sea of white noise while a world crumbles below you. Believe me when I say this - he is destined for greatness.

At the last chance I had to speak to him, he was working on 60+ pieces and had a growing obsession with Italian horror and their musical scores. There was also a mention of a collab between he and myself on a visual piece to accompany some of his works which has excited me quite a lot.



To the readers out there, to which I know there are very few, I urge you to destroy your ears and open your mind by getting your hands on some of this music.

there's the spaceship.

Deerhunter - Glasgow - Father's Day

Sunday was a first in terms of gigs for me. For one, I was seeing Deerhunter, a band I've been patiently waiting to see for awhile now. The other was the fact this was our first time seeing a gig in Glasgow's Stereo.



After (finally) finding the venue we hung around for a bit, and even caught Bradford Cox having a coffee in the restaurant area of Stereo. When the doors for the gig opened we went downstairs to the where the gig was taking place. I had heard from a few friends that Stereo was basically a glorified basement (just turning eighteen myself meant I couldn't get into most of the awesome gigs that had been held there before). I actually found the venue to be pretty damn good however. For all the venue was very small there was also a great feeling of intimacy between the performers and audience, making it feel more like going to see your friends band play at a local venue.



First on the bill where NYC's High Places. I had heard the band before after finding out they where supporting Deerhunter on this tour so I knew I wasnt in for a bout of Xiu Xiu soundalikes although their setup could have fooled me otherwise. The band come under the whole "folktronica" tag but I thought they seemed more like an upbeat trip-hop group with a lot of Caribbean and reggae influences. Their set was very tight and they seemed to pick up a few new fans from the show. Ones to watch for the future then...



Deerhunter themselves where in top form, playing songs from both Microcastle and Cryptograms. Brad was at his most eccentric and kept the between song (and mid song) banter very funny with calls of quiting music because "these sell out shows don't do anything for me anymore!".They also performed a cover since it was father's Day for Brad's father. Ending with "Strange Lights", the band chose to give their guitars out to the audience to play them off while the noise grew louder and louder. As I said, the night felt really intimate and this only added to that leaving everyone in high spirits as they left. I'm still majorly gutted about not seeing Bradford playing as Atlas Sound in May but after Deerhunter's performance on Sunday I'm assured that there's a big chance I'll be seeing the man play again in one form or another very soon.

This Has To Be Made!

"You come at the king, you best not miss"

So for the past month or so I've been addicted to one of the greatest TV shows ever to grace our small screens; The Wire. After watching Deadwood, Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip and The Shield pretty much back to back, catching them all after they had either been cancelled or on hiatus, I decided I'd finally watch the one that has been most applauded by even the most harshest of critics.



The Wire spanned for 5 Seasons, or 60 episodes, before it came to an end. Created by David Simon and Ed Burns, one a former newspaper reporter and the other an ex-detective, the story followed the realistic struggles of the police and their gangland counterparts. However, this would be selling the show short as it covered a wide variety of characters from varied backgrounds. The show was highly realistic and, even as a non-US resident, I saw a lot of similarities between how the city of Baltimore's police force and underworld worked when compared to that of my own city.



The Wire was never about one character, constantly intertwining the stories of the people of Baltimore until the show had a cast larger than that of most other well established TV Shows. The cast of the show was another huge draw for me, as most of the shows fictional cast was made of the very people who had influenced the creators to write the show in the first place and others where actors with a very similar upbringing to the characters they portrayed.



I could yatter on for years about this show. I'm amazed how lost I felt without it once I had seen the last episode but it has inspired me to maybe write something similar set in my own city (I'm an aspiring Director/Screenwriter didn't you know?). I've also made a point of not giving away any of the plot of the show as it's far better having no idea where the show is going to go next. I'll end on this note: If you watch The Wire and you don't think that Omar Little is the coolest man to ever appear on your TV with a shotgun, whistling "The Farmer in the Dell", then I really need to watch more TV...

Recent Bedroom

My favourite song from one of the best albums of this year so far.

What Happened?

After being touted by most baseball commentators to be one of the top teams this season, my beloved Tigers have been pretty damn terrible. The only thing that's made me quite proud so far this season was our sweep of the Yankees. Hopefully, if my application to study in America next year goes through, I'll get to see them live and maybe my presence will inspire them to a win!

Anyways on a blogger front, it's been awhile since I've updated the blog and hopefully my last post will kick start me to do some more since college shall be finished soon. I may also post some of the music we've been making on here as well as some movie reviews.

Laters!

Beats And Basslines

So, last weekend, a friend and I decided we'd stop trying to be the post-rock band we'd always wanted to be and take a different musical route. We decided it should still be something we where passionate about but at the same time something we'd both be fairly good at (needless to say, power metal and Scandinavian pop where out the window). We came to the conclusion that Hip-Hop was where we both felt comfortable.



To us, this felt like the strangest thing ever as neither of us, up until around 2 years ago, wasn't vaguely interested in Hip-Hop or any of it's other sub genres. It was something we left to our other friends to listen to as we never really "connected" with what 50 Cent or Eminem had to say..



When our musical snobbery subsided and we finally saw that two artists don't typecast a whole genre no matter what the music (except, of course, Scandinavian Pop and Power Metal) we started digging deeper and found that we couldn't have been more wrong about the whole idea of Hip-Hop. Out of all the artists I have embraced within the last couple of years, I have fallen in love the most with J Dilla. The way his music flows and the way he makes the simplistic place of a beat or a bassline at the right moment to give the music far more potency makes me feel far more connected to him than most indie-rock bands who populate the music scene nowadays with their skinny fit jeans and "lost love" lyrics. If you don't know anything at all about Dilla I suggest you give him a bit of researching, his short time on this Earth is filled with some of the greatest produced music I have ever heard. If you ever felt the way I did about Hip-Hop or rap I suggest you give the songs at the end of this post a listen. If you still haven't fallen in love with the music then there's no hope left for you.


Madlib - Mystic Bounce
J Dilla -Love(Feat. Pharoahe Monch)
The Cool Kids - One, Two

Oneida - Up With People

Kias Fansuri

Kias Fansuri are a hardcore screamo band from Malaysia. They remind me of early Envy but with a much more harsh singer.To me though they sound beautiful especially now that screamo and hardcore band's normally care more about their haircuts and look rather than the music they are playing. It's great to see a revival of old skool screamo in other countries especially with bands like Kias Fansuri, Japan's 1000 Travels Of Jawaharlal and Scotland's Mesa Verde (there will be a post on them very soon). Check out the bands Myspace where they have a discography and tour dates , sadly none of which comes anywhere near America or the UK. Here's their Self-titled EP to keep you entertained until they finally do decide to destroy stages near you. And remember, support the artists and buy a CD!

1000 Travels Of Jawaharlal

1000 Travels Of Jawaharlal are a screamo trio from Kita-Kyushu, Japan.

I recently got into this band through randomly going through different bands on Last.fm and I'm quite glad I found them. The band are labeled as Screamo but I see much more of an ATD-I and Cap'n Jazz influence in them. They're music is brutal and melodic at the same time which is a winner for me.You can check out their 2003 album "Owari Wa Konai" which features the amazing "The End Never Comes" at Tip Your Fucking Hooker.Check them out and get some of their CD's while your at it.

Glassjaw

Here's Daryl Palumbo's best band doing what they do best...tearing it up live. This is a live show of the band at the Brixton Academy in London on the 7th July 2007. It's a totally ace recording and it features some live tracks which is even more of a plus. If you've never heard the band then this is a great place to start as it shows how intense the bands fanbase are with nearly ever word he says screamed out in unison with him by 1000+ people.

Courtesy of Dance In My Blood

Live In Brixton Academy

Mondo Cane

I've mentioned my love for Mike Patton a few times and here he is again with his new porject "Mondo Cane". In this project he's working with Aldo Sisillo and Roy Paci to cover 50's and 60's italian pop music. I know how cool it sounds and it definetly is. Their is an album rumoured for next year but it's unclear whether it will feature live versions or studio recorded versions but here's a live show he did in Italy. It sounds amazing and is courtesy of Blood Is Truth. Enjoy!



Mondo Cane - Live In Italy

On an added note, how cool does Mike look in that white suit!?

The Tiger Lillies

The Tiger Lillies are a dark cabaret band from London. The band are known for their extremely surreal style and their witty and dark lyrical themes. The band's discography contains about 20+ albums and the band have also been known to collaborate with many other artists including the Kronos Quartet and writer Edward Gorey. I found out about the Tiger Lillies through the great Bolachas Gratis when they posted a seemingly random live clip of them playing on Jools Holland. Since then I've been a massive fan as their music changes so much, one moment being hilarious tales of horror to bleak tales about the end of the world. I suggest if you liked the video I have posted of them playing live or any of the mp3's from below, then you seek out more by them and, even more so, go see them live as their shows are the stuff of dreams.

Snip Snip
Masturbating Jimmy (with the Symphony Orchestra Of Norrlandsoperan)
Heroin And Cocaine

Jeromes Dream

Jeromes Dream where are screamo band who where pioneers of the emo-violence scene. The band did not use a vocal mic at live shows which eventually lead to their vocalist spewing up blood at live shows because of his strained vocal chords. The band's songs usually clock in at a minute or lower and you can find their whole discography at A Nice Place To Raise Children which has some other mighty fine stuff on there. The band was made up of Jeff Smith (Bass/Vocals), Nick Antonopulous (Guitar) and Erik Ratensperger(drums). The band where only active from 1997 till 2001 but have inspire many real screamo bands since then.

Carbine's Top 10 Of 2007

It's amazing how time consuming college can be but I've finally managed to create my Top Ten Albums of this year! Hopefully there wont be as much as a post drought as their has been but don't quote me on that just yet!

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On a side note I'd just like to mention the passing of one of the best blogs I ever came across;"ROAWR!". Mixing hardcore, screamo, early emo, hip-hop, metal and a whole host of other music genre's, the site got me into many, many band's who I wouldn't have heard of otherwise and it is a real shame the creators have decided to shut the place down.

However with it's passing a new blog has sprung into life! The Spark That Bled has recently just been created by a very good friend of mine and his first posts have already gave promise of much more greater things to come so check it out! Now then, lets get into this list.....


1. Battles - Mirrored & Cadence Weapon - Breaking Kayfabe

At joint top of my list is Canadian rapper Cadence Weapon and American experimental rock band Battles. Both of these albums are debut's and couldn't be further away from each other in types of music but both have one major thing in common and that's amazing originality. I strongly suggest anyone who has heard neither of these band to check them out as your really missing out! I've got a track from each to really give you an idea of what their like

Battles: Leyendecker
Cadence Weapon: Black Hand


3.The Horrors - Strange House

Causing quite a stir in the British indie scene for their supposed "style over music" ways, the band have proved their haters wrong with their modern take on 60's garage rock.


The Horrors: A Train Roars


4. Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City

I was slightly confused about putting this album into the list as it's been a favourite of mine since 2006 when it first leaked onto the Internet. The band have went from strength to strength on this, their second album. I eagerly anticipated what they'll do in 2008


Bloc Party: SRXT


5.Tomahawk - Anonymous

This album was guaranteed a place in the list as soon as Patton announced it just for the reason that the man's a genius. This album has certainly lived up to expectations and over with Mike and the rest of the guys taking on the challenge of creating an entire album of modern takes on old Native American songs.


Tomahawk: Crow Dance


6.Good Shoes - Think Before You Speak

With complex guitar parts and smart lyrics, Good Shoes debut has been a breath of fresh air in an overly dull British indie scene. Also you should try to catch them live where their already great songs come into a life of their own.


Good Shoes: Things To Make And Do


7.HEALTH - HEALTH

A teeth smashing debut and late comer into my list, HEALTH are from America and play some of the best noise rock since the Boredoms and are still only kids. I cant put this album on without listening to every song on it.


HEALTH: Courtship


8. The Twilight Sad - Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters

The best new Scottish band for a very long time. The band combine shoegazing and post-rock along with lead singer James Graham's thick accent to make a debut full of songs that will make you glad to be alive.


The Twilight Sad: Cold Days From The Birdhouse


9. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - In Glorious Times

Seeing as the post before this one was a music video by SGM it's safe to say I think they are ace. The Avant-Garde rock band have created a superb third album with snippets of all sorts of genre's littering this album. One for the open-minded.


Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - Helpless Corpses Enactment

10.Shellac - Excellent Italian Greyhound

What can you say really? Shellac have been and always be amazing and this album just shows why this is. Buy it now!


Shellac: Spoke

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Ahhhhh, all done for this year...best go and start next years right now!

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum

TFOTHC Mixtape Vol. 3

So it's finally here...mainly as I have a week off this week and I thought I'd get this out the way first before I go job searching and the like through the rest of the week. Anyways some of the artists on here have been featured here before or have already been included on the other Mixtapes. I'm sorry I couldn't help this but there have been very little in the way of listening to new stuff these last couple of weeks so hopefully for Vol. 4 there shall be a few artists making their debut on the blog =D Here it is anyways...enjoy!

1.Deep Fried Frenz - MF Doom
2.Sweetness - Jimmy Eat World
3.Fireworks - Animal Collective
4.Convalescence - Darkest Hour
5.Holy Water - The Gossip
6.Trevor an'Them - Murs
7.Death At The Chapel - The Horrors
8.Chill out Tent - The Hold Steady
9.Screws And Bolts - The Fall On Deaf Ears
10.This is The Dream Of Win And Regine - Final Fantasy And Cadence Weapon
11.He Knows - The Futureheads
12.Afghani Black - House Of Blow
13.One Hundred Things You Should Have Done In Bed - Snow Patrol
14.16 Military Wives - The Decemberists
15.Imaginary Places - Busdriver
16.Bottle Neck - Gas Club
17.In The City - Good Shoes
18.Graffiti - Maximo Park
19.Gio-Graph-Ick - Subtitle
20.Safe In Sound - Small Brown Bike
21.Winter Month Novelty - At The Drive-In
22.Strange Ways - Madvillian

Mixtape Vol.3

Busdriver - Imaginary Places

So the last few posts of late have had at least sort of hip-hop influence and this one isn't going to be any different.I'm currently still working on the next mix tape and also some of my own music but here's an amazing song from the hip-hop artist Busdriver. This is just a taster of what the man's work is like and there will definitely be a proper post on him in the future but for now enjoy the music.

Banksy

I've become a huge fan of Banksy's work in the last couple of days. I used to talk to a couple of guys who where really into tagging and the like and I always thought it was really interesting stuff ( and it looked cool as fuck as well!). Anyways, Glasgow is over-populated by things called "menchies", a crude form of tagging which involves no skill whatsoever, has no thought behind it and is largely to do with the hordes of gangs that roam the streets.However,there are a few area's in Glasgow where there are some really sweet pieces of art. One that's caught my eye the last few days is a building near the River Clyde and this is how I got into Bansky's work.

The work in Glasgow has nothing to do with the "art-terrorist" Bansky.However it did get me looking into more Graffiti based things and this is where I came across Bansky.

No-one really knows who he is(well there are some, but their not telling) and his work is normally very political based. It's also of very high quality as he uses stencils rather than just doing it free hand. The thing about him which most amazes me though is that fact that even though he is quite well known, he still isn't a celebrity. He actually seems to hate the idea of them (check out the Paris Hilton video below).

Bansky's greatest piece in my opinion is when he Israeli West Bank barrier and painted 9 pictures on it. Check out the video below to see this amazing man's work.


In Palestine



Paris Hilton Get's A Makeover