Blonde Squidhead
Time for staff pick of the week on the Squid Ink blog. It's a bit weird when one band you like turns into another, previously quite different, band that you like. In this case, though, I don't seem to mind. This is my favourite record of the moment, Blonde Redhead's 23. They've gone over all My Bloody Valentine only a bit slicker. Check out the video for the title track here. I reckon it's a sweet ride, though the hipster stasi at Pitchfork give it only 7/10. It also strikes me that handsome, brooding identical twin Italian brothers and a hot Japanese girl-singer is a pretty hard-to-beat line-up in terms of aesthetic appeal. I say we have their measure, but only in a photo finish. I encourage all users of this blog to share their current musical loves. It is not only Squid Ink that are making cutting edge rock, after all.
posted by silky-D at 11:21 am
7 Comments:
Good choice there, Silky.
My current love I shared a few weeks back but that current love turns out to date from the early seventies.
My friend Toby pointed me at this:
And that's one blisteringly cool video. Battle's album comes out in two weeks time — I'm looking forward to hearing it.
well I, for one, quite enjoyed the Battles clip (and not just because the thumpin' drums reminded me of Cheap Trick's awesome classic 'Elo Kiddies'). Why I must bring everything back to Cheap Trick I don't know but those who wish to see if the parallel holds up can check here:
nb. you gotta hit play pretty quick before they bust you for not having a password.
The Battles fellas appear to have attracted some nastiness in the comment thread below the link. Gee the internet can be unfair sometimes.
I bleated in person (they must be used to it by now) that this thread caused me much pain. Because I have, not for want of trying, nothing to contribute and was not particularly taken by either of the two bands suggested. I don't like being a negative and self-centred fellow but, gosh, it comes naturally.
However, I am pleased to say that I absolutely adored Ships and Thieves (I had a quick scour but I think they ahve no online presence...how quaint and rustic!) particularly the first three songs. Energy and vigour wrapped up in a tight bundle of lanky limbs.
And in an appropriate peice of advertising on our busy blog, they play the Brunswick Club this friday. I would go along but Mrs Tedium just told me I have to go to some dinner at some gallery for her work. On a friday night! When I could be watching rock!!
It seems I must give in and get myself an avatar one of these days...
I meant to say in the first line that I bleated to Harpo and Silky in person...
Jimbo, another visitor to this wunderkammer has loaned me the new Arcade Fire, which I spun this morning and thought was ok but not as good as the first one. Perhaps it will grow. The Shins are very good but everybody knows that and you don't get any points for saying so any more. The new Brighteyes has been sitting on top of my speaker for the past couple of weeks and is allright, but really just allright. What is happening? Maybe it's me. Ships and thieves, as has been pointed out already, were a fine outfit with forceful drumming a varied though slightly smallish songbook and a wild shaman of rock out front. Unlike some bands who you see in pubs, they sounded even better before I had the five pints of Mountain Goat than they did afterwards. Nice work boys.
Well I'm back on the blog after a work-enforced hiatus. As I mentioned to SilkyD the other day, hang in there with the Arcade Fire's Neon Bible as there are a few gems (Keep the Car Running; Antichrist Television Blues) that certainly grow on you. Admittedly without the mystique and orchestration of their first offering.
I also pointed out that upon the recommendation of a friend residing in Sweden, I have been spinning the Concretes' self-titled masterpiece. They released this in 2002 and I was unaware. It turns out that 'Chico' has been reworked by the Avalanches somewhere along the line too. Naturally, all good things must end and their creative driving force/lead singer left the Concretes last year. Check 'em out at www.theconcretes.com. The "Say Something New" video is a good place to start. Do it. They are no Ships and Thieves, but they are worth a listen
I have been struggling with technology lately - the fact that I thought I had posted a response here last week and clearly hadn't is a very nice segue into what I've been listening to lately. In the absence of a functioning stereo, thanks to a recent move, I have been listening to my much beloved tape of Tom Waits: The Early Years, back when his voice was both youthful and melancholy (what was it you called him Silky? Demented? Deranged? You're so harsh!). The doctor says I'll be alright, but I'm feeling blue...
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