So I did some very bad things on Friday night after a helluvalot of home-made vodka - to summarise, I ended up with a broken toe, a black eye, no shoes and some shit-stained pants - and spent all day yesterday in bed recovering. So today as a treat to myself and you guys I am going to do a superpost of albums that I had already zipped but not yet found time to post. I begin with Fionn Regan's exceptional 2006 debut, which somehow lost the Mercury Prize to the fucking Klaxons. This album is just the most beautiful example of modern folk songwriting, and is an absolute essential. Enjoy.Fionn Regan – The End Of History (2006)
So last night I went to my friend's house party to celebrate his 22 years of achievement on Earth, and there were three gnarly Aussies there. They had spent 24 hours on various planes, were forced to wait for 6 hours in Stansted Airport, and then had to endure the pleasures of a five-hour MegaBus ride up to Leeds. They hadn't slept for 2 days, hadn't properly washed in 4, and yet they still managed to outparty everyone there. I think they went through 2 crates of beer or something; then they started a fire (after I had drunkenly demanded they "put some shrimp on the barbie"), broke a chair, started a moshpit etc. etc. So this album is in their honour; it's a great mixtape from the marvellous Cut Copy. Oh, and one of the tracks is a clue to next week's theme...enjoy.
So, something different today. Do we have a band made of four skinny blokes? Yes. But do we have a jangly guitar band singing songs about love and loss? No. Instead, Errors are what could be described as "electro post-rock", seeing as they fuse both electro and post-rock. Simple. They hail from Glasgow and are signed to post-rock Gods Mogwai's record label, which gives you some idea of how well thought-of they are. Anyways, this is a little five-track EP back from 2006 (the 2008 debut album is arguably better, but comes after this week's time period of 2002-2007) which is largely instrumental, and reminds me of a much less pretentious Meanwhile Back In Communist Russia. Enjoy.
Oh my fucking Jesus - this is the epitome of BOSS! I cannot put into words how good this album is - other than saying that it is the soundtrack of fat guys in their 30s getting drunk and trying to party with hot girls in their 20s - and so instead I will regale you with an anecdote which I hope will convey my feelings. Last December, me & Douchey Dave went to go see the Hold Steady play live in Manchester. After an epic train journey, we were met by my housemate's boyfriend (good lad; he's called Robert E. Lee, and has a cool little beard, and is an Americana DJ who runs his own night) who was putting up for the night. He escorted us to his house and, after spending about an hour offering to cook us soup, me & Dave headed into town to start drinking. We went to a pub that used to be a gent's toilet, and then some little bar where we drunk Apple Mojitos, before heading to the venue. After a few pairs of pints, we wormed our way into the overwhemingly male, early middle-aged crowd to get a good position, not remembering the effect that alcohol has on bladders. Desperately needing a slash, but not wanting to lose our place, we did what any one in our position would do - subtly piss into out empty pint glasses. Job done, we placed the full pint glasses on the floor, and continued rocking. A few minutes later we wondered why our feet were wet, only to realise the horrible truth. But we actually didn't care - if anything, it added to the moment - as we were already covered in sweat and beer. People often say "that was the best gig ever!" after every bloody gig, but when we said it after this one, we both genuinely meant it - it has yet to be beaten for pure, simple enjoyment. Oh, and the lead singer Craig Finn-Lad said to the entire crowd something along the lines of "we aren't just the Hold Steady, YOU are all the Hold Steady as well" - but he was just talking to me & Dave, honest, and so we're both offically members of the band, but me more than Dave. After the gig we got a pack of beers, went back to Rob's house, and drunk until the early morning, while listening to Venetian-future-disco. That's the kind of crazy shit this album does to you. Enjoy.
BOSS! This album is just immense, it really is, and reminds me of better times back in my student days, sitting in Dave's kitchen in a haze of smoke, drinking beer. It's a Sub Pop release, and is a concept album about Christianity taking over America, so for both those reasons you need to download this bad boy. We saw the Thermals live once - such a gig! - and we tried to start a proper old-school circle pit but no-one else in the crowd would play. We were all battered and I kept on shouting "I love you Kathy" at the bassist after every song; she gave me a nervous little smile in return. I think she was into me. Enjoy.