White Noise Sound

White Noise Sound are from Wales but sound like they're from space. If you like the sounds made Spacemen 3, Spectrum, Sonic Boom, Spiritualized, BRMC, etc, then you'll love them. Their self-titled debut album is out now.

http://www.whitenoisesound.net/

http://www.myspace.com/whitenoisesound

http://www.facebook.com/pages/White-Noise-Sound/118710978142451

http://www.amazon.co.uk/White-Noise-Sound/dp/B003X8NWDI/ref=sr_1_1?s=gateway&ie=UTF8&qid=1286045967&sr=8-1

Sunset

Is It There For You?

There Is No Tomorrow

No Place To Hide

Spacemen 3 reunion (almost) - London 15/07/2010

Natty Brooker created the artwork for Spiritualized's "Lazer guided melodies" and Spacemen 3's "Recurring", as well as playing drums on Spacemen 3's "Sound Of confusion". He was a key influence on the whole spacemen 3 aesthetic. Sadly Natty has terminal bone cancer. It is in the light of this that he has agreed to share his work. A number of limited edition prints have now been made available for purchase here: http://www.nattybrooker.co.uk/gallery.html

On the 15th of July 2010 there was an exhibition of Natty's art at the Hoxton Bar & Grill in London.

That night few of Natty's old friends got together.....

Pete 'Sonic Boom' Kember, Will Carruthers, Mark Refoy and Jonny Mattock joined forces with Pat Fish (aka The Jazz Butcher) Kevin Shields (of My Bloody Valentine), Jason Holt (of Spectrum) and Dean Koolaid (of The Koolaid Electric Company) and this is what happened:

Walking With Jesus

 

Revolution

Suicide

jam

video coming soon

Filmed and mastered by Neil Rudd of Eat Lights;Become Lights - http://www.myspace.com/eatlightsbecomelights


I was so lucky to have made it down to this event. It was a last minute thing for me, but I am so glad I managed to get the time of work. Such an unforgettable night. I never got to see the Spacemen when they were around originally, so I guess this was the next best thing.
So, the question is, will a Spacemen 3 get-together like this happen again?

------------

Spiritualized - Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space live in NY - 30-07-2010 - AUDIO RIP

Well, here it comes, here comes the sound......
Spiritualized - LAGWAFIS live @ Radio City Music Hall NY - 30-07-10 (Webstream audio rip @ 192kbps mp3) ----- http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UCX4M1GN
Thanks to 'shalloboi' on the Spiritualized forum for ripping this. Sounds absolutely gorgeous.

Here's a video rip of the last 50mins of the videowebcast of the show - 'No God Only Religion', 'Cool Waves', 'Cop Shoot Cop', 'Out Of Sight', 'Oh Happy Day'.  Not sure who originally ripped this, but I downloaded it as a torrent and re-upped it to megaupload.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=68JHQR7Z  (600MB mpeg)
(As with any Megaupload links, if it says the file is temporarily unavailable then just try again later.)

There is a torrent of the full video webcast located on Demonoid. It's not fantastic video quality, but it does the trick. I don't believe there are any other versions of it out there.
http://www.demonoid.me/files/details/2339608/?report_comment=10724939&show_files=&page=1&rel=1281633827&tres=
(Note that with Demonoid sometimes it won't let you open a torrent link without an account. If so, just try again later. It'll eventually open up without the need for you to register.)

 



 
Electricity (video)

The Black Angels

 Drone (in g sharp minor)

Enter The Void

I've been waiting well over a year for Gaspar Noé's 'Enter The Void' to be released. Anyone who's seen his previous film Irreversible will know how powerful his visions on screen are, whether you like them or despise them. Enter The Void apparently pushes the boundaries even further and is supposed to be a 3 hour hallucinatory, mindbending trip of a film mainly due to it's visual style. It was released in France at the beginning of May and I'm hoping it gets a proper release over here soon as I'd love to see it on the big screen, followed by blu-ray.

Check out the teaser videos below.




The Official website:

http://www.enterthevoid-lefilm.com/

Unnofficial site:

http://www.letempsdetruittout.net/gasparnoe/index.asp?v=22

Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enter_the_Void

Cannes press kit (PDF):

http://www.festival-cannes.com/assets/Image/Direct/029848.pdf

Articles/reviews:
http://www.totalfilm.com/news/cannes-2009-enter-the-void

http://www.screendaily.com/enter-the-void/5001692.article
http://www.filmshaft.com/enter-the-void-london-film-festival-review/
http://twitchfilm.net/reviews/2010/03/sxsw-2010-enter-the-void-review.php 
http://twitchfilm.net/reviews/2010/01/sundance-2010-enter-the-void-review.php
http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/24/sundance-review-enter-the-void/

The epileptic fit inducing opening credits:

Japanese trailer:

International Trailer (doesn't really show any of the trippy aspects of the film):

8 minute vfx video (various hallucinatory effects shots, as well as some of them deconstructed):

Southland Tales

Oops, I've been away from here for a bit. Tonight I had a few drinks and rewatched one of my favourite films, Southland Tales. Yeah, I know how flawed and confusing the film is, the 'comedy' in it is weird and The Rock is in it. Despite all of that I'm very impressed with Richard Kelly's vision. Quite obviously the film needs to be about 9 hours long as there is some trouble trying to cram the whole story into a couple of hours. Nevertheless, I love this film. Because of the vison:  The story, how it looks and how it sounds. I think that the flaws even add something to it for me. Also, Richard Kelly is some man for making brilliant 'music promo videos' within his films, e.g Pixies, The Killers, BRMC and Moby in Southland tales. He did the same in Donnie Darko.

Spotlight Kid - Crystal Dreams EP

http://www.myspace.com/spotlightkidsound
http://spotlightkidsound.co.uk/
 
Nottingham shoegazers Spotlight Kid (featuring ex Six By Seven drummer Chris Davis and members of the now defunct Model Morning) have a new EP out entitled 'Crystal Dreams'. It contains three new tracks ('Take Some Time', 'Psalm 109' and 'There's a Reason Why') and was recorded at Purple Studios, Norwich. It's available via the website with bonus tracks, at all shows and in a select few records shops (that have any left).

Here's a session ('April' and 'There's A Reason Why') they did for BBC Radio Nottingham's The Beat with Dean Jackson.


Here's a promo vid for the track 'Take Some Time':



..and here's a list of their upcoming gigs:
13 Mar - Sound of Confusion @ The Victoria, Birmingham
14 Mar - The Freebutt, Brighton
3 Apr - Nottingham Arts Theatre, Nottingham
18 Apr - Goonite Festival, London
14 May - 229 Club, London
3 Jul - Feedback Fever Festival, Hamburg


See here for more info:
http://www.myspace.com/spotlightkidsound
http://spotlightkidsound.co.uk/

Prolapse - Tina, This Is Matthew Stone

Prolapse are another of those overlooked bands from the 90s. The first track I heard of theirs was 'Tina, This Is Matthew Stone' off their debut album 'Pointless Walks to Dismal Places', and instantly I became a fan. Over their career from 1992-2000 they released a number of singles/EPs and  four albums - Pointless Walks To Dismal Places, Backsaturday, The Italian Flag, Ghosts Of Dead Aeroplanes.

http://www.myspace.com/prolapseuk

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prolapse_(band)

http://pointlesswalks.blogspot.com/

Tina, This Is Matthew Stone

Everyday sunshine

I fucking adore the track 'Sunshine Everyday' by Swell. The lyrics are hauntingly beautiful, as is the music.

Arab Strap boxset - Scenes Of A Sexual Nature

The Arab Strap box set, Scenes Of A Sexual Nature, is now scheduled for release in April. Details from Chemikal Underground:

The boxset reissue of Arab Strap's first two albums is finally nearing completion with a provisional release date slated for mid-April. The final touches have been applied over the past week with the final flourish, a numbered certificate personally signed by Aidan and Malcolm, getting - quite literally - signed off as you read this electronic epistle.

A reminder then, of exactly what this slab of enormo-wonderment comprises:

* LP of Week Never Starts Round Here replete with artwork modifications

reflecting Aidan's original 'vision'.

* 2LP of Philophobia with revised sleeve artwork incorporating

lyric/book effect.

* Bonus 2LP featuring Arab Strap's first two Peel Sessions,

rarities/tracks from old singles etc. and a live version of 'Girls Of

Summer' from Chemikal's 5th Birthday Party, complete with John Peel's

introduction.

* The bonus 2LP also includes 'Daughters of Darkness'; a previously

incomplete and unreleased track, recently finished in Chem19 by Aidan and

Malcolm exclsuively for this box set.

* A CD of live BBC material: Arab Strap's first ever concert at King

Tuts in October 1996 and their live performance at T In The Park, July 1998.

* A CD featuring tracks from all of Arab Strap's WNSRH and

Philophobia-era EPs.

* A data disc featuring MP3s of all the vinyl only tracks and movie

files for videos 'Here We Go' and '(Afternoon) Soaps'.

* A complete replica of Arab Strap's original 'green frog' demo cassette

as sent to Chemikal Underground in 1996.

* Full, exclusive sleeve notes by both Aidan and Malcolm.

* A full colour poster featuring press clippings/reviews/Strap-related

Falkirk hysteria.

* A numbered certificate. individually signed by Malcolm and Aidan.

So, in summary: 5LPs, 3CDs, 1 cassette, 1 poster, 1 signed certificate, over

70 tracks, only 1,000 made, a lot of hard work, a great deal of

excitiement...

Pre-ordering details are currently being finalised with a proposed retail

price in the region of £65.

http://www.myspace.com/arabstrapmusic

http://www.chemikal.co.uk/

Moon Duo - Escape

http://www.myspace.com/moonduo

You've heard of Wooden Shjips right? If not, then why not?! If you're into hazy, woozy, opiate-drenched, krauty, motorik, reptitive, psychedelic drones then go listen: http://www.myspace.com/woodenshjips.

Right, once that's out of the way that brings us on to Moon Duo. Moon Duo is, yep, you've guessed it, a duo - Ripley Johnson & Sanae Yamada. Ripley is also in Wooden Shjips as a guitarist and singer. Not sure exactly who Sanae is, but she's on keys in Moon Duo.

Their sound is in the same fuzzy furrow as that of Wooden Shjips, albeit a tad more colourful when it comes to tone and chord shifts. At times they sounds a lot darker than Shjips, and at others they're verging on fuzzy Velvets surf.

They've got a couple of EP's out, 'Killing Time' and 'Love On The Sea', and their debut album, 'Escape', has just come out this week. I agree with some others that this is in fact the best release of the Wooden Shjips/Moon Duo gang. Shame it's so short - 4 tracks which in total clock in at about 30 mins. Some may argue that this constitutes being more EP than LP. Not to worry, it just means you get to listen to it all over again that bit more quickly.

You can buy (some of) their stuff at the fantastic Norman Records store here:

http://www.normanrecords.com

Pitchfork gave a free track of theirs a while back. Grab it here:

http://pitchfork.com/forkcast/13672-stumbling-22nd-st/

Here's a video of a Moon Duo jam, 'Bopper's Hat':

Grand Pocket Orchestra - "We are the lovechild of Pavement and Liza Minelli".

Grand Pocket Orchestra
----------------------

Photo by Jill Redmond


Dublin band Grand Pocket Orchestra describe themselves as thus: "We are the lovechild of Pavement and Liza Minelli".

There's no need to expand upon that really. If you like anything along the lines of Pavement, Animal Collective, Beck or anything from the Elephant 6 collective, then you should like GPO.

They currently have two Eps out, Make Happy War and Odd Socks. Their debut album is due in 2010. Listen to two sneak preview tracks here (I deal In Bits And Bobs and My Lungs):
http://www.myspace.com/grandpocketorchestra

GPO on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Grand-Pocket-Orchestra/51511983994?v=info

Videos:
Grand Pocket orchestra - Ballet Shoes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGFGbuz0bHA


Grand Pocket Orchestra - Odd Socks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkynNTUEzJU


Download here:
http://www.rcrdlbl.com/artists/Grand_Pocket_Orchestra/music
and here:
http://www.downloadmusic.ie/index.php?group=shop&class=unit&task=unit_home&vendors_id=917


Photo by Loreana Rushe. www.myleftventricle.com


Photo by Laughlin McKee. www.laughlinmckeephotography.com

George Best by The Wedding Present is fairly much a perfect album.

Getting Nowhere Fast


Shatner


Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft