As I said earlier in the week this weekend's hangover mix comes from Cats and Cats and Cats check it out in the read more
1. Jeniferever - From across the sea
Chosen by Dougcat: after jokingly putting Machine Head - Davidian at first! We've had the pleasure of playing with these guys several times, real lush stuff.
2. Burial - Archangel
Chosen by Adcat: There's something special about Burial though I'm not sure exactly what. I listened to it on headphones as we pulled into Aberdeen at 5am on our last tour. Happy times.
3. Broken Social Scene - Anthems for a 17 year old girl
Chosen by Evecat: 'You Forgot It In People' is just really really good in general, isn't it?
4. Joanna Newsom - Peach, Plum, Pear
Chosen by Bencat: The two Joanna Newsom albums have pretty much raised the bar for all singer-songwriters these days. Any song from either could have made it onto this mixtape.
5. Air - Alone in Kyoto
Chosen by Tomcat: Tom likes to chill out to Air and drink White Lightning out of a watering can. And he doesn't care what anyone thinks.
6. Radiohead - You and Whose Army
Chosen by Evecat: It's a pretty underrated Radiohead song, this. It was probably the highlight of their Victoria Park set the other day for us.
7. Kashmir - Rocket Brothers
Chosen by Tomcat: Kashmir are pretty much the biggest band in Denmark but are basically unheard of outside of its shores. They used to sound like System of A Down, but as you can see they've progressed somewhat...
8. Bjork - All is Full of Love
Chosen by Dougcat: Just one of those perfect songs; lyrics, music, video; everything is just lovely.
9. Ben Frost - Theory of Machines
Chosen by Adcat: Only heard this the other day and bought the album immediately. Some joker was deafening everyone in HMV on Oxford Street with it and I fell in love with it instantly.
10. Neutral Milk Hotel - Two headed boy part 2
Chosen by Bencat: NMH are a huge influence on us and we couldn't think of a better way to cure a hangover than to drift off in one of Jeff Mangum's poetic bubbles.
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Cats and Cats and Cats pick the egoeccentric hangover mixtape vol. 37
Broken Social Scene For Vicar St
Broken Social Scene return to these shores after their recent 'Kevin Drew' show in Tripod. The band play Vicar St on Tuesday the 20th of May. Tickets are 24.50-28.50 and go on sale today.
Appearing on this blog for not-the-first time, here's what I consider to be the band's opus- '7/4 Shoreline':
Things I Watched This Weekend
Tiger's Tail just plain sucked, which was a shame because obviously Boorman has had his share of great movies (although his choices of late have been rather odd- 50 cent's 'Get Rich Or Die Trying' being the main offender). Brendan Gleeson is also a bit of a hero, having given possibly the greatest ever performance by an Irishman as Bunny Kelly in 'I Went Down'.
This movie is a total shambles though. Obviously a labour of love for Boorman, being written, directed and produced by the veteran; but has clearly suffered for the fact with no one having the authority to step in and tell him where he was going wrong. The story is all over the place, and the script is laughable in that painful unintentional way. AND.. i know it was kind of 'the point' of the movie, but it really portrays Ireland as much worse of a shithole than it actually is. Like comically so. One particular scene shows Gleeson bringing his son into a hospital after an overdose and walking into an emergency room that resembles a snapshot from Dante's Inferno, with screaming people spouting jets of blood left right and centre. Come on, Mr Boorman, really now...
Anyways, the other movie was a damn sight better- Half Nelson, which is a neat little drama about a gifted & dedicated school teacher who's also a crackhead. Not the laugh-a-minute riot that it could have been, but a great flick nonetheless. Well made and impeccably acted, one of it's strong points is the the majority of the soundtrack was done by Broken Social Scene, to tremendous effect. Well worth checking out.
Now, back to the TV. I hate watching TV shows as they make it their business to suck you in and proceed to drag you along for HOURS, only very rarely delivering a satisfying conclusion. Hence why I said no to the Sopranos after season 1, and never want to see an episode of Lost again. So for quite some time I've been putting off watching Heroes, knowing damn well that the sheer Marvel-ness of the whole thing will get me hooked with the greatest of ease. Last night I cracked, so I'm now eight hours in. Damn. And I only have the first 11 episodes. Damn! I'll have to find the rest online. See you all in a week or so...
Lets Have Some Cheering Up Then...
Video of the day is the fantabulously happy '7/4 Shoreline' by Broken Social Scene:
2006 Recap: Top 10s Are Fun
Albums Of The Year: 2006
Having not been able to stop listening to 'The Flying Club Cup', and knowing that it'll more than likely be on my end of year honors list, I figured I'd do a recap of last year's top albums.
Here they are (in order):
10. ISLANDS- 'Return To The Sea'
This album is a total gem- any band that can make a chirpy feel-good pop song about conflict diamonds deserves credit.
There are at least four standout tracks on 'Return To The Sea', ranging in style from recorder led pop, to dark rap-rock, to the downright unclassifiable.
Listen:
Where There's A Will There's A Whalebone
9. Arctic Monkeys- Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not'
Saw what you will about the Arctic Monkeys, the fact that this album is packed to the brim with smart, catchy & edgy pop songs is undeniable. This record stayed in my stereo for months after it came out.
Listen:
The View From The Afternoon
8. Yeah Yeah Yeahs- 'Show Your Bones'
I'm truly a shameless pop whore. My criterion for good music include pop-sensibilities as an essential. Yeah Yeah Yeahs took the character and visceral energy of their debut and to this added the pop that I so love. 'Show Your Bones' was the result, and damn was it good.
Listen:
Cheated Hearts
7. Final Fantasy- He Poos Clouds
Apart from having the album name of the year, 'He
Poos Clouds' has a handful of beautiful and disturbing tracks (each based on one of the different schools of magic in Dungeons & Dragons- nerds rock!). On this (his second album) Owen Pallett wrote each piece for a string quartet, resulting in a deeper, fuller album that it's predecessor 'Has A Good Home'.
Listen:
This Lamb Sells Condos
6. Fujiya & Miyagi- 'Transparent Things'
This genre-bending album from the Brighton three-piece is the best electro-funk-indie-chillout-dance album I've ever heard.
Enough said.
Listen:
Photocopier
5. Cansei De Ser Sexy- 'CSS'
Every once in a while an album comes along that is destined to become a staple of parties everywhere (Thriller, As Heard On Radio, Danse Macabre, Crossroad..), CSS is such an album.
It's as dancy as it is rocky, and it has eleven tracks of non-stop wholesome goodness- no fast forwarding needed.
Listen:
Off The Hook
4. Red Hot Chili Peppers- 'Stadium Arcadium'
It's often said about this album, but this is a band on the top of their game. To produce an (almost) flawless two disc album at this stage in their career says only one thing: the Chilis are in this for the long haul. This collection has nods to their earlier 'funky monk' stage (Animal Bar, Storm In A Teacup), the standout hit singles the band have become known for (Dani California, Tell Me Baby) and a handful of songs on which the band digress from the formula to tread relatively new ground. For me, it was this latter category which proved most rewarding. Tracks like '21st Century' and 'Strip My Mind' promise a lot from what I hope will be a very long future for the Chili Peppers.
As long as they don't get Navarro back.
Listen:
Strip My Mind
3. TV On The Radio- 'Return To Cookie Mountain'
To hear an album full of as many original ideas as 'Cookie Mountain' is a rare and precious thing. From the arrangement to the production, TVOTR have painted a wild and vivid picture that sucks you in from the get-go. It's hard to pick a highlight, as different songs seem to resonate with different moods, but as a lead single and a first plunge into the world of TVOTR you could do much worse than the thumping, howling 'Wolf Like Me'.
Listen:
Wolf Like Me
2. Joanna Newsom- 'Ys'
'Ys' could be a folk opus; it could be a classical suite; it could be an epic poem. It is certainly unique, and it is certainly a overpowering masterpiece. These five tracks are woven tight with layer upon intricate layer of strings composed by the legendary Van Dyke Parks, held together by Newsom's precise plucking of harp strings, and a voice so much more mature than on her previous effort. I can honestly see this album being studied in years to come, or being sought out on vinyl and played with the reverence that's right now reserved for the likes of 'Dark Side'. An absolute classic.
Listen:
Cosmia
1. Cursive- 'Happy Hollow'
With 'Happy Hollow' Cursive have delivered everything that you could possibly want in an album. The concept allows for Tim Kasher's lyrics to explore small town ignorances and hypocrisies through the most cutting and insightful compositions of his career. Reading these words alone sent shivers down my spine, only to be repeated tenfold when they were put to music. From the first passionately urgent chord, Cursive have the listener is in the palm of their hand. Personally, I must admit I wondered where the band would go after the departure of Cellist Gretta Cohn. She had without a doubt contributed to the dynamic of the fantastic 'The Ugly Organ' and I worried about hole she would leave. Fortunately that hole has been plugged with passion, Wizard Of Oz fueled dementia, distortion and a messed-up brass section. Oh, and when this record rocks it fucking rocks. If you don't already own this, get on it.
Listen:
Dorothy At Forty
Notable Mentions:
Knife: 'Silent Shout'; Broken Social Scene: 'Broken Social Scene'....more? Probably....
Click here for 2007 albums of the year list
