Friday, December 23, 2005

The best X-mas present in the world....ever!


My nervous wait has paid off. Woke up, checked my bank account....all is good...

I'M GOING TO GERMANY TO SEE THE SOCCEROOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The best Chrissie present a boy could get. Watch out Brazil and Croatia!

Merry Christmas y'all!

Here's some presents from me (via Bedroom Dancing & Music For Robots ) to you....

Erland Oye - Last Christmas

Low - Just Like Christmas (the best holiday song ever....)

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

We be giggin'....Major Leaguer Top 10 gigs of 2005

As promised, here are the top ten Major Leaguer gigs of the year (in no particular order). Ticket stubs not included.

Slint @ The Forum (Mar)
Pelican @ Scala (Dec)
LCD Soundsytem/Soulwax/The Go! Team @ The Astoria (Feb)
Clor/Absentee @ Barfly (May)
Maximo Park @ ULU (May)
Willie Mason @ ULU (April)
Of Montreal @ Spitz (Nov)
Cut Copy @ Big Day Out, Sydney (Jan)
Sleater Kinney @ Koko (Sept)
Brendan Benson/HAL @ Electric Ballroom (April)

* Congratulations to Silvia and Joe who had a bouncing baby boy yesterday!! Super fantastique, and certainly an excuse for me to post snaps of my favourite Spanish/Swedish homeboy Xander. Nice hat boyeeee.



* Major Leaguer Playlist highlights @ Edinboro Arms (16/12/05)

Nostalgia 77 - 7 Nation Army
Derrick Laro and Trinity - Don't Stop Till You Get Enough
Ghostface - Be Easy
Blackalicious - Alphabet Aerobics (Cut Chemist remix)
Nine Inch Nails - The Hand That Feeds (DFA remix)
The Presets - Girl And The Sea (Cut Copy Mix)
Annie - Heartbeat (Phones Maximo remix)
The Rapture - Out Of The Races And Onto The Tracks
Gang 90 - Jack Kerouac
Franz Ferdinand - The Fallen (Justice edit)
Jay-Z - Izzo (Hova)
Stars - Fairytale Of New York

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Pardee! / Schwab / Who wants Donuts?



Whay-hay! I've now officially got time off work for a possible three week holiday in Germany next year. Oh yes. Now I've just got to get those tickets sorted. Fingers crossed....

* Thanks to the folks at The Space Between and Corbet Place for the swell pardee on Monday night. The mag looks great, brandy was drunk, and records were spun. Tune of the night? Close run thing between The Long Blondes 'Giddy Stratospheres' and the Tom Middleton Cosmos vox remix of Schwab's DJs In A Row (yes, apparently it's featured on the 'It's All Gone Pete Tong' soundtrack but don't let that put you off. Jon Spencer style vocals throughout, while Mr Middleton brings the breakbeats in. A winner every time). Special shout outs to Julieta and Daughters of Kaos too. Now, pass the brandy...

* Next week - Major Leaguer Gigs of 2005. Now where are those ticket stubs again? (I saw The Wurzels too. It was very, very scary)

* Rumour of the week? Everyone's favourite Canadian indie band of the year jumping ship to a major in 2006. I didn't start the fire.....(puntastic)

* New J to the Dilla out in February! Jay Dee's first solo album for Stones Throw, Donuts, will hit stores on Feb 6. Let's hope he gets well soon so he can play some live shows in a better state than this ....

Monday, December 12, 2005

The Space Between launch pardeee tonight!



Beer. Beer. Vodka. Hangover. Ow.

Ahem.... The Space Between Magazine are having their launch party at the Old Truman Brewery in Shoreditch....TONIGHT. Come along. I'm gonna play some rekkids. Then have me some vodka. Beer. Beer. Oh dear (it's been a bit like that this week).

Sunday, December 11, 2005

No Crazy Frog in this here chart....

Major Leaguer stereo selector Dec 11

Tiga - Far From Home
Goldfrapp - Slide In (DFA remix)
Cut Copy - Going Nowhere (Digitalism remix)
Rex The Dog - Frequency
Franx Ferdinand - The Fallen (Justice remix)
Annie - Me Plus One (James Iha remix)
Mylo feat. Freeform Five - Muscle Car (Tiga remix)
Wolf and Cub - Thousand Cuts (Phones Slasher remix)
The Esso Trinidad Steel Band - I Want You Back
The Strokes - You Only Live Once

Friday, December 09, 2005

Bowl-a-rama drama


'Come bowl with me, let's bowl, let's bowl away...'

Yes. Bowling is the new black. Or summin' like that. The folks at Rock'N'Roll Soul are having an early Christmas shindig tonight at The Tavistock Hotel featuring non-stop bowling, DJs and a very special live performance from The Pipettes. Lovely. More info here.

* The Space Between magazine are having their launch party this Monday evening (12th) @ Corbet Place in The Old Truman Brewery, Shoreditch. I'm spinning records from 7.30pm until 9pm, and then will proceed to get very merry so come down, have a drink and shake a leg. The Daughters of Kaos (Club Motherfucker) will be closing the night so it should be a good'un.

* Japan? Croatia? Brazil? No sweat.

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Yes, it means 'light skinned boy' in Mexican slang. No, it's not a taco.


For more design lovlieness, check out Ilisu's blog

So, like every other music blog out there, I've thrashed out a Top 10 albums of 2005 list (as previously mentioned). The man above unfortunately didn't make the cut, but I still thought Guero was a good album, despite the likeness to Odelay in parts. What I don't understand is the way in which critics thought it was a 'return to form'? Does this mean Seachange was rubbish? Has Beck ever really had a creative rut, or did some critics turn on him because he stopped being the whacky guy with two turntables and a microphone, and beared his emotions to the public on an break-up album full of sombre, yet beautiful accoustic songs? You work it out.

Anyway, here's the Top 10 in order (if you want rhyme and reason then mosey along to the full article at Subter)

1. Sleater Kinney - The Woods
2. The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
3. Low - The Great Destroyer
4. Isolee - We Are Monster
5. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
6. Common - Be
7. Bright Eyes - Digital Ash
8. Brendan Benson - The Alternative To Love
9. Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger
10. Vitalic - OK Cowboy

* Larry Bird, Tom Waits, Eli Wallach, Noam Chomsky and myself are going to go out drinking tonight to celebrate our shared birfday. I just hope Noam doesn't repeat his antics from last year (the bouncers certainly didn't appreciate his loud opinions on syntax and semantics, especially when he presented them to the hen's party across the room whilst stripping down to his Calvins...sigh. You can't take those linguistics professors anywhere....)

Sunday, December 04, 2005

New Belle and Sebastian?

No, it's certainly not here. Oh no. Nope.

Too cool for school (NB. Kids - stay in school, OK?)

Ah, I love lazy Sundays. A big thank you to all that came out last night to the first Through Being Cool night at The Orwell, and special props to the posse representing all things Nice. For those that couldn't make it, well you'll just have to wait until January for the next one. Watch this space for for the why's and where's, or sign up to the Through Being Cool Mailing List at throughbeingcool@hotmail.co.uk

Before that though, there's the small matter of December 31st. Looks like I'll be here.....will you?

So how what did this lazy Sunday consist of? Well, after a long lie-in, I set to work demolishing pastries and the weekend papers (hey, The Observer provides important ruffage ok?) before settling down to some Jack Sparrow shenanigans in preparation for July 6 (take a sneak peek here). Yo ho ho.

* Sign the petition to get Marty McFly's Nike Air's on the market!

* Remix of the year? Well, Koushik's re-rub of Four Tet's A Joy, featuring Stones Throw dynamo Percee P, is certainly a contender. Or perhaps the Justice overhaul of Franz Ferdinand's The Fallen? (Ta muchly Razorblade Runner)

* Highlight of last night, sans deck buffonery, was Nathaniel from My Two Dads showing us a sneak peek at this year's Christmas TV highlight

Friday, December 02, 2005

Jacques Lu Cont is remixing in my house, my house.




Well, his remixes have certainly been in most of my ramshackle sets this year, as well as regularly seeping through the tinny speakers of my laptop. The latest two that I picked up today are yet more evidence that he's a sheer bloody genius.

First up is a storming take on 'A Pain That I'm Used To', the first track from the latest Depeche Mode album, Playing The Angel. Lu Cont, a.k.a Stuart Price, takes the original and turns it into a peak time anthem with whirring noises all over the shop. Listen to a snippet here, along with the Goldfrapp and Telex mixes (thanks to Quiddity). It's out on December 12.

If that doesn't sink your slipper, then Lu Cont's remix of the new Royksopp single might be more up your alley. Sure, the album it came from, The Understanding, may have been a bit vocal heavy but 'What Else Is There' was one of the hidden gems, featuring the vocals from the lurvely Karin Dreijer from The Knife (whose track 'Take My Breath Away' also got the special re-rub treatment earlier this year from Mylo - another of the year's best). While the original is a dreamy yet somber affair, the Thin White Duke rub (one more of Price's various monikers) is sunshine in a record sleeve, with the words 'euphoric crowd sing-along' written across the front with a big black marker pen. A summer classic if ever there was one, it's a shame it's hit stores in the UK in dreary wet November instead of sunny July. You may just hear this one later on tomorrow night at Through Being Cool (no, JLC won't be spinning it himself, but you get the picture). 'And the flashlights, and explosions...'. Get your mitts on it now.

* Oh, it's the end of year time and what better place to start than Subter.com. Some guy called Euan has listed his top 10 albums of the year. Yeah, what does he know....

Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Through Being Cool this Saturday @ The Orwell N1

Through being cool? Yeah, I think so.

Join Euan and Sioux-Elin this Saturday night for
the first installment of Through Being Cool at The
lovely Orwell on Essex Rd.

Tuneage? Rawk, soul, 60s pop, electro, indie and
a whole lot more. Stroll down Essex Rd, away
from the glut of bars near Islington, relax on the
comfy couches with a drink, then dance the night
away. Free entry!

See you there punkrockers....

Through Being Cool
Saturday Dec 3
9pm - 2am
@ The Orwell
382 Essex Rd
N1 3PF

(oh, and it's an early birfday bash for me too!)

Monday, November 28, 2005

New night at The Orwell, Islington



Right. The plans to take over the world Major Leaguer style continue in earnest, with a new night at The Orwell in Islington being the latest step. I'll be spinning tunes this Saturday with the lovely Sioux-Elin (Catch, George & Dragon), and would love to say 'hi' to y'all and buy you a pint. Or we could nip down to the local Sainsbury's and swig a bottle of Babycham instead. Either's good for me. Tunes? Rawk, indie-schmindie, electro, garage (the good garage that is), soul and anything else I can drag from the record bag. Come along!

Major Leaguer & Sioux-Elin @ The Orwell
9pm - 2am
Saturday 3rd December
382 Essex Road
N1 3PF

Sunday, November 27, 2005

R.I.P. Mr Miyagi


First George Best, now Pat Morita. Sigh....

Saturday, November 26, 2005

Rest? Bah. It's for the wicked.

In the last 24 hrs I've....
* played some records
* got some sleep
* worked
* listened to Low's Christmas album twenty times, and not got bored yet
* conversed about the life of George Best with countless numbers of old men (Sample dialogue 'Well, if Pele says he was the best who am I to argue?'
* fell asleep on the bus home
* ate homemade soup (Roasted Sweet Potato, Carrot and Chickpea.....mmmmm!)
* watched Bedazzled (the original, not the trash remake with Brendan Fraser and Liz Hurley!)
* zzzzzzzzzzzzzz...oh, sorry, I'm all tuckered out!

Major Leaguer @ Defectors Weld highlights

Feist - Inside & Out (Pearson and Usher Elektronische Dub)
Whitey - Non Stop
Schwab - DJs In A Row (Tom Middleton remix)
The Rapture - Sister Saviour (DFA vocal mix)
Death From Above 1979 - Sexy Results (MSTRKRFT remix)
Franz Ferdinand - The Fallen (Justice remix)
The Knife - You Take My Breath Away (Mylo remix)
Punks Jump Up feat. The Beepettes - Be You (Beep Beep) (love those backing vocals!)
The Futureheads - Area
AC/DC - Back In Black

Friday, November 25, 2005

Defectors Weld this Friday (25/11)

Just to let y'all know I'm spinning rekkids way out in Shepherds Bush on Friday at the lurvely Defectors Weld. Belgian beer and damn fine tunes. Not a bad start to the weekend....

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

The 'Love From Above'....

So, quite a bit's happened in my blogging absence. Here's a re-cap of the higlights....

* Purchased my first pair of Adidas kicks since I was 12. Gotta love the Trimm Trabbs. Speaking of the Three Stripes, check this blog out.

* I love American mail-order. Check out the new Death From Above 1979 remix CD 'Romance Bloody Romance' featuring the likes of Erol Alkan, Josh Homme, Fred Falke & Alan Braxe, and Justice reworking the Canadian duo's ace debut. Sonic bliss.

* American indie week. Last Thursday it was Of Montreal (just lovely), tonight it's Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. But do we need another Talking Heads?

* Everything's turned Green & Gold, and it's all thanks to John Safran (what?)...

* Life's really a rollercoaster isn't it?

* Hey, it's only this many days until Christmas. Have you got your copy of Low's Christmas EP yet? And if not, why not? Tsk tsk...

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Yes. Yes. Yes. See you in Germany!


Yes.



Yes.



Yes.



Yes.



Yes.



YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This week had been pretty damn good before today. Now, it's simply brilliant. Thanks Guus. If only Johnny had been there...

Friday, November 11, 2005

That nervous feeling every four years....


A brief holiday from Major Leaguer activities, but in the meantime I have one thing to say......C'MON SOCCEROOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday, November 06, 2005

Bah humbug!


'It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas'. No shit Bing. Walking around the West End was pretty hellish yesterday and, considering it was only the first weekend in November, it's going to get much worse in December. I'm going to buy my pressies early this year so I can spend my rare moments of free time -

a) staggering to and from Christmas drinks
b) recuperating from said Christmas drinks
c) wallowing in my own muck
d) robbing pharmacies of bird flu drugs to best prepare for the winter onslaught. Trust me people, I'm sure bird flu was predicted in the Bible somewhere. Yeah, in the back, between some psalms I think. Fine then, don't believe me.

* Am jockeying some discs at Bar Vinyl in Camden this Monday. You might hear a couple of these in amongst the poorly mixed mess...

The Presets - Girl And The Sea (Cut Copy remix)
White Enemy - White Enemy
The Rapture - Out Of The Races And Onto The Tracks
Tiga - You Gonna Want Me (Isolee In-My-Bee remix)
Hardrock Striker - Control (In Flagranti Disco Punk mix)
Four Tet feat. Percee P - A Joy
Chromeo - Needy Girl (Bloc Party's High School Prom remix)
Radio 4 - Start A Fire (Justin Robertson's Revtone Instrumental mix)
Kenny Rogers - The Gambler (ok, now that's just being silly)

* Plug one - Drowned In Sound is up and running again this week after a re-launch. Nautical is definitely in this season.

* Plug two - November means it's issue 10 of Subter.com

* Plugs One and Two (from De La Soul) were at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Lisbon this week performing with Gorillaz. But weren't Gorillaz also performing in Machester at the same time?

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

A good mixtape to put you in the right mood



Props to Protein Feed who stumbled upon this gem of a memorial site to a plethora of C-90 goodness. How many of these blank beauties have you used?

Major Leaguer mixtape (2/10/05)

The Kills - Good Ones (Tiga Remix)
Black Dice - Smiling Off (Luomo Remix)
LCD Soundsystem - Too Much Love (Rub'n'Tug Mix)
Skoud - Saker
DJ Shadow - The Number Song (Cut Chemist Party Mix)
Jurassic 5 - Red Hot
Ghostface - Easy
Cat Power - The Greatest (click to get this track free from Matador!)
Hugh Montenegro - Too High
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Upon This Tidal Wave Of Blood
My Morning Jacket - It Beats For You
Sufjan Stevens - What Goes On
New Pornographers - Jackie, Dressed In Cobras
Foreign Exchange - Foreign Exchange End Theme

Monday, October 31, 2005

What's your filing technique?


Mine's awesome. Chronological-style like my man Mike Gordon. Davis Rees' follow-up to Get Your War On is a brilliant snapshot of office politics and the insanity of day-to-day life in a cubicle. Hand me my stapler and a box of sharpened 2B's.

* A fiver is all you need for the super-duper DFA Holiday Sampler. It's sampleriffic!

* Spotted in Piccadilly Circus today - Giles from Buffy! Well, Anthony Stewart Head if you're going by real names. No, wait, his real name is Giles. Honest.

* Before you gorge yourself on candy, swat up on your Halloween history. Spooky.

* Good to see Elvis is still the king when it comes to making money from beyond the grave, despite Biggie and Bob's best efforts (cha-ching!)

Sunday, October 30, 2005

365 days ago....


...I started this 'ol blog. In that time I've -

* posted 137 times (including this one)
* kept the same ol' job
* moved from the ghettos of Wood Green to the ghettos of Dalston
* lived through the break up of Busted and the rise of McFly.
* started playing records out and about
* started writing for these guys, and these guys, and these guys.
* curtailed my addiction to Friendster
* tried to curtail my addiction to MySpace (but failed miserably)
* visited home
* saw my football team become campeones europeos (thanks to El Rafa)
* discovered the joy of Rhubarb yoghurt
* started cooking again (try this one for tomorrow night)
* found a new favourite band
* and said goodbye to another one
* broke all promises to blog regularly
* missed many deadlines
* got broadband and cable (hooray!)
* and a monthly bill for them (hiss!)
* realised carrying two boxes of flyers probably isn't wise for my back
* found a great local watering hole with the best jukebox in town
* and realised that life isn't that bad (and will be even better if I get an early birthday present in 3 weeks time)

Saturday, October 29, 2005

Beware: Giant Worms (and Bevin Kacon)


OK, hands up out there who's seen Tremors? I was flicking channels last night and happened to stumble upon it by accident. Class. One of the cheesiest horror films of all time (heck, does it even classify as a horror film now?) with equally cheesy performances by Bevin Kacon, the dad from Family Ties and Reba 'yee-ha' McEntire, not to mention a bunch of giant worms. I remember first watching it at a sleepover when I was 11...memories. Part of a video/pizza bill that included The Lost Boys, Die Hard 2 and Predator 2, followed by Coke-fuelled mayhem as my friends and I went outside to water bomb the neighbourhood. Ah, those heady days of youth...

* Happy Birthday Winona! I bought you a present, but someone stole it...

* Peep the new Gorillaz video for 'Dirty Harry' here. Features cute animated kids (Hewlett style of course) and the Pharcyde's Booty Brown jumpin' around in the desert. A much better single than 'Dare'.

* More visual pleasure, this time of the ass shakin' time - new Madonna, and it's not pants! That Stuart Price fella can fix anything.

* I know what I want for Christmas Sandy Claws. Why, a Girls Aloud doll!

* What? More Ryan Adams albums? He's some kind of indie-starlet datin', tune writin' cyborg! Get your wallets out on December 19th (or the following day if you're Stateside) for his third album of the year, 29 (so that's another Ryan Adams new album, some Girls Aloud dolls, and a pony. I've been good, I swear!)

* More alt-county goodness. Jeff Tweedy tells Billboard about the new Wilco album which will come out sometime next year.

Friday, October 28, 2005

The World of Kane! / Scarlet Mist


I've been on a writing holiday this week, hence the lack of bloggy goodness in the past week. To make up for it, here's a dearth of news, tidbits and links for y'all.

* Major Leaguer extends a warm welcome to Will Kane's entrance to the blogging community. Enter the World of Kane if you dare!

* UK readers only - Fed up with being unable to grab tickets for that upcoming Sufjan Stevens or McFly show? Yes, I know that's the only time you'll ever see those two artists in the same sentence...anyway, head on over to Scarlet Mist for a non-E-Bay alternative to securing those prized front row seats. Scarlet Mist aims to bring together people who are looking to buy tickets with people who are looking to sell tickets. If you see tickets highlighted for sale, simply fill in a form on the site, and in no time at all you'll be in contact with the person that owns them. No nasty booking fees, no overcharging, just tickets at face value!

* Phil's on trial, but just look at his hair!

* Something just as scary - letting Jacko in front of a microphone for charity.

* Stating the obvious #1 - 'Pete Doherty needs a good slap' - Sharon Osbourne in an interview with Attitude magazine. Really? Damn, that's just what he needs Sharon. Why didn't I think of that?

* Stating the obvious #2 - Test Icicles admit they were 'really shit' during their their aborted support set at last week's Leeds leg of the Arctic Monkeys tour, after failure to soundcheck properly (and write decent tunes, lyrics etc.) It seems they're not to keen on the Monkeys fans either.

* Swoon....new Neko Case due in March next year. Sigh. Oh, and Neko's delightful New Pornographers are playing next Tuesday Nov 1 at the Borderline, and Thursday Nov 3 at 93 Feet East.

Thursday, October 20, 2005

Boards Of Canada - The Campfire Headphase


Woozy goodness abounds. Posted by Picasa

Album of the week

Boards Of Canada - The Campfire Headphase

It doesn't feel like three years since everyone's favourite Scottish electronic duo were last filling our ears with lush, dizzy soundscapes. In fact, it seems much longer, especially since Mike Sanderson and Marcus Eoin are so far ahead of their contemporaries that an age probably has passed since an electronic album bearing the quality of The Campfire Headphase has graced the Major Leaguer stereo. Well, maybe that's not quite true, but the high standards BOC set early in their career have influenced a generation of bedsit beatmakers around the globe, much in the same way Radiohead or Jeff Buckley influenced the glut of high-pitched emoting bands that were a dime-a-dozen at the turn of the century. It's also safe to say that BOC's latest collection of fables from a faraway land is one of 2005's most anticipated releases, with messageboards, indie sites, and not to mention copious blogs (yes, this lil' ol' site included) being overloaded with information and hype on WARPCD123. There were even erroneous tracks 'leaked' all on the web during the last month to wet the whistle of fans the world over, in one of the strangest forms of flattery shown towards an artist by fans in recent years.

Indded, such anticipation is merited in the case of The Campfire Headphase, which proves to be the equal of the duo's previous album, Geogaddi, if not quite a career peak. 'Chromakey Dreamcoat' warbles gently along a sea of gentle broken beats, while the spectral beauty of 'Dayvan Cowboy' starts slowly with the gentlest of guitar loops, before taking flight. Shimmering strings weave in amongst crashing hi-hats before fading into the distance, providing the albums highlight. Where this latest album differs from previous BOC outings is the way in which the duo have integrated the guitar soaked melodies of Bibio, as well as the skewed beats of Boom Bip, to provide an atmosphere that although might not please the hardcore fans of Music Has the Right To Children, which remains a benchmark electronic recording that continues to assume greater importance with every passing year, shows the duo aren't going to rest on their laurels just to please the purists. A clear sign that while Sanderson and Eoin are continuing to follow their own path, they're not afraid to venture into the unmarked trails etched in the grooves of The Campfire Headphase's dream-like landscape.

Listen to Boards Of Canada's The Campfire Headphase here.

Thursday, October 13, 2005

'Let 'em riot. We're Sonic-fuckin-Death Monkey'

music
Good. You know your music. You should be able to
work at Championship Vinyl with Rob, Dick and
Barry


Do You Know Your Music (Sorry MTV Generation I Doubt You Can Handle This One)
brought to you by Quizilla

Yes kids, it's the easiest music quiz around. Failure is unacceptable, OK?

*The word on Serenity? Go see it. To paraphrase my comrade Will Kane, 'The worst part of the movie was trying to figure out which female character I liked most'. Well said WK.

Happy John Peel Day y'all.....go buy the new Fall album and turn it up to 11 in his honour.

Monday, October 10, 2005

Nope, no slayers here / Aardman Studios is burning down


But where are the stakes? Posted by Picasa

Off to see Serenity tonight. Wasn't a huge fan of Firefly but have heard only good things about Mr Whedon's latest work. Plus, this will be the only work from Joss until his take on Diana and her lasso (and that's not going to be ready until 2007) so I'd best get my fix now. Random burblings from my mushy brain...

* Guess Britney wanted her bra after all. Nuts!

* Spare cash? Spend it on these beauties.

Various Artists - Leave Them All Behind
Damn fine collection of tunes from the always reliable Modular stable, plus other assorted indie-dance tracks that sit very nicely alongside them. Pretty much all the tunes you've heard at Trash this year and more. Two CDs for a tenner? Bloody lovely I tell ya.

The Fall - Heads Roll
Mark E Smith in fantastic album shock! OK, the man is a bit of an icon (even if his appearance almost a year ago on the BBC on the day of John Peel's death was a bit random) but recent Fall albums have been underwhelming to say the least. Heads Roll however is a rampaging return to form, complete with Smith's drawled lyrical flow and tunes that veer from lush the one moment to downright stomping the next.

* Fancy a round of golf with the RZA?

NEWS JUST IN! Aardman studios is ablaze....sniff! Wensleydale on toast anyone?

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

Subter October / Britney's bra? You're so kind.

Subter October is a go-go. In it you'll find -

* an interview with the de-lightful, de-lovely and de-lish RecordPlayer lasses

* critiques on both Spain (the country) and The Strolling Bones (the retirement home escapees) from Houman Sadri

* and the first burblings of a new way for bands to be heard online

(Note to all fledgling bands and artists: Yes, there are other ways for your music to be heard instead of bombarding all MySpace users to be your 'friends'. I don't care that your influences are Incubus, Led Zepplin and Phish. Your music still sucks.)


That's a lot of diamonds. Posted by Picasa

* Fine, I'll admit it. I enjoy the Britney celebrity roadshow (who, unlike Paris Hilton, does have a shred of talent). Combine that with charidee, and by golly folks, you've got yourself a weiner. All proceeds from the 'Out Bid Me Baby One More Time' auction go towards the Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund.

Oh, and if you want to donate but ain't down with Brit's garments, the OkayPlayer kids have some lovely 'ReNew Orleans' shirts you can trade for your hard-earned. ReNew Orleans? Geddit? Huh? Geez, I don't know why I bother. Grumble....if anyone wants me I'll be bidding for Britney's beret. Whaddya mean pink ain't my colour? Oh, yeah, that was last season, and I'm not down with the Jude Law style.

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Fire Demons 'R' Us


Posted by Picasa

Finally saw Howl's Moving Castle yesterday and it was pretty good, although not a patch on Princess Mononoke. Have to go see it again though as my local kino only had the 'American' dubbed version, and I'd have prefered to see it with the original Japanese language soundtrack. I guess that's what DVD's are for, although I'll be waiting until November 16.

*If you live in Lahhndahhn town, head to the fine record store that is Phonica for a free Slices DVD featuring clips and multimedia from Warp, Hexstatic, Novamute and Mantis. Tasty tasty!

*Speaking of rekkid stores, I had a fine weekend record shopping with the regular Soho trawl on Saturday, and a trip to Brighton on Sunday (with possibly the best record shop to person ratio in the UK). No pier of rock action for me though as it was straight to Resident and then Mic Check for some tasty treats where I found the new Roots rarities mix-tape compiled by DJ Ayers. I also finally snaffled the lovely Foreign Exchange 'Connected' album from last year, and a few cheapies from Rounder Records (Gang of Four, Beasties and Alter Ego). Grand total? Just over 20 squid. Met up with some new friends for evening pints, and then caught the last train back to the big smoke. Slept like a baby...a bit like this one!


Lil' Xander and some weirdo. Posted by Picasa

* One Soulful Negro has a Roots rarity too, featuring the last appearance of Malik B. Heck, they even compare it to Prince's infamous 'Wally'. Oooh!

Sunday, October 02, 2005

Kate. Bush. Yes.


Yes, not long now... Posted by Hello

Have just heard Kate Bush's new single on WOXY.COM, and it's simply beautiful. One of those songs you hear for the first time and halfway through the goosebumps begin to tingle. Stunning. Pencil in October 24th in your diaries for the single, and November 7 for the album.


Posted by Picasa

Thursday, September 29, 2005

Hand + ball = What do you think?

No goals, no penalties. Jipped, I tells ya!

*You've got only 3 more days to check out ?uestlove's fine selection of tunes on last weekend's Worldwide show on Radio 1 (filling in for Gilles Peterson).

*A sequel to No Direction Home? C'mon Bob, you know it makes sense.

*Kicking more dirt on Johnny Cash's grave - yes, it's the totally unecessary musical of his life, 'Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Musical Story'. Oh. Dear. Surely not another lemon, sorry, Lennon.

*Pharrell's solo joint is dropping on November 15, entitled 'In My Mind'. Here's the first single, Can I Have it Like That featuring Gwen 'Never mind Gavin, I still love you even though Institute are shit' Stefani. If you listen to ?uestlove's Worldwide show above, you'll find the Timbaland-helmed track Spaceship (feat. Magoo) around the 35 minute mark, and it's even hotter.

*New stuff too from The Strokes, Juicebox, but be quick! Thanks to Badminton Stamps. First impressions?

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

'Arr, squiddy, I got nothin' against ya. I just heard there was gold in yer belly'


Thar's the culprit! Posted by Picasa

Giant Squid! Suddenly I don't feel like swimming in the ocean for quite some time. Bet Steve Zissou never saw one of those. However, I'm sure he doesn't care since he's too busy admiring his nifty kicks. I don't care what Gawker says, I gotsta get me some!

Shoes, shoes, shoes...

*For those wondering, Can't Mix Won't Mix is in hibernation, but may surface in a new venue (and possibly under a new name) in the next few months. I'll keep y'all posted.

*Ding Ding! Here we go again.

*Oh dear. Looks like Steve Jobs has a problem on his hands. But why do people need more than one iPod?

Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Roots / Breakin' with Mr T / R.I.P. Maxwell Smart

Howdy pardners. Anybody catch part one of Scorsese's Dylan documentary last night on BBC2? Fascinating stuff, and the footage from the Newport Folk Festival with Dylan and Joan Baez was just lovely (even if he did then treat her like most other women in his life. Poor form Bob!). Part 2 is on tonight, and the DVD comes out on Monday for those who've missed their fix of Zimmerman action.

News news news...

* Illadelphers The Roots have found a new home after leaving Geffen. Yup, they're now rockin it with Hova down at Def Jam. Does this mean a reunion of the killer combo from Jigga's unplugged set?

*Gold. Yes, it's Mr T learning how to break and body pop in the campest way possible. Hey, don't mock him fool!

*Sad day for spies all over the globe as news filtered through that Agent 86 passed away last weekend. Sniff!

Saturday, September 24, 2005

Stax of slacks / 72 years is a loooong wait (Well done Swans)

In the aftermath of seeing Blues Explosion rip up Koko this week as part of the Don't Look Back series, here's Major Leaguer's top five songs about slacks, pants, trousers...

5. Dirty Jeans - Magic Dirt
4. Baggy Trousers - Madness
3. Bellbottoms - JSBX
2. Hot Pants - James Brown
1. Short Shorts - The Royal Teens (yes, this wins by a country mile!)

Oh, musn't go without quickly mentioning the good work of Mr Leo Barry from Sydney. Well done Sydney. I'm sure some regular Major Leaguer vistors woke up with sore heads this morning ;)

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Been a while, I shouldna left you....

Yeah, yeah. Blogging doesn't necessarily maketh the man, or summin' like that. I've got to stop reading those classy liberal newspapers, what with their big words and lack of Page 3 models. Shame on me! Although the new format for the guardian is lovely indeed (yes, it's in lower case because that's how the title appears on the front page. You can download free PDF versions of the new Berliner format until September 26).

So kids, what's news? Spent the week having various drinks of the alchoholic and non-alcoholic kind with friends old and new (Conal - have fun in South America! I'll see you next time I'm in Melbourne), writing some things for Ditched and Subter, spending an hour last night gazing at a lush full moon before falling asleep, buying records I can't afford (but that's not really news since it's the same ol' story every damn week), and seeing bands of varying degrees in Camden. Such as...

* Pedro The Lion (last Sunday at The Underworld), who avoided the sound problems that befell their support acts, and provided this indie-rock geek with two hours of warm mushy emo, filled with the occasional chopping guitar riff. I'd write more, but I'll save it for another day (or more importantly the next issue of Nature Loves Courage ...available at all good London record stores from mid-October, issue launch party coming soon) . But if they're playing in your neck of the woods then check them out.

If I had a little money...I'd snap up some of these records out this week.

* Nada Surf - 'The Weight Is A Gift' (CD, Barsuk/V2)
* Papa M / Unhome - 'Mama You've Been On My Mind / Pine Tree'("7 re-issue, Awkward Silence)
* Broadcast - 'Tender Buttons' (CD/LP, Warp)
* Jackson and his Computer Band - 'Smash' (CD/LP, Warp)...this album's just a wee bit special, and fans of quality electro up for something new in the vein of Isolee need look no further...

Oh, and even though Lil Kim's jail term starts today, at least The Source sees fit to provide us all with some laughs to ease the pain, as pointed out by the fine peeps at Spine. Yup, 5 mike review for 'Naked Truth' (I mean, I know The Source's standards have slipped in recent years but...what? 5? Does that means she's as good as Eric B and Rakim or Nas?.......what? 5?!?!)

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Put the needle on the record....

....and the drum beat goes like this!

Had a blast spinning tunes on Sunday for the Cancer Research '12 Bands in 10 Hours' gig at The Duke in Chiswick. Money raised, bands played (Eddie and Paul - you lads will go far one day!), drinks drunk, and a good time was had by all. Thanks to Chris, Lucas, and Eddie for inviting me to participate in a lovely day out...

* The September issue of Subter.com is up and out there. Check it out peeps.

* If you're up for a dance this Thursday night, pop along to Bethnal Green Workingmen's Club for the new night from those elegant deckwreckers The Record Players. Cheap pints, live music from Sam the Balladeer amongst others, and surprises galore.

* If you only buy one record this week, make it Little Brother's The Minstrel Show, ok? Over and out.

Major Leaguer stereo selections (or 'party stuff what I played on Sunday, y'hear?')

VHS Or Beta - Night On Fire (Cut Copy Mix)
Nada Surf - Blankest Year
Bob Dylan - Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (Chronicles is out in paperback this week!)
AC/DC - Back In Black
The Roots - I Don't Care
ODB feat Kelis - Got Your Money
The Clash - Hateful
Gang 90 - Jack Kerouac (from this year's best compilation of Brazilian punk-funk, The Sexual Life of Savages...yes, there's been several of them!)

Thursday, September 08, 2005

Diss this, diss that - Common vs Rising Son, Yungun & Doc Brown

Oops...looks like Common's in a spot of bother, due to comments made on the subject of inter-racial relationships during an interview in the June issue of Touch, as well as lyrics from the track 'Real People' from his latest album, Be. In response, UK rappers Rising Son, Doc Brown & Yungun have joined together, and created 'Dear Common (The Corner Dub)', where Rising Son calls one of Chi-town's favourite son's a 'racist bitch'. Ow.

* Hear the trio's response track (thanks to HipHopGameUK)

* Read Elle J Small's original article in Touch which kicked off the whole shebang (one of the best pieces of music journalism for quite some time)

* The Okay Player boards have some interesting, if sometimes irrelevant, views about the issue.

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

All I got is Nada....oh, and Antony


Ricky from the Kaisers never looked this good... Posted by Picasa

First things first, it looks like the 'juggling ball' Mercury music prize got it right for the second year in a row. Who'da thunk it? Well done Antony.

News, news, news!

* Saw the power pop stylings of Nada Surf at The Spitz last night (which is the cosiest venue I've been to in quite some time. Gets a bit hot though!)

So....no, they didn't play 'Popular'. Yes, they played heaps of tracks from Let Go, and a few from Proximity Effect. And, yes, they played half the new album, highlights being 'Do It Again' and 'What Is Your Secret' which are prime candidates for future singles. Here's what the fans thought...

*Phew! Alex Chilton is safe and well after being rescued from the murky New Orleans waters. Unfortunately, thousands of other Big Easy residents haven't been so lucky. Here's a list of charities and organisations that you can contact to pledge your support.

* On a related note, here's Kanye's outburst during last week's New Orleans beneift telethon (and whether you agree with Kanye or not, the bemused look on Mike Myers face is priceless)

Saturday, September 03, 2005

Sleater-Kinney @ Koko - 2/9/05


If you go down to the woods today... Posted by Picasa

...you'll see Sleater-Kinney rockin' their socks off. Last night's SK gig at Koko in Camden was one of the best gigs I've seen in a long time. Plenty of tracks from The Woods , a few choice oldies (finishing their final encore with 'Dig Me Out'), and some stellar jams between the three of them near the end of the main set. The segue from 'Let's Call It Love' to 'Entertain' was a nice surprise, especially since I expected them to go into 'Night Light' like they do on the album.

Janet Weiss is one of the best drummers I've ever had the chance to see live, Carrie was extremely energetic with Townsend-style high kicks all over the stage, and although Corin's vocals sounded a bit rough at the start (quite possibly due to the length of the European festival tour they've been on), she soon kicked into gear with an brilliant turn on 'Jumpers' (song of the night).

They're touring the UK again in November so if you haven't had the chance to check SK live yet I strongly recommend it.

Let Sleater-Kinney 'Entertain' you.

Thursday, September 01, 2005

Kate Bush! Hooray!


She's back! Posted by Hello

Click the link and go running up that hill again with Ms Bush! We missed you....

Monday, August 29, 2005

I got my (Hilltop) Hoodie on...

Continuing on with the look at Australian hip-hop, here's two more links for your body poppin' pleasure.

* By popular request, I've got to mention The Hilltop Hoods. Their casual style is a refreshing change, and the fact they don't need to rap with a Stateside twang is just one of the many reasons why they've built up quite a following in their home country. Check The Sentinel from 2003 album The Obese for a quality Aussie hip-hop cut.

* Here's what Nation Master Wiki says about Aussie beats and rhymes.

Sunday, August 28, 2005

Little Brother / Nicolay

For those in the know, one of the best hip-hop albums of 2003 came from Little Brother. Comprising of MC's Phonte and Big Pooh and beat-maker extraordinaire 9th Wonder, the group's debut The Listening is reminiscent of A Tribe Called Quest's Low End Theory and De La Soul's Stakes Is High - soulful production from 9th (of Jay-Z, Murs and Jean Grae fame), and clear, witty rhymes from Pooh and Phonte.

Those that slept on The Listening should pick it up in preparation for the group's major label debut, The Minstrel Show, which is so hot it caused the editor-in-chief of The Source magazine to resign last week over a dispute on the planned 4-and-half mic rating it was going to get (an issue that may be more complicated than it seems, although this isn't surprising considering The Source's diminishing status amongst hip-hop heads).

4-and-a-half mics or not it's out on September 12 (and the following day in the States). Here's the video for The Minstrel Show's first single, 'Lovin' It' featuring Joe Scudda.

Speaking of Little Brother, one of 2004's best hip-hop albums came from LB rapper Phonte and unknown Dutch producer Nicolay, who together as Foreign Exchange created Connected through the wonders of e-mail (for you indie kids, that's just like The Postal Service!). It's an especially impressive joint considering the pair had never even met each other in the flesh until after the album came out! Nicolay is about to drop a new instumental album 'City Lights Volume 1.5' this September, and if you go to the man's site you can browse through his discography whilst listening to his last beats-a-plenty mixtape 'The Dutch Masters Vol. 1' which is worth getting just for his remix of Common's 'Come Close'. Hot. Shit.

Saturday, August 27, 2005

Nada Surf - The Weight Is A Gift


Nada Surf - The Weight Is A Gift Posted by Picasa

Yes, this little indie lad is very excited. 'Let Go' was one of 2002's true gems, so to say I've been waiting for a follow-up is a bit of an understatement. The Weight Is a Gift is out on September 19 here in the UK (one week earlier in the US, Australia, Japan and Canada, while Germany gets an extra week on top of that....huh?) and the tracks I've heard so far are fantastic. Check out the band's MySpace page to hear 'Do It Again', another melancholic slab of power-pop. Ace.

Oh, and Nada Surf are playing a sold out show at The Spitz here in London on the 5th of September, but if you miss them fret not because tickets are now on sale for their return gig in November at the Scala, but be quick to snap them up!.

Hip-Hop from the land down under....

So someone asked me the other day about hip-hop in Australia, and what the scene is like down below the equator. Well, I told him the 411 in detail, and now over the next few days I'm going to spread the word right here. This week Major Leaguer will focus on upside down beats and rhymes for y'all to check out, so here's your first daily dose...

*One of the best places to start is the grandaddy of Oz hip-hop writing, Stealth. Still going strong after 15 years, Stealth is so respected that you can even pick it up in the States, and focuses on the local Australian scene as well as the cream of world hip-hop (ie. not just Fiddy and Snoop) as well as graffitti and breakin'.

* Australian documentray maker Oriel Guthrie's flick Skip Hop takes a look at the the scene as a whole, and features battles, b-boys and b-girls, and interviews with key people in the scene. Definitely worth seeing if you can track it down.

* Although The Black Eyed Peas have fallen by the wayside in recent years with a glut of sing-a-long chorus driven drivel ('Don't Lie'? What's next, songs about road safety?), king B.E.P. Will-I-Am is planning to take a six month sojourn to develop Aussie hip-hop talent. A chance for redemption perhaps...

*Speaking of prodcution, one of the maestros of the boards in Australian hip-hop is Danielsan from Koolism (ARIA Best Urban release winners in 2004 for Part 3: Randon Thoughts). The duo, Danielsan and MC Hau, are currently working on new material at the moment, but if you haven't heard of them Part 3: Random Thoughts is a perfect place to start (check out Nite Time to hear Danielsan and Hau's skills)

* Elefant Traks are a Sydney label that focus on several top-notch hip-hop and electronic artists, and when the Trax lads aren't wheelin' and dealin' they produce beats and rhymes under the moniker of The Herd. Quali-tay all around.

Back with more tomorrow....

Monday, August 22, 2005

R.I.P. Robert Moog

Sniff....Dr Robert Moog, one of music's true innovators, died on the weekend at the age of 71. Moog was the man responsible for revolutionising music through the creation of the electronic synthesizer. The instrument allowed musicians to create synthesized keyboards sounds on small, relatively cheap keyboards. Musicians from the 1960s to today owe much of their signature sound to the use of Moog keyboards, such as Brian Eno, Frank Zappa, The Doors, The Grateful Dead and many more.

Five ways to pay your respects...

*You know you want one. Pick up a Moog doll today.

*Grab a copy of the classic Moog edition of The Beastie Boys affiliated Grand Royal magazine (the same issue in which Bob Nastovich from Pavement shares his horse racing tips!).

*Watch the fantastic Moog documentary, featuring interviews with the likes of Stereolab, Mix Master Mike and DJ Spooky.

*Learn how to make your own theremin, the electronic wave-based device that first attracted Dr Moog into creating his own electronic instruments.

*Bone up on the winners of the Polar Music prize, Sweden's musical equivalent of the Nobel prize which was awarded to Moog in 2001 (past winners have included Stockhausen, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Ravi Shankar, and Pierre Boulez).

Sunday, August 21, 2005

Goodbye La Latina, Hello Dalston

zzzzzzzzzzzz.....whoa.....So it seems the Madrid adventure is o.v.a.h - ovah.

Pictures in the next week or two (no digital camera, so it'll have to be the Boots 7 day wait). WARNING: There will be snaps of cute babies. Can't say I didn't warn you.

Meanwhile, I leave you with these feline gems.

*As pointed out today by The Guardian, here's some fun games involving cats and stacking (No, it's not cruel. Yes, I love cats. It is quite funny though, and very cute).

*If it suddenly all goes pear-shaped (or your cat stack comes unstuck), then the least you can do is help your injured kitty with the help of this Robot Wars-esque invention (ta to the Protein Feed kids). Ain't technology grand?

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Hasta Entonces.... / The Rakes

So, Spain huh? At the moment it's around 34 degrees on a hot Madrid night, and the Major Leaguer holiday has consisted of walking around La Latina, a visit to a lil' football stadium, countless beers and sangrias, and nuthin' much else. I heart holidays.

Record of the week

The Rakes - Capture/Release

Major Leaguer favourites, and damn good guys too, The Rakes perfectly capture the after work, down the pub, at the club, kebab on the way home style of British life. Capture/Release is one of the summer's best releases, with an Ian Dury-esque 'everyday' lyrical slant, and tunes to boot. Plus, they're one of the best live bands around at the moment, and with the festival season still in full swing, you'd be foolish to miss catching The Rakes at your nearest sodden field.

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Spain? / Death Cab For Cutie 'Plans'

Well, this may be the last post for a week, or it may not (if British Airways staff continue to strike and deny me my summer holiday).

Sigh....

Record of the week

Death Cab For Cutie - Plans



 Posted by Picasa
First outing on a major label for Seth Cohen's favourite band, and it's another strong collection of tunes about hearts (both broken and mended) from Ben Gibbard and the gang. Indie purists fearing complacency and over-production due to the band's jump to the murky waters of the mainstream should fret not. Songs such as first single 'Soul Meets Body' are as beautiful as The Photo Album's 'A Movie Script Ending', while 'Different Names For The Same Thing' uses the same mid-song detours that characterised Transatlanticism's stand-out track 'We Looked Like Giants'. Sure, it'll shift units like hotcakes, but right now I can't think of a band that's more deserving of commercial success than DCFC, and that's a statement Seth and Captain Oats would no doubt agree with.