Thursday, April 19, 2007

It's all a Blur really...

Now, back to our regularly scheduled blogging.


* While the quest to fill all 30 GB of my newly acquired Pod of Joy continues, I began uploading Blur's 1999 10th anniversary Singles box set. Yup, all 22 CDs of it. What has surprised me while listening to many of the odd's and sods that accompanied the band's CD1's and CD2's are the hidden gems that wouldn't have sounded out of place on Modern Life Is Rubbish or Parklife. For every hodge-podge instrumental or Kinks rip-off, there are genuine moments of quirky brilliance or thrilling live cuts that make you realise that Blur may have been a tad under-rated, especially on the commercially slept on 13. Here's some of the best cuts.

Blur - Mr Briggs (from the There's No Other Way single)
Blur - Bonebag (from the For Tomorrow single)
Blur - My Ark (from the Chemical World single)
Blur - Young & Lovely (from the Chemical World single)
Blur - Magpie (from the Girls And Boys single)
Blur - To The End (French version) (from the Parklife single)
Blur - The Man Who Left Himself (from the Stereotypes single)
Blur - Popscene (live at Peel Acres) (from the On Your Own single)
Blur - Tender (Cornelius remix) (from the No Distance Left To Run single)

* Simian Mobile Disco are playing in your house, your house....that is if you enter the competition on their website. You can also check out the mighty fine 'Sleep Deprivation' (the opening track to the duo's debut album Attack Decay Sustain Release) on the site's media player.

* Carl Newman, Neko Case and the rest of the insanely talented gang of skilled musicians known as The New Pornographers are back with another smattering of dynamite power pop, with confirmation this week of an August 20 release date for the band's fourth album Challengers. Newman has already hinted to Billboard that the new album will contain six minute songs (gasp!) and, in a longer interview over at Pitchfork, different instruments (string quartets! flutes! trumpets!).

The NP's are playing Glastonbury in June, plus three sold-out club dates in London as a warm-up to Micheal Eavis's country hoedown. The fact that they've managed to reach album number four is quite surprising given the number of projects each band member is involved with outside of NP duties, so those who haven't seen them live before should obtain a ticket by any means possible before the inevitable end (Oh, and peep the Pitchfork interview, if only for the Newman's pull quote suggestion!).

* There goes the last shred of Ben Lee's credibility.

* Wynton Marsalis - is there anything he doesn't hate? If it's not modern jazz (yes, that's you Mr Davis!) it's hip-hop today. Oh dear.

* Shout out to Mr Moon and crew for the ridiculous house party last Saturday night. I've never played in such a small room before to such an up for it crowd. Tune of the night? Well, I'd have to say Ol' Love Symbol's classic was a nice way to end the night.

Prince - Raspberry Beret (12" version)

Now, I'm off to the Tate Modern to look at the Kinshasa 'Populist Party' art exhibition again. Stunning.

8 comments:

Beezer B said...

Wynton Marsalis never had the plot.

Euan said...

So I take it we can't blame him for losing it then, since he never had it? He's stuck in a dixieland state of flux if you ask me!

Anonymous said...

Mr Briggs is a gem of a song

Anonymous said...

Er, exactly when did Ben Lee have credibility? I must have been away that day. Good Charlotte are just paying back the asskissing. Beyonce on the other hand, still owes him big.

Euan said...

Beyonce? Please explain!

Anonymous said...

sadly, the links are down.

Euan said...

Send me a mail Anonymous and I may be able to sort you out. Not going to post them again though!

zincink said...

i love blur