Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Just for one day

Seriously kids, if you haven't seen Heroes yet (either on Sci-Fi channel or through nefarious tinterweb-assisted means) then this Wednesday on BBC2 at 9pm is your chance. Normal peeps suddenly discovering they have super powers which enable them to fly, read minds, heal, walk through walls and time travel. Plus, it's got Conor Oberst in the lead role! Well, maybe not.....


Who's your favourite cast member?


* This week I have mostly been listening to.....Black Sheep. A throwback from 1991, Dres and Mista Lawnge's easy, laidback rhymes are recommended for anybody bored of the current state of hip-hop (I mean really, have there been any must have longplayers this year? Jeez, I though last year was bad...)

Black Sheep - The Choice Is Yours

Friday, July 13, 2007

Got my Simpsons Vans on and they look like sneakers

S.U.C.C.E.S.S. - That's the way you spell a good day's shopping, or summin' like that. (Imagine hearing the JUSTICE kiddies singing that...)

Following on from yesterday's hint, Codename Sparrow and myself hit the new Oxfam in Dalston, and found quite a nice addition to the strip of chicken shops, fabric warehouses, pound shops and warehouses that is Kingsland Rd. There was a poor CD selection, which was beside the point really, as it meant we could get down to business and start combing through the 49p and 99p rekkids. Near misses? Well, Leather and Lace: Volume Two was tempting....in the end I plumped for two albums - Prince's 1999 and Duran Duran's Rio. Sure, obvious choices you might say, and I'd have to agree with you. However, if there's ever a need to play at a wedding in the next few years then these would both make the shortlist for the appropriate record bag.

The catch of the day came near the end of the search, just as we hit the 7's. Ladies and gentleman, I give you the 1985 power ballad from four sharply dressed lads, Mr Mister. Pure. Solid. Gold.


Mr Mister - Broken Wings

To this day, I can still remember hearing this for the first time on a car trip in country Australia when I was young nipper whilst listening to Barry Bissell's Take 40 Australia chart countdown (the Australian version of Rick Dees Weekly Top 40, or Top Of The Pops). The synths, the electronic drums, the soft wailing guitar, and the pleading of singer Richard Page, knowing that 'the look of love will open up for us and let us in' (yeah yeah!). Some people may tarnish songs such as Broken Wings with the lazy (and opportunist) 'Guilty Pleasure' tag, but it still raises a smile every time I hear it, whether in the background while eating a hangover special at the local caff, or whilst playing GTA. Class.

And the clip - I swear, wife beaters and jackets are a winning sartorial one-two.



Later on in the day, I headed over to Brick Lane to check out the mighty fine Super Deluxe, where instead of picking up a pair of the new Marc Jacobs Vans (tasty), I grabbed the last pair of the nice nice Nike Court Force High's designed by Jeff Staple. Merino wool on a sneaker? You betcha.



But now I've found the next target on my shopping list. Feast your peepers on these.





Yup. Limited edition Vans designed by Kaws to commemorate The Simpsons Movie opening later this month. Head over to Freshness Mag for the rest of them (the Futura and Todd James pairs are also nifty too).

Speaking of all things Simpsonic, I followed the lead of Mish from I Used To Dance With My Daddy and pimped my yellow ass right up, avatar stylee.

Only problem is, I haven't been clean shaven in five years! It looks like some Photoshop hijinks might be the only way to get a true Major Leaguer likeness, although right now I've got other things to do with my time, such as packing my trunk for the land of Swedes.....

Sonic Youth - Theme from The Simpsons

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Animal Collective / Fill your boots with Phil!



* Shhhhh....I really shouldn't be saying this, but what the hey. One of my favourite not-so-secret second hand stores, the Oxfam store on Kingsland Rd in Dalston, has just been split into two. The old store continues to sell clothes, toys, furniture and what not, while the new fangled store (situated just a few doors down) is solely devoted to records and books. Myself and Codename Sparrow are going to visit it tomorrow to look for bargains (unlike the wonderful sitemaster of Dalston Oxfam Shop whose discoveries are of a different nature, though no less important!). Still, if you ever need twelve copies of No Jacket Required, you know where to go.

* I'm off to the land of moose and trolls on Friday, but if I wasn't then you'd probably find me at these two pardees this weekend. The lads from West London's finest hip-hop night, Yo Yo at Notting Hill Arts Club, are headlining this Friday's Modular party at Ditch. Joining Seb Chew and Leo Greenslade will be the peeps from the mighty fine FACT magazine, Faggotronix, the Modular DJs themselves, and some special guests (nope, don't have the foggiest who they be....don't ask me, I won't be here!). Anyway, here's the fwyer.



If the hip to the hop ain't your bag of kittens, then why not have a night off (pfft), and rest up for Saturday's Vive La France secret warhouse party. Starts off at The Horse & Groom before heading to ...well, you guessed it, a secret warehouse. But the line-up is aceness indeed. David K, Muriel Moreno, the Girlcore ladiez, and more. Details below.



* The delightful Animal Collective are playing tonight at the Coronet in Elephant & Castle, playing songs old and new, the new being tracks from their upcoming Strawberry Jam album, out September 10. If they play this then I'll probably giggle like a school girl. Check the gorgeous clip below as well.

Animal Collective - Fireworks



* Finally, I didn't get to go see one of Trousersnake's shows at the White Eleph...sorrry, Millenium Do...sorry, 'behemoth phone company' Arena, but my man Beez from 16 33 45 78 did, and his review hits the nail right on the head. If you ever want to blow money on a pop concert with the works, checking out the Snake is highly recommended. More on the moro.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Hiding? / Pinback


Has it been this long? Have I been this busy? Well, yes and no. Life certainly hasn't been ordinary recently, and while the parties have been proper (this weekend was a blast), it hasn't all been rosy either. Made some ace new friends, and lost a dear one. Saw some great gigs (Interpol, JMC, Daft Punk). Finally escaping the smoggy town to soak up the summer sun in Sweden, providing a much needed battery charge (thanks UK Passport service! About time....)

So anyway, to recapitulate, I had a break. And now.... time for normal service to resume.....

Who likes new music? Come on down kids.


Picture courtesy of baonguyen

* Here's one that's not out until September, but too tasty not to preview. Pinback's last album, 2004's Summer in Abaddon was one of the most refreshing indie records for many a year. Simple, stripped back harmonies, on-point drumming, and Rob Crow's off-kilter vocals made for something more than the sum of its parts, and certainly scored props from the indie mafia (Pitchfork, The OC etc.)

The follow up, Autumn Of The Seraphs, seems a much more contemplative affair. While Crow and Armistead Burwell Smith IV continue to mine the same territory that made Summer a staple on the Urban Outfitters stereo, the melancholy that surrounds Autumn makes for a more satisfying listen. Tracks such as Subbing For Eden and Walters don't hit home until the third or fourth spin, giving them time to burrow deep and plant their seeds. The metronomic Devil You Know is one of the many nautically-based songs on Autumn ('We crash into the rocks below') alongside Good To Sea and How We Breathe, conjuring images of sunken treasure, sand between toes, and rising tides. Those wanting something more substantial will be served well by the bookend tracks From Nothing To Nowhere and Off By 50; indeed it's almost as if both tracks came from splitting Summer's closing bruiser AFK with an axe. More of a side-step than a distillation of Pinback's 'commercial' efforts, Autumn shows Crow and Smith continue to perplex and beguile in equal measures.

Pinback - Subbing For Eden

* Let's go shopping. I'll take these kicks please.


And this tee.


Oh, and I'm sure I could find a new cap here.

And some rekkids? Sure, I'll just head over to Brick Lane. Well, in a week or so (July 20 to be exact).

Phew!

* More tomorrow. Until then, why not become addicted to the strange world of cat lolz? I could browse I Can Has Cheezburger for days....