Thinking about an old friend today. I wish he’d get in touch.
Track of the day: Arab Strap – ‘Here We Go’
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Category Archives: Track of the day
Video of the day – Placebo, ‘Pure Morning’
In light of the slew of new gig announcements from the Placebo camp, I thought I’d revisit one of my all-time fave vids – Placebo’s ‘Pure Morning‘, from their 1998 album Without You I’m Nothing:
The first time I saw the video I was transfixed by the stark visuals and imagery, and Mr Molko’s signature androgynous look – this was the post-grunge era, after all, and a dash of glam was entirely unexpected (but oh so welcome). Goodness knows how many hours I spent pondering the exact shade of Mr Molko’s nail polish (surely Urban Decay – after all this was the 90s, perhaps Oil Slick or Bruise, both of which I owned back in the day), and casting lingering looks at his perfectly tousled, wind-swept hair and long toes. I guess that says something about my frame of mind back then (and now: I still love the video).
The song itself used to be a staple of Placebo setlists all through the 90s and early noughties, but I guess they got sick of it, because they dropped it from the last two tours. Maybe, like ‘Nancy Boy‘ (brought out of retirement for the last few live shows), it will be judged ripe for a revival – perhaps on the next album tour.
Placebo’s latest album, Battle For The Sun, is out now on Dreambrother.
Placebo play at the Sundance London Film & Music Festival, 28.04.12 (sold out, I’m afraid), as well as a select number of gigs in and around Europe this summer. See here for details.
Track of the day: Yeasayer – ‘Madder Red’
Isn’t it about time those kooky psychedelic Yeasayer boys released something new? ‘Madder Red‘ in 2010 was like, so two years ago:
(That video is kind of…freaky. And disturbing. And a little bit silly.)
How felicitous: the Yeasayer website promises something in March 2012. Well, I’ll be ready and waiting!
Yeasayer’s most recent album, Odd Blood, is out now on Secretly Canadian.
Track of the Day: Billy Idol – ‘Eyes Without A Face’
Some days you just need to lie on the floor in your best tight leather pants, ripped t-shirt, studded gloves/belt, surrounded by dry ice and doing fight moves - Billy’s got the right idea:
Afterwards, don’t forget to stand in full Mad Max-esque leather combat gear in a burning ring of fire with Ku Klux Klan members looking down ominously at you. Doesn’t that feel better?
Ah, Billy. You were my first pre-teen crush, and many decades later you are still awesome. Your sneer and peroxide blonde bristle cut can never be replicated. And honestly, I still think this song, from his 1983 album Rebel Yell, is brilliant, a surprisingly effective mix of post-punk, New Wave and New Romanticism.
In other news, dear readers, I need to head back home to NZ for a while on family business, so posting may be even more infrequent than usual. Keep the home fires burning, will you, and bring in the post every so often? Thanks!
Track of the day: Austra – ‘Lose It’
EARWORM. That is all.
Austra’s debut album Feel It Break is out now on Domino Records.
Austra play @ Frauenraum, Bern, 31.05.12.
Related articles
- Austra Covers Robyn (stereogum.com)
- Austra – Laneway Festival – February 2012 (glastoreview.com)
- Music :: Austra – Beat and the Pulse (Vondelpark Remix) (theoriginalwinger.com)
- Austra moving on up (thestar.com)
No country for old men – The Lonesome Southern Comfort Company
I totally blame my parents for my love of country music. They saturated my childhood with music relaying terrible stories of cheating men, drinking and impoverished children. I can still remember all the lyrics of ‘Coat Of Many Colors‘ – yes, I’m still traumatised!
Now, however, I’ve moved beyond Kenny, Dolly, Tammy and Patsy, and onto country realms with a slightly less hyperbolic bent. Son Volt and Will Oldham had a lot to do with it (in Will’s various incarnations as Palace Music, Palace Brothers, and Bonnie Prince Billy – I saw him play in Sydney, barefoot, randy and bearded, and utterly wonderful). The first album of The National drew me in precisely because of its booze-soaked, alt-country roots.
But it’s been a long time since I listened to much alt-country, having been distracted by glam rock, indie-whatever, and even *gasp* intelligent dance (read here for a list of awful genres). But when I was figuring out what I wanted to see at the One Of A Million Festival in Baden, I came across Lugano/Zurich band The Lonesome Southern Comfort Company:
…and I remembered how much I love that alt-country, indie-folk tradition. The poignancy of Boris’s viola and the timbre of John’s voice is an incredibly eloquent combination. Wonderful. Needless to say, I can’t wait to see them live now.
The Lonesome Southern Comfort Company play @ One Of A Million Festival, Baden, Friday 10.02.12. Tickets here.
Charles The Bold is out now on On The Camper Records.
