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Julien Plenti
Julien Plenti Is ...Skyscraper
Matador
I'm not sure if I'd just temporarily had enough of Interpol, but 2007's major label debut Our Love To Admire failed to engage me. Tracks (and lyrics) like 'No I In Threesome' or 'Rest My Chemistry' just made the band seem like parodies of themselves - making it easy to imagine a Saturday Night Live sketch with Will Ferrell singing his shopping list, Interpol style. I just wasn't in the mood and after a few attempts it slipped away into the abyss.
Lead singer Paul Banks is back with the band's original label - Matador - for his first solo record, under the guise of alter-ego Julien Plenti. Banks had performed under the name prior to joining Interpol in 1998 and returns to the moniker here perhaps in an attempt to to scale back the arena-baiting sound of the band's recent work. While Banks' distinctive vocals certainly define the album, it's not a simple case of lumping this in with Interpol's main body of work.
The distinctive Interpol fuzz bass is often present, and pounding drums echo around Fun That We Have and to a certain extent Games For Days (unsurprisingly drummed by Interpol stick man Sam Fogarino), but the songs maintain a more low-key approach throughout, roughing up some of the over-applied polish of later Interpol. Banks' vocals are never quite unleashed to their full volume, but songs like No Chance Survival, the strings of Girl On The Sporting News or stand-out freebie Fun That We Have show another side to Banks that works very nicely.
While this makes is a nice addition to the Interpol cannon, the record does lack wallop in places - and the aforementioned thumping drums of old favourites Obstacle #1 or Not Even Jail would certainly add a bit of clout. Hopefully this side-project will give the day-job a re-boot and we'll leave that for Interpol #4 - I'm in the mood again now.
4th Aug 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Read more 3 star reviewsGreat David Schwimmer cameo in this week's Entourage. http://bit.ly/SHNWO
3rd Aug 2009
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Trailer Park: A Serious Man
trailer for the new Coen Bros film A Serious Man
3rd Aug 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Today In Curb Your Enthusiasm News
Larry David's working on a Seinfeld (ish) reunion for the next season of Curb - and he's shot a cameo for an upcoming Hannah Montana episode
3rd Aug 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Devendra B: What Will B
new album from the psych-folk bongo fury master Devendra Banhart on the way - signed to Warner's Reprise label for this one, should be out in autumn
3rd Aug 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Search
Best Show Of the 00s...
vote quick! looks like the Top Gear contingent are way ahead of everything else in the Guardian's online poll
1st Aug 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Trailer Park: The Fantastic Mr. Fox
I'm not too familiar with the Roald Dahl book, but I would certainly say that Wes Anderson could do with a bit more guidance with his stories .....so The Fantastic Mr Fox could work out nicely.
Clooney and Bill Murray amongst the voices. Trailer here.
31st Jul 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
SKY+HD 3D ADSL XBOX
Sky has announced their plans to roll out 3D TV next year, via the existing Sky+ HD box. You'll need special comedy glasses of course, but unfortunately you'll also need a new TV.
Tucked away in the announcement is the new that Sky will also be adding Video-on-demand to the Sky+ box in 2010, which will hopefully include the iPlayer...
The Guardian has the details.
Update: Some sniffing around also unearthed the Sky Player / Xbox tie-up, allowing you to watch your Sky content via XBOZ. Could be handy for that upstairs bedroom.
31st Jul 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Aerosith
These guys probably would have rocked the house at Queen Amidala and Anakin's wedding. www.aerosith.com
31st Jul 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Alien vs Russell Crowe
Looks like Ridley Scott is going to be taking a crack at re-re-booting the Alien franchise, signing on to direct a prequel. No word on what part Russell Crowe will be playing as yet.
Writer Jon Spaihts is having a pretty incredible career, with nothing produced, but 5+ scripts in development.
Variety has the story.
31st Jul 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
3D Monster Maze
News of the BBC's plans to shoot Syntax Era - a comedy drama based on the rivalry between Clive Sinclair and Chris Curry (ie the Curry who gave us Curry's) in the 1980s (should be on BBC4 this Oct) - got me thinking about the genius of the ZX81 (the iPhone of its time kids) - and specifically the joy of playing 3D Monster Maze. With the help of the hefty 16K external memory booster megapack stuck on the outside of the hard-drive/membrane keyboard/CPU, and several hours spent getting it to "download" from the memory stick cassette player, you could be transported into another dimension.
The object was simple: run through the maze to the exit, or be eaten alive by a giant T-Rex. You could run a bit faster than the monster - but thanks to the hours of ambient time spent walking around the identical walls, waiting for it to arrive, and the seconds it took to pounce when it did finally show up, more often than not you were chomped up instantly after waiting for ages. No weapons. No extra lives. Just the chance to do it all over again. Existential terror has never been colder or more accurately detailed in pixel form. Good times.
31st Jul 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Pimp/Unpimp My Ride
Turn your car into a low-budget Transformer (AKA 2010 Transformers Special Edition Chevy Camaro) with this kit.
31st Jul 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Pearl Jam Egghunt
Pearl Jam's new album Backspacer (due Sept 20th) features artwork by comic artist Tom Tomorrow. Head over to his site for some info and you'll see an easter egg hunt across the internet to piece together the cover. Get all nine pieces and you'll get a free download...
31st Jul 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Unlikely tie-in: Sky 1's presentation of 'House' is sposored by Carpet Right.
31st Jul 2009
Read on TwitterCronenberg's Cosmopolis
David Cronenberg is lined up to direct Don DeLillo's yuppie haircut short novella Cosmopolis
31st Jul 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
25 Things You Didn't Know About Me
I'm not entirely sure what a meme is, but this could be one. The 25 Things You Didn't Know About Me craze has been sweeping the net for a while, and I've been meaning to rustle up a list for Chimpomatic, but haven't had time. More suggestions in the comments please.
1. I don't know what a meme is.
2. I like Pearl Jam.
30th Jul 2009 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
More Lego Classics
More Lego Classics, including a Warhol/Lego/Star Wars combo (hmm if there was a chimp in there too, I think we could stop).
30th Jul 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Judgement Day: An Update
Scientists Worry Machines May Outsmart Man
30th Jul 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Trailer Park: Hot Tub Time Machine
super dumb time machine antics with John Cusack
30th Jul 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Lightning Dust
Infinite Light
Jagjaguwar
The Black Mountain Army are proving to be nothing if not consistent. Since releasing Black Mountain's barn-storming In The Future in 2008, the contributors have been working steadily through their alter egos - with Pinkmountaintops putting out the excellent Outside Love and now alumni Amber Webber and Joshua Wells releasing a second album under the Lightning Dust moniker. I'm expecting a breakthrough album from Blood Meridian next.
Webber's contribution to Black Mountain is not to be over-looked, with her sultry vocals pulling the band back from the brink of parody and adding a mournful sound to the mix. Her vocals also supplied some of the highlights on Outside Love - and she was sorely missed on the supporting tour. With Lightning Dust however, Webber is firmly centre stage - taking on the majority of the writing, as well as guitar and 95% of the vocals.
Where the self titled debut was spare and sultry, Infinite Light is a more filled out and polished affair - much like the latest albums from the previously mentioned strands - and that extra push pays out rich rewards. Where Lightning Dust occasionally strained or became just too sparse, Inifinte Light sweeps and soars, showing a much wider range. Opener Antonia Jane is a country-tinged affair, obligitary lead-free-download I Knew adds some catchy low-key disco electronics and is notable for Well's superb drumming, while the piano-led The Times even threatens to become a sing-a-long. There are mysterious synthesizers and luscious strings, which all add up to a strangely epic vibe - for what is still essentially a small, self-contained record. There's a consistency and clarity here that would make a perfect soundtrack, probably to a modern day western or double crossin' film noir.
That 5% of the vocals that Webber doesn't cover is where this album loses it's half star - momentarily slipping towards that musical theatre vibe as the male vocals intrude on Honest Man. So while the variations are welcome to a certain extent, it's still the mournful voice of Webber that scores the highlights here - leading us effortlessly through the swell of History, the pounding balladry of Wondering What Everyone Knows or the flawless closer Take It Home, which perfectly sums up everything good about this excellent band. Great drums, moody bass, strings that could go on forever and a soaring, epic vocal performance that will put shivers down your spine.
Unmissable.
30th Jul 2009 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Read more 4.5 star reviewsExtra Wilco Dates
With the London Troxy show in August now sold out, Wilco have added to new dates to a return tour scheduled for November. Do these guys ever stop touring?
More info at Wilco World.
NOV-03 LEEDS, UKLEEDS ACADEMY
NOV-04 LONDON, UKTHE FORUM
NOV-06 BRUSSELS, BEANCIENNE BELGIQUE
NOV-07 WEISSENHAUSER STRAND, DEFERIENPARK, ROLLING STONE WEEKENDER
NOV-08 COPENHAGEN, DKROYAL THEATRE
NOV-11 ZURICH, CHVOLKSHAUS
NOV-13 FLORENCE, ITTEATRO DELLA PERGOLA
NOV-14 MILAN, ITCONSERVATORIO, MILAN: W/SPECIAL GUEST GRIZZLY BEAR
NOV-16 AMSTERDAM, NLPARADISO
NOV-17 EINDHOVEN, NLEFFENAR
29th Jul 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Thylacine
a bit of random wikiing lead me to these pics of Thylacines - the Tasmanian tiger, now extinct thanks to being hunted out of existence by 1930. Good work humans. Didn't realise there were any pictures...
29th Jul 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Purefold
Strange goings-on from Ridley Scott's AG8/Free Scott partnership, as they try to group think entertainment and marketing through the Purefold project. If you get a handle on it, please explain in the comments.
29th Jul 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Electrosmog
Allergic to WIFI? DJ Steve Miller claims he is, and it's hardly an implausible thought. I shudder to think what colour the atmosphere would be if all the waves we pump out weren't invisible.
29th Jul 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Twitter now providing bundled txts from O2 phones in the UK. How 90's.
29th Jul 2009
Read on TwitterIs it just me, or is Bono looking more and more like Robin Williams in sunglasses?
29th Jul 2009
Read on TwitteriLSD
Interesting article up over at The Huffington Post, publishing a letter from LSD inventor Albert Hofmann to Apple boss Steve Jobs - asking for some help in re-purposing his product.
29th Jul 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Fact: William Eggleston only takes one photograph of each thing, as a personal rule.
28th Jul 2009
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