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It's A Tough-Off!
Check the cast list for Stallone's new film The Expendables: Mickey Rourke, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Ben Kingsley, Dolph Lundgren, Forest Whitaker and Stallone himself... They're "a team of mercenaries heading to South Africa to topple a dictator."
28th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Women
Women
Jagjaguwar
This debut from Canada's Women is certainly a rough diamond, but a diamond none the less. Recorded in Chad Vangallen's basement using ghetto blasters and old tape decks over four months Women continue the run of infectious lo-fi music that dominated last year but lace the whole thing with the slightest hint of melody. I would describe this band as the twisted wreckage that might occur after a multi-car pile up involving Animal Collective, The Beach Boys, Liars and Times New Viking. They have the unpredictable flair of Animal Collective, the drifting harmonies of The Beach Boys but can easily turn on you like a Liars sucker-punch. The Times New Viking reference is glaringly obvious as the whole thing bristles with tape hiss and guitar wash.
But where that band take the lo-fi sound to almost impenetrable lengths Women dangle things like song structure and melody tantalizingly close to the listener that it's hard to give up on them. The opening track Cameras is just glorious with it's warm jangle easing us in but after a mere one minute the whole thing descends into Lawncare, a pulsating, hollow and thoroughly unfriendly song that puts the listener on alert from the outset. But they'll rein you back in if you ever started to wander during the hard times with 50's tinged pop of Black Rice or the breakneck jangle of Shaking Hand, a song which awkwardly shifts between tempos with some incredibly nifty guitar work. The vocals are layered and muffled and often act as yet another instrument rather than forming the backbone of the sound. The album can shift from buried yet catchy pop hooks to pastoral instrumental sound experiments like Woodbine. It can also hit you with January 8th, the most Liars influenced track here. It's a relentless barrage of off-key guitars and crashing drums. It plays in the vicinity of recognition but ultimately carves it's own route through highly avant-guard noise. And it also runs into the final track Flashlights which finishes the record off with an all out assault using every instrument going. It's pure noise and acts as a warning to anyone who was about to form an opinion about what they just heard. This is a tough record yet full of rewarding moments. It crams in so many elements and manages to cram them all in to a very unique sound.
28th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Read more 3 star reviewsAd Nauseum: Protest
Creative Review has a run-down of some of the latest ads doing the rounds, including a flash-mob rip off of that Thriller thing, plus another Cadbury's ad.
This one for Protest caught my eye however. I can smell the snow.
27th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
C4 get True Blood and Generation Kill
finally, some HBO product on terrestrial: C4 have picked up both Generation Kill and Alan Ball's new vampire drama, True Blood - both will be shown later in 2009
27th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
This Is What You Get When You Mash With Us: Jaydiohead
ever wondered what Jay-Z would sound like if he'd grown up in Oxford? or what if Thom Yorke was all up in Brooklyn? wonder no more kids, here's Jaydiohead from Minty Fresh Beats
27th Jan 2009 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
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Polar Bear On The Thames
thought I was a bit tired this morning, but no, there really was a polar bear on the Thames...
26th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
International Space Station Tour
You're going to need a slow day at the office for this one. NASA has released a tour of the ISS, originally shot for Nasa TV. The piece has now been split into 4 chunks on YouTube, the first of which you can see above. Click for parts 2, 3 and 4.
26th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Trailer Park: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
Fun trailer up for the latest Michael Cera rom-tee-com - Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist.
Heartbroken teenage guitarist Nick meets cool chick Norah and they bond over a mix CD he made. Jay Baruchel also turns up as Norah's ex.
And FYI, that playlist includes: Band of Horses, Bishop Allen, Devendra Banhart, Modest Mouse and Vampire Weekend.
26th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Silver Jews v Dr Evil
Silver Jews man David Berman is splitting up the band so he can spend more time taking on his Dr Evil spin doctor dad...
26th Jan 2009 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Just say NO...thanks
The Guardian have followed up a recent Chimp discussion on the downside to free daily newspapers.
Links
No thanks....I have a book to read
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26th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Vedder, Grohl and Drake
Unfortunately it's not Vedder, Grohl and Drake on the same song, but Dave Grohl and Eddie Vedder are among the artists set to appear on a Nick Drake covers record - as well as a short film by Heath Ledger(?).
26th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Bon Iver Hits The Charts
Bon Iver has hit the UK charts with his new single Blood Bank (review here), currently 'nestled between Pink and Rihanna in the hit parade', at number 37. That makes him Jagjaguwar's first top 40 single in the UK.....
He's also got a couple of tracks on the forthcoming Red Hot compilation, hopefully embedded below, along with a track from The Decemberists.
26th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Holy Font!
Looking to save ink? Check out this clever font that uses holes to minimise waste.
26th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Franz Ferdinand
Tonight: Franz Ferdinand
Domino
Franz Ferdinand first surfaced on Domino's excellent Worlds of Possibility compilation in 2003, which celebrated the indie label's 10th anniversary. Their contribution (a demo of Darts of Pleasure) made a decent enough impression while sitting amongst the likes of Pavement, Sebadoh and Bonnie Prince Billy - but few would have bet money on the band becoming one of the crown jewels in the label's roster, giving them their first number on act in 2005.
Returning here with their third album, Franz Ferdinand claim to have taken a 'new direction', but it's unlikely to take anyone long to adjust to the new sound. Stop/start power disco is the order of the day, with very, very catchy, sing-a-long lyrics - smoothly running through the band's art school, psuedo-sexy style, like a Roxy Music for the 00's.
Lead single Ulysses is straightforward enough, making good use of loud/quiet, high impact production - like a disco Gang of Four. Things pick up with Send Him Away, which sees the style of the record develop a little - as the pop chorus/verse structure gives way to a nice guitar breakdown and leads into an impressive run of tracks, encompassing the heavy electronics of Twilight Omens and the pounding drums of Bite Hard.
The lawless guitar freak-out at the end of What She Came For shows a more rocking sensibility to the band, while the Kraftwerk beeps of Live Alone make it a perfect candidate for the next single, soaked in luscious 80's-style production. Things tale off a little with the video-game friendly Lucid Dreams - which drags it's feet from the beginning, running on for nearly 8 minutes - but it's one of only a few disappointing moments on the record.
Without knowing all the financial details, it seems like a fair bet that the success of Franz Ferdinand and the Arctic Monkeys has contributed a big chunk to the success of Domino over the last few years. The label was quick to see the potential in this relatively unconventional band and polish them into a thinking man's pop act - and if this is how the label pay their bills and finance their booming investment in new music, then who's complaining?
26th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Read more 3 star reviewsIdle Dan's on BBC Breakfast, flying the flag for a happier way of life. Viva la Vans!
24th Jan 2009
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Promo Promo: Tim Buckley
Not a new promo, but with John Frusciante bumping Song To The Siren back up the playlist, and Jeff Buckley riding high on his X-Factor success, check out Tim's original version of a timeless classic.
23rd Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
More Frusciante
We've been getting some love from the John Frusciante community this week - which has led me back to this excellent Frusciante career overview at Indie Paws (Part 1, part 2).
Readers are also coming in from the Chili Peppers discussion boards, as well as fan site Invisible Movement, who I notice now host the unobtainable internet only album From The Sound Inside that Frusciante released for free in 2001 (way before In Rainbows, people). They also have the demo and acoustic versions of Shadow Collide With People.
All good of course ...but don't hope for anything better than you may already have.
23rd Jan 2009 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Lonely Island
compilation of SNL's new-school boys Lonely Island's hits - Chronic Of Narnia, Dick-in-a-box, Natalie gangsta Portman etc
23rd Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Promo Promo: Neil Young
Crazy Uncle Neil Young has a new lo-fi video up. Fork In The Road is taken from his latest madcap concept album, which is all about bio-fuel cars....
Check out the Linc Volt site for more info.
23rd Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Cadence Mix
HHG favourite Cadence Weapon has a new release up on a pay-what-you-like basis, a la In Rainbows. It's a mix tape of exclusive tracks, remixes and collaborations.
1. Roll With The Winners (Prod. Hervé & A-Trak ft. Cadence Weapon)
2. The Cansecos "Rise Up" (Cadence Weapon Mix)
3. Pretty Girls Make Raves (Prod. Stuffa, Mapei and Sinden)
4. Mini T.V.'s (Chad Vangaalen Cover, Live ft. Final Fantasy)
5. Sailboats Are White "SAW" (Cadence Weapon Hi-Speed Edit)
6. Sally Shapiro "He Keeps Me Alive" (Cadence Weapon Mix)
7. Bad Graffiti (Prod. Murge)
8. Roland Pemberton III "Rupture Vers Le Haut"
9. The Morning After (Prod. C-Sekshun)
10. RJD2 "Sweet Piece" (Cadence Weapon Ladykiller Remix)
11. Kennedy Curse
12. Kid Sister "Damn Girl" (Cadence Weapon Remix)
13. Shout Out Out Out Out "Coming Home" ("We Do Acid" Demo)
14. Busdriver "Sun Shower" (Cadence Weapon's Raleigh Remix)
15. Junior Bloomsday "Your Perfect Gene" (ft. Cadence Weapon)
16. The Wet Secrets "The Chinball Wizard (Cadence Weapon Samir-themed Remix)
17. House Music Medley (bird Peterson, A1 Bassline, The Cansecos)
18. Super Extra Bonus Party "Radar" (Demo)
19. Roots Manuva "Buff Nuff" (Cadence Weapon Tuff Mix)
20. The D.B. Buxton Revue "Sex With My Ex" (Cadence Weapon's No Sex Mix)
Head over to his site to check it out. Great cover art too (above).
23rd Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Bed News: Mmmm
you love burgers. you love beds. but what if there was some way to combine the two? what if... there was a... burger-bed?
23rd Jan 2009 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Bon Iver
Blood Bank
Jagjaguwar
Hot on the heels of the masses of praise heaped on debut For Emma, Forever Ago goes this four track EP from Justin Vernon, alias Bon Iver. While Skinny Love may have become a breakout track, For Emma, Forever Ago was essentially a concept album, consistent in tone and deeply entrenched in the atmosphere of it's conception - out in the woods of Wisconsin. These additional tracks expand on that idea, but outside of the context of the complete album they seem a little lost, and with the exception of atmospheric lead track Blood Bank, none really come close to that stand alone success of Skinny Love.
That might be explained by the fact that Blood Bank was a left-over from the For Emma sessions, while the other three are post-breakthough recordings. Unless of course, there was a vocoder stashed away in that log cabin, as Vernon bravely (but unsuccessfully) attempts to reclaim the instrument from Cher on Woods.
Beach Baby is pleasant enough, while Babys repetitive multi-tracked piano gets a litlle much - but who's complaining? Any suggestion that For Emma was far from a one-off is more than welcome, as anticipation already starts to build for a follow-up proper.
23rd Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Read more 3 star reviews
Promo Promo: Animal Collective
Time for a bit of nature watching with Animal Collective. Check out the promo for their track My Girls - from the highly rated Merriweather Post Pavilion album.
22nd Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Star Status: Hugh Jackman
He's lined up to play Wolverine again this summer, and is currently starring with Nicole Kidman in Australia - but how does Hugh Jackman rate in the Chimpomatic Star Status Movie Career Hitrate Generator?
It's 10 points for a Hit, 5 for a Maybe and 1 for a Miss... No TV movies, just cinema releases.
Australia (2008) .... Drover MISS
Deception (2008) .... Wyatt Bose MISS
Happy Feet (2006) (voice) .... Memphis MAYBE
Flushed Away (2006) (voice) .... Roddy MISS
The Prestige (2006) .... Robert Angier MAYBE
The Fountain (2006) .... Tomas / Tommy / Tom Creo MAYBE
Scoop (2006) .... Peter Lyman MISS
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) .... Logan / Wolverine MISS
Van Helsing (2004) .... Van Helsing MISS
Standing Room Only (2004/I) .... Roger MISS
X2 (2003) .... Logan / Wolverine ...HIT
Kate & Leopold (2001) .... Leopold MAYBE
Swordfish (2001) .... Stanley Jobson MISS
Someone Like You... (2001) .... Eddie Alden MISS
X-Men (2000) .... Logan / Wolverine HIT
Erskineville Kings (1999) .... Wace HIT
Paperback Hero (1999) .... Jack Willis MISS
HIT 3
MISS 10
MAYBE 4
So that's 60 points out of a possible 170
Hugh Jackman: you have scored 35%
If you dare make a purchase, you can do so here, allowing Chimpomatic to profit from his loss. Check back next Thursday for more Star Status movie maths. Same Chimp Channel, same Chimp Time...
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Stock up on Hugh Jackman's good 35% here!
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22nd Jan 2009 - 2 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Bed News: The Back Up
Looking for a new bed? You might want to consider the Back Up. Protection Within Reach.
22nd Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Take Two
Don't worry - everything's above board now. After fluffing his lines on the big day, Barack Obama has been sword in successfully at a second attempt.
22nd Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Eastbound & Down
like the look of Eastbound & Down - a new HBO sitcom w Will Ferrell and Danny McBride (dude from Foot Fist Way)
22nd Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Best Maps of 2008
Google Maps Mania has a nice round-up of the best Google Maps of 2008 - including a nice narrative story-telling map (21 Steps) and a virtual skydive.
21st Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Charles In Charge
Broken Social Scene's Charles Spearin is following in the steps of Feist, Emily Haines and Kevin Drew and coming out with his own solo record - The Happiness Project, due March 23rd on Arts & Crafts.
Inspiration for the project was drawn from interviews with his neighbours on their thoughts of happiness, and he's been testing the material out on BSS's live crowds.
Check out the website for more info, where you can also download the track Anna.
21st Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Bloody Omaha
Nice video about shooting your own guerilla D-day invasion movie with 3 extras in 4 days. Saving Private Ryan provided below for reference.
If only they'd had an i-ball cam.
21st Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
People who bought this...
As noted by CJ, "customers who bought Band of Horses also bought Great Lake Swimmers". Nice match, particularly their latest album Ongiara (get it on iTunes or Amazon), although it's possibly more Mat Brooke than Ben Bridwell.
21st Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Antony & The Johnsons
The Crying Light
Rough Trade
It's been nearly four years since the operatic tones of Antony & The Johnsons breakthrough album I Am Bird Now took the music world by storm - well, the Mercury Music loving crowd at least. The Crying Light is the belated follow up, building on that success with confidence and style and again pushing forward the boundaries of popular music.
In name alone, "The Crying Light" gives a pretty clear idea of what to expect. Openers Her Eyes Are Underneath the Ground, Epilepsy Is Dancing and One Dove set the tone - with mournful, haunting vocals over piano and strings creating ethereal soundscapes reminiscent of the dreamy pop of the Cocteau Twins or This Mortal Coil. This is visual music, haunting and narrative - with suggestions of love, loss, life and death ...wait a minute, isn't that what everyone's talking about at the moment?
It's not all doom and gloom, and as early as Kiss My Name there's a chink of light at the end of the tunnel, as a more upbeat piano lifts the mood - accompanied by soaring strings and shuffling drums. It's back to the blues for the guitar-led title track, before lead single Another World brings the mood down again - as well as making for one of the more disappointing tracks here, plodding slowly along and highlighting the essentially straightforward method behind the magic of this album.
Thematically the songs are very consistent, giving a soundtrack feeling to the record - which seems built around centerpiece Daylight and The Sun, which by the time it arrives sound like a reprise itself, swelling beautifully and floating over piano and strings. Touching and melancholic, this record continues along the strikingly original path forged by the debut and should certainly cement the reputation of Anthony Hegarty as a creative force.
21st Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Read more 3 star reviewsPresidency 2.0
While we all lovingly felt a connection with the way man-of-the-people Barack Obama nervously fluffed his lines (twice!) during the inauguration, it is of course great news to have a Web 2.0 loving President in office. A President who happily uses the awesome Gotham font to proclaim his simplistic, advertising-style, sloganistic promises - that we all find so easy to relate to.
Did his team just hit the right mark with the tone of their campaign? Did the Reagan fans vote Reagan in because they could relate to his age, choice of suits or the font of his letter head? Or is Obama genuinely a man in touch with the nation?
Fingers crossed the promises will be followed by action, else there's going to be a lot of disappointment around the world. I remember a very similar excitement when Tony Blair was elected....
20th Jan 2009 - 3 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Best Jobs
With Apple calling time on the high-turnover pressure of the annual Macworld Expo, check out this greatest hits of Steve Jobs reality-distortion field in action.
20th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Red Hotter And Hotter
Things are hotting up over at the Dark Was The Night Myspace, with 4AD previewing one new track a day from the forthcoming charity compiliation - which will be released on double CD / triple vinyl / download on Feb 15th.
Today: So Far Around The Bend, from The National - whose Aaron and Bryce Dessner curated the compilation.
20th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Everest Sings
We may have overlooked their support slot on the recent My Morning Jacket UK tour, but things are sounding good from the un-Googleable Everest.
20th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Promo Promo: Friendly Fires - Skelton Boy
Nice lo-fi video up for the Friendly Fires' single Skeleton Boy.
20th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
24: Bill Buchanan's back in play, rocking a black tuttle neck that Allen Ginsberg would be proud of.
19th Jan 2009
Read on TwitterU2 get their boots on
U2 are returning with a full-on multimedia option overload new album...
19th Jan 2009 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Grizzly Phoenix
Looks like Joaquin (nee Leaf) Phoenix is putting his recently announced retired status to good use, and petitioning for a hairy role in My Morning Jacket. He's come a long way since he played the young kid in Parenthood.
19th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
John Frusciante: Stuff
Since it's John Frusciante Day here at Chimpomatic, check out this 1993 short (credited to Johnny Depp and Gibby Haynes?!) documenting Frusciante's troubled, drug-addled lifestyle after his initial departure from the Chili Peppers.
19th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Rock Star Parents
Great set of 70's photos up at The Guardian by Life magazine photographer John Olson. Have a peek inside the homes of rock star parents Francis and Rosemary Zappa, Floyd Crosby and more.
19th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
City Shrinker
Nice piece on Shift/Tilt lens photography over at Creative Review.
19th Jan 2009 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Playlist: John Frusciante Cheat-Sheet
With chimp hero John Frusciante's new record The Empyrean hitting the stores today, here's a quick cheat-sheet to guide you through the minefield that makes up his extensive back catalogue. Load up this list on your iPod and hit the road.
1. Going Inside (iTunes / Amazon MP3)
From To Record Only Water For Ten Days
2. The Afterglow (iTunes / Amazon MP3)
From A Sphere In The Heart Of Silence with Josh Klinghoffer
3. Regret (iTunes / Amazon MP3)
From Shadows Collide With People
4. Loss (iTunes / Amazon MP3)
From The Will To Death
5. Look On (iTunes / Amazon MP3)
From Inside Of Emptiness
6. This Cold (iTunes / Amazon MP3)
From Shadows Collide With People
7. With No One (iTunes / Amazon MP3)
From To Record Only Water For Ten Days
8. Scratches (iTunes / Amazon MP3)
From Inside Of Emptiness
9. Murderers (iTunes / Amazon MP3)
From To Record Only Water For Ten Days
10. The Will To Death (iTunes / Amazon MP3)
From The Will To Death
19th Jan 2009 - 10 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
