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With rumours that Apple is finally going to upgrade the iPhone to 3G speeds this year, Nokia is moving the race forward with real world tests of 4g phone technology. Download speeds of 173Mbps are pretty snappy, compared to the iPhone's currently woeful 1Mps.
4th Jan 2008 - Add Comment - Tweet
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The Shadow In The North
BBC1
The BBC continues their adaptation of Philip Pullman's Sally Lockhart series with this follow-up to last year's The Ruby In The Smoke.
It's another enjoyable Victorian mystery, with Billie Piper's Lockhart on the trail of a dastardly Scandinavian villain (Jared Harris) and his steam-powered weapon of mass destruction, the Hopkinson Self-Regulator.
Like Ruby, this plays out like a modern version of classic BBC kids' viewing like The Phoenix And The Carpet - taking itself just seriously enough to convince, but still having an edge of campy pantomime twinkle-in-the-eye humour: pretty decent family viewing all-round really.
No-one to match Julie Walter's turn last time, but there's a enjoyable cast including JJ Feild, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Matt Smith, John Standing and Hayley Atwell.
Apparently it was shot at the same time as the last one, so it'll be interesting to see if they're able to get Billie P back for more now that she's signed up for another series of Secret Diary Of A Call Girl and will be back in next year's Doctor Who at some stage.
30th Dec 2007 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Read more 3 star reviewsOut WIth The Old, In With The New
The internet is awash with lists of 2007 highlights at the moment, offering a counterpoint to our own recent efforts. Pitchfork have pitched in with their mega-exhaustive lists for their Top 50 Albums, Top 100 Tracks and Readers Favourites as well as various break-downs from their contributors. Fistfulayen have a nice round-up, not dissimilar to our own - following up an insightful Wilco review back in June. Steely Dan + Lynyrd Skynyrd = Allman Brothers
Ain't-it-cool have their movie round up posted, with the double hitter of There Will Be Blood / No Country For Old Men taking first and second. Appropriate, as at this point they seem to be two fairly interchangeable films in my mind.
The Guardian meanwhile have rounded up a few tips for next year, again (perhaps unsurprisingly) not dissimilar to c71's own top tips.
Heads up for '008.
29th Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
More From The Basement
Nigel Godrich's From The Basement has got Sonic Youth, Jose Gonzalez and Laura Marling on this week: Sky Arts, 9pm, 22nd December
29th December 2007 - PJ Harvey, Super Furry Animals, Operator Please and Free Blood
5th January 2008 - Damien Rice, Autolux, E (from Eels) and Architecture In Helsinki
21st Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
Back To Lost
Lost is back on January 31st, with half a new season (8 episodes) after the writer's strike cut the shortened season even shorter. TV Week have a trailer.
21st Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet

the best of 2008
now we've got 2007 wrapped up, what's on the horizon for 2008? the black mountain album is a strong contender already; the hercules and love machine album is a v solid mix of 70s NYC disco-ey house with anthony (johnson) on vocals; duffy's being tipped in the mainstream and might be a bit more maria mckee (circa the first lone justice album) than we normally go on chimpomatic, but the first single's pretty soulful; black kids are another tip from the blogosphere that sound quite fresh; and what we've heard of the new accidental roster is pretty cool too - the debuts from both micachu and the invisible are great... anyone got any more tips?
21st Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
The Best of Best of 2007
The votes are in, with Best Of's posted by LG, CSF, Harris Pilton, BC and c71.
A quick jot down of the back of a napkin works out the most-voted-for list to be:
5. A five-way tie for fifth
Two people featured Animal Collective, Devandra Banhart, Arcade Fire, Panda Bear, Wilco and Spoon - so that's a tie.
4. Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
With three votes, Kings Of Leon's third album Because Of The Times
3. The National - Boxer
The National's Boxer clocked up four votes to take third place.
2. Radiohead - In Rainbows
Radiohead's semi-seminal In Rainbows was generally approved of, taking five votes.
1. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Featuring in a pretty outstanding six lists, LCD Soundsystem's dazzling Sound of Silver had a pretty high approval. More than one in two chimps agree, so we have a winner.
That's pretty much all the decisive data. The Beastie Boys' dates in London met universal approval, as did Wilco's live show, Prince's epic residency at the O2 and Black Mountain's storming show at Cargo.
Zodiac, Knocked Up and Disturbia were the best ways to kill 91 minutes, while Death Proof is the worst film possibly ever made, and will stand as the bottom run for all future score-carding.
Flight of the Conchords was this year's unmissable TV - along with 30 Rock, Entourage and Heroes.
Happy holidays, see you down the pub for a drink later.

20th Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet

Best of 2007
BC
Albums
Radiohead - In Rainbows
The album really lived up to the hype of it's release and it's proving to be their most consistent album yet.
LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver
This is a shock favorite. Probably the most played album of the year
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
They had a lot to live up to after Funeral but their second album was bigger and better. One of the few followup albums to actually expand on what made them so good to start with.
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
This was no surprise, they just did what they always do and it wins every time.
The National - Boxer
Some of the richest music put out this year, a near perfect album and just what we wanted after Alligator.
Honorable Mentions
Okkervil River - The Stage Names
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
The More Shallows - Book Of Bad Breaks
Pela - Anytown Graffiti
Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
Electrelane - No Shouts, No Calls
Songs
All My Friends - LCD Soundsystem (Sound Of Silver)
Atlas - Battles (Mirrored)
Slow Show - The National (Boxer)
(Antichrist Television Blues) - Arcade Fire (Neon Bible)
John Allyn Smith Sails - Okkervil River (The Stage Names)
Gigs
Beastie Boys - Brixton Academy
Wilco - Shepherds Bush Empire
Beirut - Camden Roundhouse
Black Mountain - Cargo
TV
Sopranos
Flight Of The Conchords
Heros
Prison Break
Entourage
Turkeys
Death Proof (This needs it's own category)
Disappointments
Ian Brown - The World Is Yours
Couldn't even review this as it would mean I'd have to listen to it more than once.
24 - Day Six
Thank God for the writers strike and the incarceration. Although I was pleased to see Keifer taking one for the team by opting for a Christmas sentence so he can be free for shooting next year, that's Bauer would have done.
The National - Shepherds Bush Empire
An album of the year but didn't translate well live.
20th Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
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Best of 2007
chimp71
Top 5 albums
1 Radiohead - In_Rainbows
Just instantly sounded better than everything I'd heard for months - and for once in our instant preview/early release/download era, an album felt like an event.
2 Devandra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
Love the 70s laid-back vibe here, traversing rock, folk and tropicalia effortlessly.
3 LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver
Beyond the hipster hype, an album with something to say, and a fresh way of saying it.
4 Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
Warm rock, the perfect soundtrack to a snow-bound expedition. Great solos too.
5 Kings Of Leon - Because Of The Times
They disappointed live, but any album that kicks off with a good 7 minutes of slow-burning driving music is a winner round these parts.
Runners Up:
Justice - +
Demented production, great inventive dance/pop that felt like it could only have been released in 2007.
Brazil 70
OK, it's a compilation of post-Tropicalia freak-outs from 70s Brazilian, but most of it was new to me this year.
Burial - Untrue
Intriguing dubstep with soul
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Bit like eating a whole chocolate cake after a while, but still great in small chunks.
Top 5 gigs
1 The Rolling Stones - A Bigger Bang - The O2 August 26
They still rule. Billed as the last-ever tour too, glad to have finally caught them.
2 Prince - 3121 - The O2, August 31
Unstoppable showmanship, amazing guitar, huge catalogue of hits to draw on.
3 Wilco - Shepherd's Bush Empire, May 20
Possibly even better live than on record.
4 Beastie Boys - Brixton Academy, September 4
Good to see the BBs again, still got the skills to pay the bills.
5 Black Mountain - Cargo, December 5
Great introduction to a band I'd only heard on one track before - might have been higher in this list if I'd been able to sing along more.
Also: Cornelius/Matmos - Royal Festival Hall
Laptops, psychedelia, rock-outs and pure pop. RFH refurb works too.
The Vitamin Trip reunion, Joyce Is Not Here, September, Hong Kong
Just about pulled it all together again after ten years.
Top 5 films
1 Inland Empire
Unhinged Lynch. Not sure there's anywhere for him to go after this, but it's hard to beat for showing the extremes of cinema possibility; great performance from Laura Dern too.
2 The Lives Of Others
Brutally sharp in its dissection of recent state madness, and the ways people surprise and disappoint.
3 Superbad
McLovin!
4 Knocked Up
Great way to play both sides of the romcom gender split.
5 Disturbia
Enjoyed the tight scale and execution of this MySpace generation Rear Window.
Runners Up:
2 Days In Paris
Night Of The Sunflowers
Zodiac
Smokin' Aces
The Bourne Ultimatum
Most Disappointing threequel - Shrek The Third
Sucked as much as the first two rocked.
Top 5 tracks
1 Seahorse - Devendra Banhart
2 Bodysnatchers - Radiohead
3 Dear Dead Friends - Von Südenfed
4 Keep the Car Running - Arcade Fire
5 505 - Arctic Monkeys
Plus:
Ghost Ship - Menomena
Ponytail - Panda Bear
I Got Lost - Dinosaur Jr
Tenderoni - Chromeo
Love Your Man, Love Your Woman - The Broken Family Band
Veni Vidi Vici (Diplo Mix) - Black Lips
I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance - Black Kids
Is There A Ghost? - Band Of Horses
Top 5 TV shows
1 The Wire - FX/HBO
Just gets better and better. Does it really have to be the last series next time round?
2 Heroes - Sci-Fi/BBC2/NBC
Took a while to put everything in place, but this was one of the most fun shows around this year.
3 Entourage - ITV2/HBO
Vince and the gang are on a roll.
4 Flight Of The Conchords - BBC4/HBO
Jokes? Present. Songs? Present. Something new worth quoting.
5 30 Rock, Five/NBC
Didn't think this would be as funny as it is - Alec Baldwin's timing is great.
Runners Up:
Party Animals - BBC2
Lead Balloon - BBC2
Saxondale - BBC2
Comics Britannia - BBC4
Californication - Five
Five Days - BBC2
The Sopranos - E4/HBO
South Park - Paramount/Comedy Central
20th Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
Read more 5 star reviewsBest of 2007
Harris Pilton
Top 5 Gigs
1. Beastie Boys - Roundhouse, Chalk Farm
2. Melvins - Patronaat, Haarlem, NL
3. Fu Manchu (and Valient Thorr) - Underworld, Camden
4. Steely Dan - NIA, Birmingham
5. Prince - 02, Docklands
Top 5 Albums
Love's Miracle by Qui as my fave album of the year. I didn't hear it until it had been released a while so missed the boat on a review. But it's a corker...very original, complex, anguished, not an easy listen.
Beyond that, it's a hard one...not because there was so much choice, but because in real terms nothing released this year replaced older releases in my regular playlists. I must be the only music reviewer on the planet not to have heard (or attempted to hear) the Radiohead album. Not that I'm anti-Radiohead or anything, I just didn't go out of my way to hear it.
So, even the bands who released albums which I like didn't really release anything truly classic this year. I should give honourable mentions to Big Business for their album Here Comes The Waterworks (very original), and Fu Manchu for We Must Obey (not very original, but totally rocking), and Beastie Boys' The Mix-Up, which I did play more than any other new album this year.
Top 5 tracks (listened to this year, but not released this year)
1. Skull of a German - Jesus Lizard
2. Velouria - Pixies
3. The Warden - The Cows
4. Get on Down - Eddie Harris
5. Blood Witch - Melvins
Top 5 movies
Also not a good area for me. Only went to movies twice as far as I can remember. The Simpsons movie (which I thought was really poor) and Transformers, which impressed me with its humour and bludgeoning special effects. I expect I would have liked the new David Cronenberg film, and maybe even Lynch's Inland Empire, but I couldn't be arsed to go and see them. Will probably go see the new Wes Anderson next week (again, if I can be arsed). For me, the audio visual entertainment of the era is video games - hence...
Top 5 Games
1. Call of Duty 4
2. The Orange Box (half life 2 etc)
3. Guitar Hero II
4. Bioshock
5. Medal of Honour Airborne
20th Dec 2007 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
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Best of 2007
CSF
2007 has been a great year for music. The internet is finally paying off, with dozens of bands hitting the global mainstream through grass roots word of mouth and diy publicity. But it's not just the new boys bringing out the good stuff, with most of my current favourites putting out new records.
Wilco's Sky Blue Sky was a mild disappointment next to A Ghost Is Born, but was still a great album and an even better live show - but while the Kings Of Leon's Because of the Times started the year on a high their live show cut things down to size. The Beastie Boys instrumental Mix Up was a low-key release, but they still delivered the goods live - way past expectations. Band of Horses surprise second album didn't quite hit the highs of Everything All Of The Time, but their live show was barnstorming - proving they've only just got started. Arcade Fire also followed up their debut with an outstanding second album, and Eddie Vedder went semi-solo with his soundtrack for Sean Penn's movie Into The Wild.
Radiohead's In Rainbows has to get a special mention for the world's biggest band's adoption of guerilla marketing, genuinely lighting a fire under the record industry like only a massive band 7 albums deep could do.
Led Zeppelin are the clear winner in terms of stars, but I think it's fair to say that Best Of's don't qualify, so my top five albums of 2007 are:
5. Blonde Redhead - 23
Probably the only surprise in my list - for me certainly - Blonde Redhead's 23 found the low-key indie band hitting their stride and turning in a richly rewarding album.
4. Electrelane - No Shouts, No Calls
After getting their instrumental callings out of the way with Axes, Electrelane returned and surpassed the sound of The Power Out for their fourth album.
3. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Spoon's sixth album matched it's conceptual title with a mix of complex songs and catchy pop. Nice to interview them too.
2. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Daft Punk Is Playing At My House always struck me as catchy but superficial, and the lead single from LCD's second album - North American Scum - did little to change my mind. Repeat listening peeled back the layers however and Get Innocuous! or All My Friends are unbeatable. Their 45 minute megamix makes for a great bonus track too.
1. The National - Boxer
After finding their feet with third album Alligator, The National turned things up a notch with the superb Boxer. Eschewing the bombast of hits like Secret Meeting, the album is dark and rich - so layered that it takes several listens to even break open.
Gigs
Some pretty good gigs this year too:
Wilco - Shepherd's Bush Empire
A long time coming. With their new squad Wilco could hardly be a better live band.
Beastie Boys - Brixton Academy
After the dismal 1999 Wembley show, the Beasties seemed destined to stay mainstream - but a self-initiated return to their roots has paid off nicely. Still got Time Time To Get Ill.
Black Mountain - Cargo
While still notably nostalgic in sound, these retro rockers blew the socks of Cargo with their forthcoming album In The Future. See next year's best-of list for more info.
Movies
Disturbia - Great modern spin on Rear Window
Bourne Ultimatum - A solid finale to the modern Bond
Knocked Up - Perfectly capturing the stupid antics of a group of friends.
Jesse James - Not up their with Mallik of Leone, but Andrew Dominick's second feature was a grand attempt.
Zodiac - Although long and flawed, David Fincher's 70's epic was an entertaining ride.
TV
Curb Your Enthusiasm - Still cracking me up, six seasons in.
Flight Of The Conchords - Guaranteed entertainment from the Kiwi troubadors.
Entourage - Aspirational TV from Ari, Drama and the crew.
Biggest Disappointments
Kings of Leon live - While the 'seats' were the problem, this band seemed out of proportion for their sound and style.
Death Proof - the worst film I have possibly ever seen. Seriously.
20th Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
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Best of 2007
LG
OK, OK. I'm about to get on a plane, so here you have it:
1. Radiohead - In Rainbows
2. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
3. The National - Boxer
4. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
5. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Tough choice for third, as I actually think the Wilco album will last longer, but hey... Totally unoriginal list, but I've been out of a lot of the year. Have a great xmas.
20th Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
Read more 5 star reviewsBest of 2007
R.Hammerstein
Albums
1. Feist - The Reminder
2. Von Südenfed - Tromatic Reflexxions
4. Burial - Untrue
3. Efterklang - Parades
5. Pole - Steingarten
Gigs
1. Prince - O2
2. Spank Rock - Bestival
3. Vetiver - Spitz
4. Animal Collective - Astoria 2
5. Bat for Lashes - Bestival
Tracks
1. Yeasayer - Forgiveness
2. The Cinematic Orchestra - To Build A Home
3. Wilco - Impossible Germany
4. Animal Collective - For Reverend Green
5. Leona - Bleeding Heart
Films
1. Eastern Promises
2. This Is England
3. The Lives of Others
4. Zodiac
5. Climates
TV
1. 30 Rock
2. Flight Of The Conchords
3. The Street (final episode)
4. Boy A
5.
18th Dec 2007 - 2 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
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Best of 2007
Locochimpo
I write this from sunny Chile. Internet connections are fairly erratic over her, but I've been keeping up to date with the important cultural news from chimpomatic when i can. Very excited about all things Indiana Jones, Batman, Iron Man and the new Malkmus album.
So - picking a top 5 is always tough, but it's made harder this time as I managed to lose my iPod on my way to Munich just before i came away. I didn't have time to fill the replacement with many tunes and my brain is now tuned into comedy latin american raggaton and shit pop...
However, my 5 for 2007 are:
Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Panda Bear - Person Pitch
Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
18th Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
Read more 5 star reviewsBest of 2007
CJ
Writing this list it is apparent I haven't listened to enough new music this year. My preferred albums are by familiar artists not quite hitting previous heights but producing solid releases all the same. Band Of Horses, Springsteen and Radiohead fit the bill here.
The National's Boxer is the stand out this year for me, moving things on from Alligator, producing a superb album in its own right. Despite a disappointing performance in Hammersmith, Kings Of Leon's release was their best to date.
Best film - Letters From Iowa Jima
Best gig - Hopefully Springsteen at o2 on Wednesday 19th December, otherwise Rifles at Astoria
Biggest turkey - Bernard Matthews' Bird Flu outbreak
18th Dec 2007 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Read more 5 star reviewsBest of 2007: Round Two
CJ, R.Hammerstein and Locochimpo have filed reports on this year's activity with Animal Collective getting a few nods.

18th Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet

Best of 2007
Chimpovich
Albums
Honourable mentions to: Elvis Perkins, Love of Diagrams, Silversun Pickups, Battles...
5. The Ponys - Turn the Lights Out
4. Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
3. Plate Six - Battle Hymns of the New Republic
(and these two clear by some stretch)
2. Dinosaur Jr - Beyond
1. Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
Songs (in no order):
Battles - Atlas
Two Gallants - The Deader
Elvis Perkins - While You Were Sleeping
Frightened Rabbit - The Greys
Dinosaur Jr. - Pick Me Up
Kings of Leon - Black Thumbnail
Film
Eastern Promises.
18th Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
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Best of 2007
HHG
It's been a good year for Hip Hop I'd say. The head to head of two heavyweights, Kanye West and 50 Cent, was entertaining. Fiddy claimed he'd retire if West's Graduation topped his. Seeing as it smashed the pants off Curtis, keep an eye out in a charity shop near you for 50 doing volunteer work. The Beastie Boys released a curious instrumental album, but rocked Brixton like it was 1987, then just as you thought the year was over the mighty Wu-Tang do a Spice Girls and reform with awesome results. As usual though it was the underground scene (if there still is one) that really inspired.
Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass
Probably his most approachable yet, but uncompromising none the less. Album of the year.
Wu-Tang Clan - 8 Diagrams
Six years since 36 Chambers and the Clan return with a deeper, darker and superior slice of Wu wizardry.
Sage Francis - Human The Death Dance
Not quite as dazzling as some of his other work but Sage continues to pull away from the crowd of wack MC's in his wake.
Busdriver - Roadkillovercoat
This will piss off a few hardcore fans but Busdriver's slight step away from the relentless word assault has created some of his best moments here.
El-P - I'll Sleep When You're Dead
A worthy follow up to Fantastic Damage, fast, furious and relentless.
Songs
Aesop Rock - Coffee
Jay-Z - Hello Brooklyn
Wu-Tang Clan - Unpredictable
Timbaland - Oh Timbaland
Sage Francis - Hell Of A Year
Gigs
Beastie Boys - Brixton Academy
El-P - Dingwalls
Cadence Weapon - Amersham Arms
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Best of 2007
Marmot
iron and wine
+
animal collective
+
radiohead
+
panda bear
+
lcd sound system
boom!
18th Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
Read more 5 star reviewsBest of 2007
With the record release schedule grinding to a halt this week, it's time to roll out our Best-of-2007 list. The chimpomatic reviewers have each compiled a list of some of their best and worst music, film and TV shows of the year. We'll be putting them up of the next few days and will tot up the most frequently featured items to come to some sort of vague conclusion. First up - HHG, marmot and Chimpovich.

18th Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
Wu-Tang Clan
8 Diagrams
Bodog
Six years on and one Dirty Bastard down and the Clan are back. 8 Diagrams, Wu-Tang Clan's 5th studio album was long in the making and comes with the expected dose of controversy and talking points you'd imagine from this group. Leading up to the release of 8 Diagrams Raekwon stirred things up with a much publicised interview where he openly critisised producer RZA for the direction he was taking the group and accused him of being a "hip-hop hippie." Then like a bunch of bickering little girls Ghostface Killah weighed in protesting the timing of the record which was due to be released at the same time as his own The Big Doe Rehab. It's clear from the first listen of this record that Raekwon and Ghostface Killah don't know shit. RZA might have taken the Wu sound in a more subtle direction but in doing so he's created one of the hip-hop albums of the year.
Since their first release Enter The Wu (36 Chambers) way back in 1993, The Wu Tang Clan quickly established their own unique sound and all the many solo projects that followed have only served to elaborate on this. RZA, with his fingers in many pies would never have been content to continue this progression so despite the twittering of a few back-benchers he's rejected the hard-hitting beats of old and painstakingly crafted a record dripping in mood. It's a dark, reflective and densely produced piece of work that uses strings, guitar, live instrumentation and more soul vocals than ever before. It has no clear single and will alienate many die hard Wu fans but RZA's new, introvert style of sound provides richer pastures for his band of merry MC's.
Campfire kicks things off with a beat that oozes through your speakers like molasses, while Get Them Out The Way Pa is smoother than any Wu sound you've heard. This easing off the heavy beat pedal doesn't soften the impact that this group have been keen to cultivate but lets it sink in slower and more profoundly than before. The thick, plodding beats and rich instrumentation shifts the emphasis away from violence to menace and fear. So when the big guns do come out they are sharper than ever. Rushing Elephants and Unpredictable are the proud figureheads of this record and inject a sense of urgency with their apocalyptic beats and epic heist-movie horns. The production goes from minimal to claustrophobically complex and the MC's raise the tempo with furious spitting. Unfortunately this tempo is not maintained and throughout the middle section you start to think that maybe RZA's critics had a point. The beats start to go from brooding to just plain soft and the focus on melody and singing comes dangerously close to diluting the Wu ethos. Gun Will Go embodies this perfectly - it counts itself in with a rhythm that promises greatness then is smoothed over with soft melody and the`tantalisingly old school snare simply fades away.
Thankfully, RZA is anything but self indulgent and always has a plan. He cleverly manages to steer his crew out of this slow patch and they emerge triumphant, in fact he starts by going solo over a slow jazz background in Sunshine then continues to bring this album back to the dark side with steady cuts like Weak Spot and and Tar Pit. The late O.D.B's presence is definitely felt on this record with the tribute song Life Changes and the closing track 16th Chamber.
8 Diagrams is certainly not what you'd expect from a group such as this after a 6 year absence but who needs another thugged-out beat-fest? These guys created this genre so who better to lead us out of it into a new dawn? Thankfully this is no sunrise and the gloom still hangs heavy over Clan territory. 8 Diagrams might not be as head on as albums like 36 Chambers, but it's weight will eventually seep through and it will, in time, emerge as one of the hip-hop albums of 2007.
18th Dec 2007 - 2 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Read more 4 star reviewsFound In Translation
ruin that final enigmatic whisper in Lost In Translation
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Jason Molina Show
The openly Canadian Jason Molina of Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co is headlining the Secretly Canadian Christmas party this Saturday, playing "material not usually heard in his live shows".
Saturday 15th at The Luminaire in Kilburn.
7.30pm-2am
£15, £12.50 adv (Buy here or here)
JASON MOLINA
+ Leona Naess
+ DJs Laura Barton (The Guardian)
Manish Agarwal (Secretly Canadian)
12th Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
Open The Airwaves
Some interesting developments are shaping up in the US with the de-comissioning of the analogue broadcasting airwaves in 2009. Once the switch off has taken place, the 700mhz wireless spectrum will be sold at auction and made available for other uses - and its ability to easily travel through walls and over long distances has obvious appeal to computer users.
Google is leading the way with its plan to bid for the spectrum (Read more 1,2), while US mobile network Verizon initially put up objections to the auction. In a surprising turnaround however, Verizon recently announced that it would open up its existing network to other devices and other users (Read more 1,2). That will presumably come at a cost, but the real reasoning seems to be to get ahead in future world of wireless access to all manor of devices ...and however it happens, that future definitely seems to be coming.
11th Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
Stockhausen Dies at 79
Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928-2007) composer, electronic music pioneer died on the 5th December.

Links
Tags
7th Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet

Dead Canadian Jaguwars
There's a new favourite record label at Chimpomatic HQ, or should I say labels. Secretly Canadian have been putting out quality artists like Magnolia Electric Co / Jason Molina, Richard Swift, David Vandervelde and Scout Niblett since 1996 - and found major success in the last few years with Anthony & The Johnsons and The Earlies. Although based in Indiana, there are strong Canadian connections with the label - which plays host to several bands from the world's 'third best' musical country.
Sister label Jagjaguwar also started in 1996, before the two became closely affiliated in 1999. Home to the "Black Mountain Army" collective (Black Mountain, Pink Mountaintops, Lightning Dust etc), the label also boasts Alex Delivery, Daniel Johnston, Okkervil River, Oneida and Wolf Parade side-project Sunset Rubdown.
Although based in Austin, Dead Oceans is the new third member of the family, sharing staff and facilities with the other labels and signing the highly praised Dirty Projectors, as well as Phosphorescent, Citay and Bishop Allen.
This year has seen a barrage of quality releases from the group, so we've rounded up a bunch of them here. All this coincides nicely with last night's Black Mountain concert and sets the scene for their new album In The Future, due January 2008. Our review for that will be up after Christmas, but rest assured it's likely to be your favourite record of 2008.
Reviews
Black Mountain - Live at Cargo
Phosphorescent - Pride
Citay - Little Kingdom
Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
Bobb Trimble - Iron Curtain Innocence / Harvest Of Dreams
Bishop Allen - The Broken String
Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover
Richard Youngs - Autumn Response
7th Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
iTunes 2007
don't think there's going to be much crossover between Chimpomatic's forthcoming 2007 round-up and the iTunes staff favourites
6th Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
Black Mountain
Cargo, London
December 5th 2007
Gigs don't get much better than this. 2005 favourites Black Mountain have put the side-projects to one side and got back in the ring with a new album In The Future - due January 2008. Having been enlisted to play this weekend's ATP Festival, the band lined up a few warm-up dates around the UK - with the London gig happily a mere two minutes from our office. Just when this gig couldn't get any better, one of this year's favourites - Miracle Fortress - get lined up to support and for the first time in a long time, not missing the support act became a priority. You can read a quick review of their performance here.
Singer Amber Webber introduced the band through the haunting Night Walks, before Stormy High got things really moving. This classic heavy number may be new, but there was no reluctance to get into it from the crowd. Songs like Lighting Up The Sky and Evil Ways find the guitar and bass onslaught building a wave of noise that is impossible not to get swept up in. Old favourite Satisfaction was requested from the crowd but given short shrift as the set-list was strictly warm-up, consisting of all but two of the new album tracks, plus Thirteen Walls from a tour 12" on sale at the show and only a couple of older numbers.
Where the debut album showed great potential, the new material really finds the band hitting their stride and the power behind these songs is immense. Blood Meridian front man Matt Camirand is a supporting player here, providing a solid bassline from the back, along with the powerhouse John Bonham-esque drumming and moody moog electronics. While Stephen McBean is clearly the leader of the band, they all have a strong input into the stage presence - all mic'ed up for backing vocals and all happy to chip in with the stage banter. McBean has a great voice however and the change in pace for the accoustic Stay Free provided a chance for him to reclaim centre stage.
Not unlike getting mugged in slow motion, the non-stop onslaught is a strangely rewarding experience. Without being cheesy or predictable, the songs hit the highs and lows in all the right places - just where you expect them. As songs like Tyrants wind down, you find yourself hoping for one last barrage of guitar thunder, but you still aren't prepared for the ferocity with which it is delivered.
The earlier call for Satisfaction was addressed as the band came back on for a riotous rendition of that debut album favourite plus another oldie No Hits. Hopefully they're now feeling suitably warmed, as I'm certainly ready for more.
6th Dec 2007 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Read more 4.5 star reviews
Miracle Fortress
Cargo, London
December 5th 2007
Following the release of their superb debut album, Miracle Fortress were over in Europe for a brief mini-tour, with this support slot for Black Mountain being one of two London shows. It's not often a support band becomes unmissable and Miracle Fortress did not disappoint.
A brief delay in sound checking was worth the wait, as the bombastic sound of Five Roses was energetically recaptured in their live show. Although the album is essentially the work of one man, the live band is a fully fledged unit with plenty of power. Whirrs, Maybe Lately, Little Trees, Fortune - all sounding like organic, melodic, hypnotic cacophonies. The only problem with much of this whirling wall of sound approach is that it's often not that entertaining to watch on stage, as without a strong stage formation and with the disadvantage lot of instrument changing there tends to be a lack of focus.
Once underway however, they seemed unstoppable - taking in a John Cale cover and a new track in addition to a good chunk of material from Five Roses. A great album, from another great Canadian band.
6th Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
Read more 3.5 star reviewsCash Music
Ex-Throwing Muse Kirsten Hersh is chipping in on the future of music debate, setting up Cashmusic.org to let all artists follow the Radiohead model of pay-what-you like. It currently feature her new single, and also offers a range of subscription packages that include music, music + gig, music + gig + hang out with her at the studio and so on. You can also get Pro Tools versions of the tracks for your own remixing and sharing and it's all distributed using the Creative Commons license. Wired has more info.
3rd Dec 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
RIP Evel Knievel
Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel, Jr. October 17, 1938 ? November 30, 2007 coincidentally, Top Gear's Richard Hammond has already made a doc about him, that has been in the BBC's Christmas line-up - don't know if they're pulling it or not
1st Dec 2007 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Cannonball!
Wired has a great article about two irresponsible Americans attempting to break the coast-to-coast road race record across the US ....previously a mere 32 hours and 7 minutes. Far from relying on a Police escort of carfefully closed off roads, these boys are strictly doing it Cannonball style - relying on GPS, Google Maps, Travel Johns and a buddy with a light aircraft keeping an eye out for the cops.

30th Nov 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
A Few Less Virgins
Virgin Megastore's Oxford Street branch has bitten the dust, re-branded as the utterly uninspiring and mis-guided post-Fopp, post internet 'Zavvi'. Once the biggest record shop in the world, the management buy out follows massive losses over the last few years - with Branson now free to concentrate on his more focussed on core businesses of Gyms, Space Travel and Wine, plus his next big idea about buying up the bank that just lost several billion in value. Someone should make the guy go on Dragon's Den with his next big idea.
28th Nov 2007 - 2 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Watching The Watchmen
nice details in these on-set pics from Zach Snyder's Watchmen - a Tales Of The Black Freighter poster, a Pale Horse gig, President Nixon back for another term, the Gunga Diner - and is that Rorshach walking along?

27th Nov 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
Song Of The Day: Volume IV
I'm wrapping up our Song Of The Day: Volume IV compilation with Sonic Youth's hypnotic cover of I'm Not There, from the soundtrack to the film of the same name.
It certainly hasn't been one of our more coherent compilations, but it's a pretty good snapshot of 2007. Start compiling your top 5's, as we'll be sorting this year's highlights in a more official form soon.
Only Waiting - The Aliens
Fans - Kings Of Leon
Back To Your Heart - Dinosaur Jr.
On And On And On - Wilco
Dear Dead Friends - Von Sudenfed
Slow Show - The National
Forever Young - Bob Dylan
Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung - The Flaming Lips
Seahorse - Devendra Banhart
Voodoo Child (Slight Return) - Jimi Hendrix
She Was Hot - The Rolling Stones
Sleeping Lessons - The Shins
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi - Radiohead
Chips Ahoy! - The Hold Steady
I'm Not There - Sonic Youth
Links
Tags
21st Nov 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet

The End For Journeyman
Aint-it-cool is reporting that SKY/NBC's Journeyman may be facing the chop, before Season 1 even finishes. A brash move considering the lack-of-scripts problem Hollywood is facing, but not surprising if you've seen the show.
Even more reliant on technology than Jack Bauer, Trainspotting star Kevin McKidd travels around time like a 00's Quantum Leap, helping pretty average people achieve fairly low-level tasks ....mainly by using his iPhone and an obvious not-Google-search-engine called "Finder-Spyder.com".
20th Nov 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet

LCD Soundsystem
45:33
DFA
Orginally available as a shoe-based promo download on iTunes, LCD's jogging mix is now out in hard copy formats, with added tracks Freak Out/Starry Eyes, North American Scum and Hippie Priest Bum-out.
The first track is kind of an LCD greatest hits, with James Murphy skipping through early versions of Sound Of Silver tracks like the, er, great Someone Great mixed in with some new bits. If, like us, you've got SOS hitting the Top 5 of your 2007 list, then this is like a worthwhile bonus round.
I love lying flat out on the sofa and not jogging to this. Works just as well
16th Nov 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
Read more 4 star reviewsHoly Ghost Revival
1965 Records' latest signings Holy Ghost Revival are over from Seattle for some UK tour dates this month - including a slot at the 1965 all-dayer, which we'll hopefully be covering extensively.
Described as "Elizabethan theatre meets Pagan Glam” (?!), their debut album is produced by Ryan Hadlock, who was behind the controls for several Chimp favourites (Modest Mouse, Blonde Redhead, The Strokes).
Tour Dates
Nov 25th - HGR - CLASH @ LOCK TAVERN
Nov 26th - London, The Black Gardenia, Dean ST
Nov 28th - Exeter Cavern
Nov 29th - Liverpool - Bar Academy
Nov 30th - York Fibbers
Dec 01 - Skegness Butlins. Boom.
Dec 02 Dundee - The Doghouse
Dec 03 - Birmingham - Bar Academy
Dec 04 - Manchester Roadhouse
Dec 06 - Bolton The Dog and Partridge
Dec 07 - Tunbridge Wells - Forum
Dec 08 - 65 All dayer @ ULU
Dec 09 - Southampton, The Joiners
15th Nov 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet

Today In Dinosaur News
they've caught a new one - Xenoposeidon proneneukus
15th Nov 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
It's the Adam and Thom Show
turns out it was Adam Buxton and Garth Jennings shooting the Radiohead.tv stuff on friday - nice behind the scenes piece on his blog
13th Nov 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
Android Comes To Life
Google have launched their Android operating system for mobile phones that was announced a couple of weeks ago and put up a video guide of what it can offer. It looks like a major step towards getting phones doing more of what they are capable of - with seamless integration of Google maps of course and a pretty cool street view demo at the end of the clip. Best of all though, Google is stumping up $10,000,000 in rewards for developers who make cool apps for the platform. Local chimp finder anyone?
13th Nov 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet

Melted Walkman
In a follow up to yesterday's Jack Bauer Halloween costume expose, check out Chloe Sevigny's tip of the hat to The Smiths Big Mouth Strikes Again.
And now I know how Joan of Arc felt
Now I know how Joan of Arc felt
As the flames rose to her roman nose
And her Walkman started to melt
9th Nov 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
More Rainbows
XL will be releasing Radiohead's In Rainbows on December 31st in the old-school CD format and the older-school vinyl. The single Jigsaw Falling Into Place will follow on 14th January. "The single is already the most played track from the album on UK and US radio."
With regards to the recently announced figures on number of downloads and price paid, the band are saying these numbers are pure speculation and that the "the figures quoted by the company comScore Inc are wholly inaccurate and in no way reflect definitive market intelligence or, indeed, the true success of the project."
8th Nov 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet

Ramsay vs Bauer
In the first case of the Writer's Strike crippling the Bit Torrent industry, Season 7 of 24 (which was due to start in January) has been postponed indefinitely. As the writers clearly only pen the episodes minutes before filming, producers decided they didn't want to end up giving Jack Bauer a half-day. The winner is ex-pat chef and buddy of BC - Gordon Ramsay, whose US version of Hell's Kitchen will step up to fill Jack's shoes.
This should also work out nicely with Jack's jail-time and give him a chance to think about his costume for the next CTU Halloween party.
8th Nov 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
Macs cheaper (in the long run)
interesting Salon piece arguing that macs work out cheaper in the long run if you take into account the eBay resale price a few years down the line
8th Nov 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
Live Cadence
More great bands lining up to play the Amersham Arms:
We Were There's first stellar line-up includes hotly tipped NY art-funksters Holy Hail, who will be celebrating the launch of their much-anticipated second single on ACTH Recordings; one of the first ever UK shows from rising hip-hop star Cadence Weapon and the first ever live performance from Plugs
Amersham Arms, New Cross.
Friday 23rd November 2007, from 8pm till 3am.
£4 in advance, £6 on the door, NUS £4 all night.
7th Nov 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet
Mara/Mugi Live
nice run of gigs from Chimpomatic's favourite M's - Mugi and Mara...
5th Nov - Mara Carlyle is headlining at the Green Note in Camden
then Mugison is on tour in Iceland playing
6 Nov Ísafjörður - Edinborgarhúsið
8 Nov Akureyri - Græni Hatturinn
9 Nov Vestmanneyjar - í Vélasalnum
10 Nov Hafnafjörður - Bæjarbíó
11 Nov Reykjavík - Nasa;
crossing over to Scandinavia
14 Nov Den 11. time - TV stuff
16 Nov Voxhall / Århus
17 Nov Vega / Copenhagen
18 November Skråen / Ålborg -
25 Nov Berlin, Nordwind Festival with Ghostigital and HöH/Steindór Andersen
27th Nov - Mara's curating a night at St Barnabas featuring Circulus's Michael Tyack, Luca, Mugison and Max de Wardener
28th Nov - Mugison's headlining at the Luminaire in Kilburn with support from Mara and fellow Icelandic rocker Pétur Ben
Then Mugi's playing 29 Nov Liverpool - Barfly
1 Dec Paris - La Fleche D’Or
5th Dec - Mara's playing the Arctic Circle Christmas at the Union Chapel
busy people, all should be great going on previous outings
7th Nov 2007 - 3 comments - Add Comment - Tweet

Analogue Amnesty
Tatty Devine's next show is ‘Analogue Amnesty,’ where artist Rachael Matthews will spin old VHS and audio cassette tapes into "lovely new wool". Not sure that I'd want a jumper made out of that, but sounds like a great idea.
You can drop of your Die Hard 2 / St. Elmo's Fire double bills at the gallery in advance.
Runs 7th November 2007 to 17th January at Tatty Devine, 236 Brick Lane.
Here's a poem to set the scene:
Oh TDK, how we loved you…..
You were played in the car on the way to raves,
Helping me pull boyfriends.
At school you saved snippets of John peel,
Which I played after lights out, on low batteries.
Sometimes you broke and I was gutted.
And VHS,
You wanted Mr Darcy like I did,
I know, because you wobbled when he emerged from that lake.
Thank you for playing the Beatles,
When my mind was blank.
These day, I only dust you,
But you remember everything,
You knew me before I was born.
You won’t rot for 1000 years,
Which is longer than I could sleep.
Let me spin your magnetic thread one last time.
Rewind and ply your yarns,
With a twist that’s really classical,
Then I’ll give it back to you,
To wear well when it rains.
2nd Nov 2007 - Add Comment - Tweet

