I'm so sorry

I haven't posted in over a month. apologies. I feel just terrible. I've just been so busy...there's really no one good excuse, so I might as well bring out the whole list...

• three different band interviews that had supposedly been shored up weeks prior were cancelled last minute (which is a pretty bad feeling, let me tell you)
• I couldn't go to a sold out show b/c the manager of one of those bands never touched base with the PR I was working with, so I never got a ticket (fail)
• a schoolfriend's child died (that practically killed me)
• busy sorting materials to give away and organising things for writers at the Great Escape in mid-May
• trying like the dickens to FINALLY get into the print edition of the This is Fake DIY magazine, after having two different pieces not make it in the inaugural issue (:/)
• I've been listening to Steve Lamacq's Roundtables and have not been impressed enough with the songs up for review to write about them

but there has been some good:

• met White Lies, finally (after over 2 years)
• met/interviewed Friendly Fires again (happily this was BEFORE Ed Mac had to be hospitalised :/)
• have been listening to some great albums, like the new ones from Tom Vek, Is Tropical and Wolf Gang and getting inspired
• requested time off in November so I can holiday in England and party with mates over there

hmmm. that doesn't really seem like much of an apology, does it? sorry about that. we'll see if this week's Roundtable fares any better and make this week and maybe I'll write about.

hope you're all well.

M x

this week's Roundtable (07/04)

Join Lammo as he welcomes his guests journalist Keith Cameron, Jim-Bob from Carter USM and Jim Dale from Goldheart Assembly into the studio to discuss the latest releases.

1. Friendly Fires - 'Live Those Days Tonight' - sounding very 'Kiss of Life', and that's not a compliment. too little guitar in the forefront. :( "a Duran Duran remix after they were good" - ouch.

2. Graham Coxon, Paloma Faith and Bill Ryder Jones - 'Desire' - nice guitars. don't like anything else. (Paloma has a hell of an annoying voice.) the combination is enough to make you ROFLcopter.

3. the View - 'I Need That Record' - not terrible, but man, what a zzzz....

4. Dells - 'Gob' - umm...

5. Kate Bush - 'Deeper Understanding' - the winner - I don't get the British love for Kate Bush (generally exhibited by the male half of the population). whenever I listen to Kate Bush, I don't know why, but I think of a singing cat. (I like cats, so it's not a total slagging off. it's just that the sound she makes doesn't sound human nor do I think we should be applauding her for it, especially since this one sounds like AUTOTUNE...hello...leave that to Kanye West, please!)

6. Alex Metric and Ian Brown - 'Open Your Eyes' - I don't know how I feel about Ian Brown becoming a dance music star! esp since last week's squashed Stone Roses reformation rumours (thanks ever so much Mani)

7. the Kills new album 'Blood Pressure', including 'Satellite' - I like this stuff, but not as edgy as Alison's work with Jack White in the Dead Weather. boo.

Friendly Fires get interviewed by Fuse

I just found this.

it's hilarious.

I honestly do not know what Ed Mac is talking about. he told me in Nottingham 2 years ago how uncomfortable he is singing to the camera, but I think he's got that down pat :)

(has it really been 2 years since I've been to England??? ::whimper::)

Paul Epworth says 'Pala' is a "real game changer"

6music's Adrian Larkin spoke to producer Paul Epworth about Friendly Fires's new album 'Pala' and the new direction they've gone into...

I'm actually more excited about Friendly Fires's new material more than I am about this supposed Delphic weirdo-direction new material because the St. Albans' blokes' stuff is actually going to be released this spring versus who knows when...

Polly Scattergood - 'Please Don't Touch'

my last thing I can remember about Polly Scattergood was standing in a Fopp's in Nottingham in May 2009, looking at a CD display of Dot to Dot artists and wondering if I should buy her album. I didn't - I bought Grizzly Bear (at Friendly Fires' suggestion - mistake), Late of the Pier (Friendly Fires' suggestion again - definite win), and Elbow's 'The Seldom Seen Kid' instead.

I just started thinking about her again today b/c Lammo interviewed her on a "Where Are They Now?" feature on his show today, and she said she's working on a new album. good stuff.

and good stuff indeed - this is 'Please Don't Touch', which seems rather appropriate given my mental state at the moment.

Friendly Fires returns

the boys from St. Albans were my favourite band of 2009. and they're ba-ack! 26 May 2011 at 9:30 Club, finally returning to DC after 2 years - about bloody time!

read more here on PopWreckoning

Friendly Fires cover Depeche Mode

my old love has come back. and not a moment too soon.

Friendly Fires is scheduled to play at Bowery Ballroom in New York on the 7th of February 2011.

I had a strange dream 2 weeks ago where I dreamt they were going to play at the Rock 'n' Roll Hotel in DC on 5/2 and asked Jack Savidge if that were the case.

they haven't been back to DC since 24 March 2009 - yes, I remember that date well! - so I felt it my duty to remind him that they need to return (and see me of course).

@jackbsavidge 14 hours ago
@theprintedword hmm probably not. Soon though. Hope you're well!

you see, people don't forget me easily ;) and soon. this is exciting. it's been over a year since I've seen them gig, and nearly 2 years since they have been in town.

despite this frigidly cold winter in Washington, I am feeling rejuvenated hearing their interpretation of Depeche Mode's 'Strangelove'. YUM.

Delphic vs. Friendly Fires vs. Two Door Cinema Club - Melt Festival (Germany)

while this Delphic interview at Germany's Melt Festival isn't really insightful, I find the enormous green microphones that Rick, James, and the German interviewer are holding completely hilarious. they look like they should be bobbing just above sea level in the ocean. or from far away they might look like massive iced lollies.

'one year later actually, your band is actually quite bigger!'

(stop me, I'm laughing.)

also, I wonder if the two of them were under the weather, or maybe where they were being interviewed was really hot. at 1.07, James takes an odd breath and then leans over. at the end, Rick is literally hot under the collar. I often wonder how they deal with wearing long sleeved shirts and suits when they're playing gigs. but then I remember how much I prefer musicians who dress up...!



I've sort of been moaning about the recent 'Stay Here' Friendly Fires collaboration with Canadians Azari and III and not being entirely happy about it (LACK OF GUITARS, GUYS), I think Melt in Germany and Selector in Poland were the only two festivals that featured both them and Delphic.

consulting the tarot cards? brilliant.

also...funnily enough, the interviewer mentions Two Door Cinema Club at the beginning of the interview. haha! it's all coming full circle for me...



and speak of the devil: here is Kev of Two Door Cinema Club.

'you used to be a big secret. but sorry to tell you, but you are now mainstream.' ::big grin::

oh, and the band war continues. Kev just happens to mention that Delphic is opening for them in Hong Kong in August. ooooh, snap!

this week's Roundtable (19/08)

no Roundtable report last week as there was no power at the house or at work.

this week, it's Felix White from the Maccabees, Andy from Goldheart Assembly and 6music's own Nemone.

1. the Ting Tings - 'Hands' - so '70s. ? it's ok. is her voice autotuned?

2. Clinic - 'I'm Aware' - the winner - oh god, what is this?? ::snore:: it sounds like drugged out hippies trying to make a dance record.

3. Kurran and the Wolfnotes - 'Your Four Limbs' - I like the vibe of this. somewhat Fleet Foxes but in a good way.

4. Friendly Fires with Azari & III - 'Stay Here' - ok, I'm not a fan. I'm like, WTF happened to the guitars? they aren't there! defo not a fan. never thought I'd say this for anything associated with FFires but it's pretty awful. maybe I never really understood house.

5. the Cribs - 'Housewife' - not their usually balls to the wall sound. ok but could be better.

6. Local Natives - 'Wide Eyes' - TBH, I really did not think they were that great live. and not a fan of them on record either. too bad.

7. new Klaxons - it's so garage-y. not really liking this. it's so rough. how they are compared to Delphic and FFires, I'll never know.

songs I'm working on

no, sorry, this isn't a list of songs I've actually written, it's the songs I'm trying to master on bass.

Delphic
'Doubt' - it's hard for me to suss the rhythm on this, but I think I have it now.

'Submission' - I've got this pretty down pat. the first hurdle was getting the right rhythm, which I think I have, I just have to move my left hand quicker. now the quick progression from D-E on the D (third) string to F# on the E (first string) is driving me nuts!

'Counterpoint' - much easier than I thought. basically two notes (A# and F#) throughout the whole song except for the bridge.

'This Momentary' - this is really hard! until I started playing bass I hadn't realised it was the bass line that was the main groove underneath the track.

'Red Lights' - I was able to figure this out on my own quite easily - it's the same repeated 4 notes on the E (first) string all throughout the song. try it.

Friendly Fires
'On Board' - it's mostly one note. y'know, those thumps at the start.

'In the Hospital' - rough b/c it's fast but working on it.

the Temper Trap
'Fader' - difficult b/c I want to follow Lorenzo Silletto's screaming guitar solo

Two Door Cinema Club
Something Good Can Work (I've learned a way too simple version, will have to speak with Kev Baird about this b/c I don't think I have the bridge right)

songs I want to figure out on my own, b/c I can't find the tabs / the tabs are messed up
Delphic - 'Halcyon' - I *will* master the chorus, I will! have got to stop humming Matt Cocksedge's guitar solo first though...

Led Zeppelin - 'Whole Lotta Love' - this will be a work in progress for a long time, I bet. I remember years ago saying I'd learn guitar so I could play 'No Quarter', that never happened.

Queen - 'Another One Bites the Dust' - I mean, you have to learn this one if you play bass, right? it's like the 'Stairway to Heaven' for bass players.

Two Door Cinema Club - 'Come Back Home', 'I Can Talk', 'What You Know'

will I ever get to the Warehouse Project? / why I love Manchester

if you aren't in the know, the Manchester Warehouse Project is this rave/dance night that is put on throughout the autumn in what I've been told is a disused car park under the Manchester Piccadilly train station. now I've BEEN to that train station before, well prior to be told this, but I had no idea anything of the sort was going on deep in the bowels of a major Northern transportation hub.

I have special ties to Manchester. not just who I know there, but it was the first place in England I ever set foot in when I first visited the country 4 years ago (not counting a stop-over at Heathrow). I remember taking the train from the airport into Manchester Piccadilly and looking out the window at the council houses that I only knew from episodes of British telly that made it onto public telly here and wanting to cry with joy because I couldn't believe that I was actually in the country that I held so dear. I also saw Morrissey play there 3 times on that trip and did the requisite Smiths sightseeing.

I haven't been back to Manchester since then. it's not from lack of desire. I miss the North. it's just that things never fell into place like they did in 2006.

last year I really wanted to go to see the Friendly Fires curated night that featured themselves playing live, the Field, Michael Mayer, and a whole slew of other dance luminaries. it was on 14 November, which was a Friday, but considering I couldn't get ANYONE to go with me, a late night rave by myself didn't seem like a good idea.

yesterday Delphic was being coy, saying they had a big hometown gig announcement to make today. uhhhh what would be bigger for a dance band than to play the Warehouse Project? I guessed right. only problem: it's the day before Halloween, this year. my wallet hasn't recovered from Denmark and at the end of September I shall be travelling to see them in Philadelphia and Boston opening for the Temper Trap, so I'll already be several hundred in the hole from that. so quite sadly, looks like I'll be missing it. nice-looking line-up though. it's oh so tempting...

Saturday 30th October
Delphic Present Acolyte
Delphic [ Live ]
The Whip [ Live ]
Fenech Soler [ Live ]
Jamaica [ Live ]
Rob da Bank
Optimo Espacio
Jamie xx
Foals [ DJ Set ]
Now Wave DJs
£17.50 advance : 21:00 — 04:00

for more information, visit WHP's Web site.

this is a really old photo of James - he doesn't even play this bass anymore.



--

good news. I think I have the bass lines for 'Doubt' and 'This Momentary' down pat. I knew 'Submission' was going to be a struggle, and it still is, b/c I'm trying to pick out the rhythm still, but I've got the notes down, which is half the battle.

eating noodles with a bib in Japan

I like this video for the sheer innocence of it. it was filmed during their first American campaign in 2008, touring with Lykke Li (skipping DC, boo) and then to the West Coast and on to Japan. the noodle-eating and 'Baby It's You' parts are the best!

quarterly best-of releases, 2010, Q2

I'm writing this in advance, because come 30 June, I will be steadying myself for day 1 on the grounds of Roskilde!

best albums released

• the Futureheads- 'the Chaos' - I wasn't completely sold on this until I saw them live at the Black Cat. WOW.
  
• Two Door Cinema Club - 'Tourist History' - pop tour de force. I'm seeing them at least once this spring, if not twice. 'nuff said.
• Broken Bells - 'Broken Bells' - Dangermouse (Brian Burton) and James Mercer of the Shins have put together a psychedelic, trippy pop record that I absolutely adore.
• Villagers - 'Becoming a Jackal' - Conor J. O'Brien's folk project
  

worst / most disappointing albums released

• Keane - 'Nighttrain EP' - I had such high hopes when their collaboration with K'Naan, 'Stop for a Minute', arrived on the scene. what a disappoint to hear a bunch of mismatched tracks through haphazardly together.
  
• Hot Chip - 'One Life Stand' - the album is good in parts but what the heck is going on in the middle, guys?!?!?

best singles released

• 'Heartbeat Song' - Futureheads - wonderful, just wonderful. pop love song of the summer.
• 'Dreaming of Another World' - Mystery Jets - technically this isn't released until July. but it's already on radio and it's breathtaking.
  

worst / most disappointing single released

• 'Flashover' - Klaxons - I'm sorry, but WTH is this?!? not impressed. (for more on this, read Roundtable 20/05 entry)
  

best gig

• Futureheads at Black Cat, 4 June. wow, what a powerhouse live. Jaff Craig deserves mad props for giving the poor blogger (me) a setlist IN THE MIDDLE of a set. and Barry Hyde DMed me with 'we're gonna knock your socks off. B x' indeed, they did. probably the most fun I've had at a gig since Nottingham 24 May seeing Patrick Wolf, Ladyhawke, and Friendly Fires.
  

worst / most disappointing gig

• Hot Chip at the 9:30 Club - I just wasn't feeling it. I also did not appreciate getting bumped on purpose by this tall Indian dude next to me b/c I was there covering it and having to take notes, and he didn't like it. was I bothering him? NO. I thought I had written about it on here but basically there came a point where I was near tears - I was, as usual, by myself - and I thought I might get crushed and die in the body melee that was 'Over and Over'. I got out of the club, gasping for air. that was the first time I ever have been to a gig and actually feared for my life. I never want to be in a situation like that ever again.

other recommendations

• if you like Fleet Foxes, try Goldheart Assembly.
• if you like MGMT, try Broken Bells.
• if you like Editors, try the National. (I don't really dig either.)
  

Parklife Festival

thanks to a heads-up from fellow fan Piran in Manchester, here's a clip of Friendly Fires playing 'Lovesick' at Manchester's inaugural Parklife Festival on 12 June. judging from this, they're in fine form. what tubbiness?

IOW, Rockness, and more from Snowbombing Festival

I won't even try to pretend. I am really frustrated. it is really really frustrating when a band you like is playing all these festivals in a whole 'nother country and you can't see ANY of the footage but I have to HEAR people saying "they were good." I know they were good. DUH. and they played the new songs. NEW SONGS. and I can't see or hear ANY of it! ::grumble::

the closest I've been to experiencing something live is a v. short interview they did with Annie Mac last last Friday at Rockness. Ed Mac didn't want to say much b/c he said he didn't want to interrupt the ravers so not much was said at all before they introduced a minimix for Annie (phooey!)

here is an 'interview' the Rockness people did with Ed Mac a week before they appeared on the Friday of the festival at Inverness. pretty silly. it was however useful for linking up to this nice video from Reading 2009 that I've never seen before:



and here is a this NME article about their appearance at Isle of Wight last Sunday. boggles my mind why Ed Mac would dedicate 'Kiss of Life' to all the Pink fans...heh. also that bit of "Enjoy the rest of your day," declared the frontman ahead of set closer 'Paris, "but remember us!' n'awwww, bless.

it just so happened that on the same page there was an interview from Mayrhofen (Snowbombing) in April, so I thought I'd link to it. the promoter mock disses the Friendly Fires set and says Ed Mac is an obvious star b/c his shirt is soaked through with sweat, and Edd Gibson being hilarious as usual. big worry: it sounds like this album is far, far away from being completed, let alone released. I guess this is why XL did not bother to put their name on their release list of 2010. disappointed.

Jay-Z and Beyonce to guest star on 'Paris'? fact or fiction? hehehe...Gibson, you're such a kidder.

I can't figure out how to embed the video - or rather I tried to copy and paste the embed code from NME but I don't think it's working. so click here.

it must be the vuvuzelas...

my head hurts! (many thanks to Gigwise's Day 1 of Rockness photo coverage).

I imagine this is during 'Photobooth', when Ed Mac hits his head with his microphone. it must be painful, b/c *I* got hit in the head with his microphone cord a couple times at le poisson rouge last summer, and that's not even METAL.

'Running Away' - first peek (Friendly Fires supporting Muse in Milan)

I wanted to wait until AFTER the TGTF entry posted on this one...

yesterday I got lucky through some Tweet searches (I just knew there had to be more film of new Friendly Fires songs) and eureka! someone at the Muse concert on 8 June at San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, taped another new one, called 'Running Away'. I am really appreciative of this person, esp as it's obvious he's a fan of both bands (whereas you can tell everyone else is just standing on the football field, looking bored). it must have been hella scary for the guys to play this one b/c not only is it the biggest crowd they'd ever played to, but also doubtful that there were too many of their fans present.

the sound is worse than the one I posted yesterday (probably b/c it's in a huge place like San Siro AND there are a lot of people talking b/c they're Muse fans, not FFires fans, and they're bored) but I can hear the shimmery guitar, the beats are '70s disco era, and Ed Mac is attempting falsetto ala 'Photobooth'. these discoveries have definitely perked up my weekend!

'True Love' - first peek (Selector Festival)

here is something wonderful for a Friday. thanks to a nice fan at the Selector Festival in Poland last week, we have a first peek at one of the new Friendly Fires tracks, live. it's called 'True Love'. the sound quality's not so great - you can hear a good rhythm, and the chorus sounds like 'I want to be...your true love'.

but...awesome video quality: it's pretty much crystal clear. nice to see Ed Mac is still pumping his fists with gusto. and they kept the brass section! that makes me REALLY happy.

first festi of the year

by the time this entry posts, Friendly Fires will be probably getting ready somewhere in Inverness for their Friday slot at Rockness. however, the first festival they played in 2010 was actually Snowbombing in Mayerhofen, Austria. despite the location, somehow the entrepreneurial spirit of Britain won out, as someone figured out a flight/coach scheme that transported many Britons to the snowy(ish) location. watch from about 1 minute in for a brief interview. the look on Edd's face when the interviewer (female I might add) calls them 'the very gorgeous' is priceless. also 'annoying the locals' ranks high on the 'bless' factor.

Moshi Moshi days - "Paris" then and now

it's summer! b/c Friendly Fires is a summer type band IMO, I'm going to treat you to not just one, not just two, not three, but FOUR videos on this Friday.

Moshi Moshi is a v. small, independent record label in London. despite its relatively small size, it's nurtured some of the most popular bands out there today. check out a smattering of their artists (starred are the ones I've seen live)...

Au Revoir Simone
Bloc Party
the Drums
Fanfarlo*
Florence and the Machine*
Friendly Fires*
Hot Chip*
Hot Club de Paris*
Late of the Pier
Lykke Li*
Kate Nash
the Rakes (RIP)
Slow Club
the Very Best*

(read more about them on Wikipedia)

now that I think about it looking at the list above, it makes a lot of sense why Friendly Fires supported Lykke Li on her first North American tour. the first video below, the first promo they filmed for 'Paris', was directed by Price James and is from their Moshi Moshi days, before Richard Russell found them and signed them to XL. the one features, rather oddly, guitarist Edd Gibson playing drums. he told me last year he was very uncomfortable playing them but Ed Mac insisted it was b/c their was one boring guitar line throughout the whole song and he (Gibson) would have looked stupid standing there holding his axe. Edd countered this by saying even so, he would have still have felt more comfortable holding his guitar. ha!

this is also an interesting piece of history b/c there isn't a huge amount of media of back in the day when Edd didn't have much of a beard and Ed Mac's hair was long and out of control. even though it's kind of kitschy, I still prefer this one over the over stylised one XL had them record, which I have also included below. what's I find really silly about the XL one is that the video has nothing to do with the song whatsoever. at least the Price James one had stars! in the third video, a behind the scenes look at the filming of the XL version, you can just feel the discomfort in all having to do all this choreography. (you know what, I haven't watched this behind the scenes thingy in ages. and now that I've seen it again, I wish I hadn't b/c I now have a lump in my throat. long story.)

the fourth video has nothing to do with promos - I've included it b/c some people have not yet seen the band live. there's the Jools Holland videos that are quite good, but I just found this 'Paris' one from 2007 a couple days ago and wanted to share. you know, get everyone in the mood for summer and everything, b/c last summer Ed Mac wanted everyone to be having picnics and be drinking fishbowl-sized margaritas. so just spreading the joy.