Daily Music Reviews.

News - Muse Wembley gig.

2010-09-10T09:25:00.000-07:00

Muse's Matt Bellamy has revealed that Bono got in touch with them to say he liked their Glastonbury performance with U2 guitarist The Edge in June.

After U2 pulled out of the festival due to Bono's back injury, Muse played the Irish group's song 'Where The Streets Have No Name' with The Edge during their headline slot.

Bellamy told BBC 6 Music: "We heard from him [Bono] via The Edge, we heard that he liked the performance we did at Glastonbury and he thought it was a fitting tribute to the band."

Muse are set to play Wembley Stadium tonight (September 10) and tomorrow, with the likes of Lily Allen, Biffy Clyro, I Am Arrows and The Big Pink set to support them over the two nights.

News - Britney Spears is sued for sexual harassment.

2010-09-09T07:47:00.000-07:00

Britney Spears' former bodyguard Fernando Flores has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the singer.

Flores alleges in papers filed at Los Angeles Superior Court that Spears made unwanted sexual advances towards him and exposed herself naked to him, reports Associated Press.

He worked for the singer from February to July this year, and also alleges that Spears had sex in front of him.

Spears ' lawyer did not comment on the allegations, but a lawyer for her ex-husband, Kevin Federline, called the accusations "baseless".

Lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan said: "He [Federline] is satisfied that the allegations are a product of economic motives. They are as baseless as they seem."

SOURCE: NME.COM

New Release - Radioactive, Kings of Leon

2010-09-09T07:42:00.000-07:00

Kings Of Leon have revealed the video for their comeback single 'Radioactive', after it made its UK radio debut this morning (September 8).

The track, the first to be taken from the band's fifth album 'Come Around Sundown', was posted on the band's website Kingsofleon.com with a new video.

You can hear the single and watch the new video below.

'Come Around Sundown' is released on October 18 and Kings Of Leon have announced a tour of the UK's arenas in December.

New Releases - 6th September

2010-09-06T02:43:00.000-07:00

The Killers' Brandon Flowers releases his first solo album 'Flamingo' today (September 6). Hurts also release their debut album 'Happiness' while, in the singles chart, The Coral, I Am Kloot and Bjork all have new songs out.

Singles released today:

Bjork – 'The Comet Song'
The Brute Chorus – 'Heaven'
The Coral – 'More Than A Lover'
I Am Kloot – 'Proof'
Linkin Park – 'The Catalyst'
The Parlotones – 'We Call This Dancing'
Paul Heaton – 'Ladder's Bottom Rung'

Albums released today:

Brandon Flowers – 'Flamingo'
Brian Wilson – 'Reimagines Gershwin'
The Charlatans – 'Who We Touch'
Hurts – 'Happiness'
James – 'The Morning After'
The Like – 'Release Me'
Stone Sour – 'Audio Secrecy'

Review - Everything Everything, Man Alive.

2010-09-04T23:32:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the slackers, there are three dirty words in indie right now: ambition, intellect and effort. Everything Everything don’t just fit those terms, they pole-vault over them. It probably goes some way to explaining why, over the past nine months, they’ve not become the chart-bothering megastars they deserve to be.

You might think that’s nonsense – Foals took great pains to namedrop highfalutin composer Philip Glass around ‘Total Life Forever’, and the biggest influence on These New Puritans’ ‘Hidden’ was 16th century choral music. It doesn’t get much more intentionally intellectual than that, and both albums did well. But the difference is that these weren’t their debuts. They snared their audience on their first records, which were still clever but playful, giving them a solid fanbase to lead into uncharted, potentially pretentious territory. In comparison, EE and their clever debut seem like the annoying new kid at school who shows off how smart they are.

But what’s overlooked by those quick to shout “PRETENTIOUS!” is that they truly excel at having fun. Amid the Beyoncé-does-barbershop singing, XTC riffs and mondegreen lyrics, it’s the central artery that runs through every aspect of ‘Man Alive’. Despite suffering from a flattening remaster of the original single, opener ‘MY KZ, YR BF’ tells of getting caught shagging someone else’s lady in tones that veer from frightened monkey whimpering to cuckoo-clock R&B harmonies. They even manage to top fellow pop perverts Wild Beasts in the sublimely ridiculous stakes – ‘Photoshop Handsome’ is about an existential crisis triggered by airbrush trickery, and ‘Come Alive Diana’ sounds like the theme tune to a gameshow where contestants compete to resurrect the deceased princess. At no detriment to their songwriting abilities, if you’re taking this seriously then you deserve to be condemned to a lifetime of proud meatheaded cock-rock.

Clearly, EE like nothing more than getting giddy on ideas. Sometimes they get tangled up in them, which isn’t helped by the sequencing – by the time ‘Final Form’ hurdles along after four multifaceted songs, seasickness sets in. ‘Man Alive’ could do with more slow numbers for a breather, particularly as those present are utterly beguiling; ‘Two For Nero’, a peculiar monastic chant about fatherhood, and ‘Tin (The Manhole)’, which recalls the awkward beauty of The Futureheads’ ‘Danger Of The Water’ meeting The Postal Service’s timid bleeps. Without that balance it can all feel impenetrable, like a high concept musical fortress.

But that’s what’s so rewarding about them – they don’t volunteer everything on a plate next to a menu of neatly listed influences. It’s down to the listener to work out what the chuff Jonathan Everything is singing about, and to rejoice in their own misheard versions of lyrics. Certain images recur throughout – the fox on the album artwork “frolic[s] on the abattoir floor” in ‘Photoshop Handsome’, but trudges through a snowy pollution-tainted landscape on ‘Tin (The Manhole)’ – and there’s no way of understanding their significance. The title of the record seems to link up with a theme of deconstructing and rebuilding the body to understand how it works: the fizz of ‘Leave The Engine Rooms’ offers to “tell you a secret about yourself”, and famously misheard single ‘Suffragette Suffragette’ (is he really not singing “who’s gonna sit on your face when I’m not there?”?) dismantles Jonathan tongue by lung. That’s what they do with pop – layer incongruous harmonies and bastardised riffs to make us look at it anew. If that sounds like too much effort, then ‘Man…’ isn’t for you. If however, the thought of it as a brilliantly unsolvable puzzle appeals, then bow at the feet of pop’s new Picassos.

SOURCE: http://www.nme.com/reviews/everything-everything--3/11525

News - Kanye West and Taylor Swift form partnership.

2010-09-04T22:15:00.000-07:00

Kanye West has renewed his stage invasion apology to Taylor Swift ahead of next Sunday's (September 12) MTV Video Music Awards ceremony. He has also said he has written a new song for her.

At last year's ceremony West invaded the stage as Swift was accepting the Best Female Video award. He took her microphone from her and used it to praise Beyonce, who was also nominated.

West apologised to the country-pop singer after the incident, but today (4) has once again geared up his apologies, this time on Twitter.

Writing on his official page, Twitter.com/kanyewest, he wrote of the incident: "With the help of strong will, a lack of empathy, a little alcohol and extremely distasteful and bad timing I became George Bush overnight."

He added: "Remember in [ Will Ferrel film] Anchorman when Ron Burgundy cursed on air and the entire city turned on him? But this wasn't a joke. This was and is my real life."

He went on to explain that he had written new music for Swift. "I wrote a song for Taylor Swift that's so beautiful and I want her to have it," he wrote. "If she won't take it then I'll perform it for her."

He also assured people that next weekend he wouldn’t be repeating the invasion. "I would never ever again in a million years do that," he wrote. "It is distasteful to cut people off as a general rule. What's the point of dressing tastefully if I'm going to act the complete opposite? When I woke up from the crazy nightmare I looked in the mirror and said, 'Grow up Kanye'. I'm sorry Taylor."

News - Morrissey lashes out at China.

2010-09-04T05:36:00.000-07:00

Morrissey has described the Chinese people as a "subspecies" because of the nation's track record of animal welfare.

The former Smiths singer, an advocate of animal rights and a vegetarian, made the comment to the Guardian, describing the population's attitude to animal rights as "horrific".

"Did you see the thing on the news about their treatment of animals and animal welfare?" he said. "Absolutely horrific. You can't help but feel that the Chinese are a subspecies."

The singer also said that the writing process for his forthcoming autobiography is "almost concluded".

Last month Morrissey wrote a letter to The Times newspaper urging the Queen to stop British Army Guards wearing real fur.

News - Radiohead helped a group of fans bootleg their gig.

2010-09-03T14:39:00.000-07:00

Radiohead have helped a group of fans 'bootleg' one of their gigs for a homemade concert film.

The group allowed a show in Prague in August last year to be filmed from a variety of angles throughout, and then provided soundboard masters for the film's soundtrack.

The finished result, simply called Prague DVD, is available now as a free download from natalynz.free.fr/Radiohead_Prague.

The film features the following tracklisting:

'15 Step'
'Weird Fishes/Arpeggi'
'All I Need'
'Lucky'
'Nude'
'Morning Bell'
'2+2=5'
'A Wolf At The Door'
'(Nice Dream)'
'The Gloaming'
'Exit Music (For A Film)'
'Bangers 'N' Mash'
'Bodysnatchers'
'Idioteque'
'Pyramid Song'
'Airbag'
'The National Anthem'
'How To Disappear Completely'
'The Bends'
'True Love Waits'
'Everything In Its Right Place'

News - Snoop Dogg is releasing a sequal to 'Doggystyle'.

2010-09-03T11:14:00.000-07:00

Snoop Dogg is releasing a sequel album to his 1993 debut 'Doggystyle'.

The rapper, who could feature on a UK Number One this week, courtesy of a cameo on Katy Perry's 'Teenage Dream' album, put up a new video explaining that the album will be named 'Doggystyle II: The Doggymentury'. He has worked on it with producer Swizz Beatz.

"He [ Swizz] just laced my boots up on my new record," Snoop said. "Motherfucker gave me some gangsta shit, some R&B shit, some hip-hop shit, some hard shit, some mean shit."

He added that the album will feature 18 songs, or as he put it, "18 shots to the face".

News - Kings Of Leon release album detals.

2010-09-03T11:06:00.000-07:00

Kings Of Leon will release 'Radioactive', the first single from forthcoming new album 'Come Around Sundown', on October 11.

The album will contain 13 new songs (see below for the tracklisting). A deluxe CD version of the release will feature live songs recorded at the band's show at London's Hyde Park on June 30 this year.

Sessions for the album took place at New York's Avatar Studios, with the band once again teaming up with producers Angelo Petraglia and Jacquire King.

The tracklisting of 'Come Around Sundown' is:

'The End'
'Radioactive'
'Pyro'
'Mary'
'The Face'
'The Immortals'
'Back Down South'
'Beach Side'
'No Money'
'Pony Up'
'Birthday'
'Mi Amigo'
'Pickup Truck'

Video: Kings Of Leon talking about new single 'Radioactive'.

Review - Lady Gaga, The Fame Monster.

2010-09-03T09:04:00.000-07:00

With her quick, succinct rise to fame, it is a shock that the name still on everybody's lips is Lady Gaga. Think about in 2007, when nobody had even heard of the notion of a mass rumour regarding somebodies genitalia. There is no rumour shrouding the quality of her work however, with her fantastic magnum opus that is The Fame/Monster. The thumping prowess of Bad Romance lets us all know that this re-release of The Fame will be worth stumping up the extra cash. As the smash hit single leads into yet another, Alejandro exhibits Gaga's fluent foreign accent as she weaves us through the tale of her tangled love story, regarding Alejandro, Fernando and Roberto. Five tracks in and the Lady shows us the best trick in her inventory - Dance in the Dark. "Work your blond Benet Ramsey, we'll haunt like Liberace", shows the Lady confessing her deepest and darkest secrets in spoken form. A true reminder of how mainstream music should be, a fantastic attempt by Lady Gaga.

Download; Dance in the Dark, Telephone, Monster.

Video: Telephone by Lady Gaga.

News - Scissor Sisters open for Lady Gaga

2010-09-03T08:12:00.000-07:00

The Scissor Sisters and Semi Precious Weapons have been selected as the opening acts for the third North American leg of Lady Gaga’s “Monster Ball” tour, starting February 19th, 2011.

Review - Katy Perry, Teenage Dream

2010-09-03T07:30:00.000-07:00

Katy Perry, Teenage Dream EP.

Released Aug 30 2010 by Virgin.

The second attempt by one of the largest acts in the world right now, Katy Perry, has flooded onto shop shelves everywhere. The wise collection of 12 songs show that, although Katy has a playful side, she has learned to progress with the times and not just church out the same old durge each record. The naked body of Perry on the front cover is a little eye opener (literally) as to what lies within. Within the album there are dance jams, ballads, groovy pop subtelties and mighty pop numbers - all of which will spread delight to Perry fans everywhere. The explosive summer tune California Gurls is one of the catchiest songs that you will probably hear for the remainder of the year. The tentatively named Dynamite follows the same structure, a fantastic full blown pop song. At the opening of the album, Katy reveals her rarely seen soft side, as she releases a sugary sweet ode to her highly saught after comedian/actor Russell Brand in the form of Not Like the Movies. A step in the right direction for perfect Perry.

Download; California Gurls, Dynamite, Who Am I Living For?

Video: California Gurls by Katy Perry.

Mercury Prize Nominees - I Am Kloot, Sky At Night.

2010-09-03T05:40:00.000-07:00

I Am Kloot, Sky At Night.

Released Jul 5, 2010 by Shepherd Moon

People often make the mistake of presuming that I Am Kloot are one of these new bands, who plucked a random quirky name off a google band name generator. Those people are wrong. Formed in 1999 in the prodigal setting of Manchester, they have had to reel out five magnificent attempts to get their melodic wares noticed. Although they have only just broken through into what some may call mainstream here, they have been popular in Germany ever since the forging of the trio. Proof, an old gem off 2003 attempt, eponymous 'I am Kloot', has been re-recorded and dubbed onto a video in which Christopher Eccleston appears in- some would think they are attempting fame by association. However, they do not need the appearance of a mildly popular actor in order to boost their claim to creativity, as Northern Skies proves to us, with Bramwell's swarthy croon guiding us through. Another midnight song appears in the form of The Moon Is a Blind Eye, which is beautiful, yet pale and silvery at the same time. This attempt shows the bare, heart wrenching journey that the trio have passed through, stamping their own distinctive mark on the record industry. A true contender for the 2010 Mercury Prize.

Download; Proof, Lately, Radiation.
Video: Proof by I Am Kloot

Mercury Prize Nominees - Foals, Total Life Forever.

2010-09-02T16:07:00.000-07:00

Foals, Total Life Forever.

Released May 10, 2010 by Transgressive/Warner Music

The sophomore album in a band' career is often seen to be the most paramount, due to the fact that they have a chance to show that they will evolve with the times of music. Total Life Forever sees the Foals completely shed their puppy fat, and transform into a band of true wonderment. Tracks such as 2 Trees show to us the trilling guitars and the post rock peering through with a 4AD art rock sound. The use of the whole six strings do not go unnoticed here, showing the skilled craft of Yannis' signature wooden guitar. Soft, yet haunting Spanish Sahara is possibly the best, and most chilling song on the album. With no particular rhythm, it is a wonder why it is such an amazing tune. It just is. This without a doubt certainly proves that Foals have not just evolved: they have completely rewritten their timeline. Can they snatch the Mercury Prize with just their second attempt?

Download; Spanish Sahara, Blue Blood, This Orient
Video: Spanish Sahara by Foals.

Mercury Prize Nominees - Biffy Clyro, Only Revolutions.

2010-09-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

Biffy Clyro, Only Revolutions.
Released Nov 9th 2009 on 14th Floor

It is difficult to even consider Biffy Clyro as a band with no notable credibility or firm hold over the British rock scene, but boy, we were wrong to dismiss them. With their fifth attempt galloping through the expectational weight, it becomes obvious that this album would be one of some magnitude. The bold and brass opener The Captain fights off the opposition with its orchestral maneuvers, wrapped in strings with a bow engineered of delight. Should-be-single Know Your Quarry begs us to acknowledge the triumphant passing of Simon Neil's, well, rather depressing stage. Previous single, top 10 smash That Golden Rule admits Nirvana influences with regards to its brutal chorus. This album is a true accomplishment for the Ayr born trio, as they ride off into the sunset of mainstream success. A fine representative for mainstream, and offbeat rock in the Mercury Prize.

Download; Bubbles, Born On a Horse, Boom Blast & Ruin.
Video: God & Satan by Biffy Clyro.

Mercury Prize Nominees - The xx, xx.

2010-09-02T15:36:00.000-07:00

The xx, xx.
Released Aug 17 2009 on Young Turks.

With their melancholic, anti-corporate, eponymous album title, it is a wonder that this album even broke into mainstream market. Or the British top 10 for that matter, with its seemingly increasing volume of mainstream dross. However, emerging from Elliott School in Putney, it is no surprise that they follow the pedigree of Kieran Hebden from popular band Four Tet. The cold shoulder that we receive on first listen is just a slight glossing of the music and persona that we feel emanating throughout the tightly coiled riffs and soft lyricism of the first attempt from The xx. With Intro setting our mind to disappoint, we are pleasantly surprised as it softly leads into the playful vocal interplay of VCR from Romy Madely Croft and Oliver Sim. The deep beats of Islands slip into the identity defining album. As their dark direction of this album promises that this arcane album will firmly grasp our minds forever, we know that the stylistic surface will be a force to be reckoned with in the Mercury Prize.

Download; VCR, Islands, Heart Skipped a Beat.
Video: Crystalised by The xx.

Welcome!

2010-09-02T12:48:00.000-07:00

Hello there music enthusiasts! This is my new blog, Daily Music Reviewer (I suppose that I only chose this name due to the fact that the 'Daily Music Review' name was taken.

Throughout the course of this blog, we will be reviewing albums, singles, gigs, and basically anything to do with music. Please stay put and have a look around the website. If you have anything that you would like reviweing, or if you would like your own work here, contact benjamindeantaylor@gmail.com

Enjoy!