The Contrary Experience

Video: The Dark Knight Rises Trailer

2011-07-19T12:39:00.000-07:00

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Here is the trailer for The Dark Knight Rises, the conclusion to director Christopher Nolan’s trilogy of Batman films.

The movie is expected to hit cinemas on the 20th July 2012. Enjoy.

Video: The Beastie Boys featuring Santigold, ‘Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win’

2011-07-19T03:46:00.000-07:00

Here is the video for the new Beastie Boys single, ‘Don’t Play no Game That I Can’t Win’ featuring Santigold.

The video, directed by Spike Jonze, features all three members of the band and Santigold as action figures. Enjoy.

The Beastie Boys Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win ft. Santigold from Beastie Boys

New Track: Against Me, "Russian Spies"

2011-07-13T14:31:00.000-07:00

Scenic Transformations: Number One

2011-07-13T14:25:00.001-07:00

From the beach, the Lady Isle, forged from molten rock, with its unmaned lighthouse, resembled a giant submarine; its job to protect boats from the perilous and pirated rocks.

Arran, the sleeping giant, lay silent and still in the background, shrouded in mist, resting atop the sea. The water did not move, not even a shimmer broke across the mirrored surface.

Stretching as far as the eye could see, the sea joined with the grey sky at the horizon, blurring the separation between air and water.

New Track: The Tallest Man on Earth, 'Weather of a Killing Kind'

2011-07-11T07:52:00.000-07:00

New Jimmy Eat World Song: My Best Theory

2010-08-19T03:34:00.000-07:00

The new Jimmy Eat World single, 'My Best Theory' is available for streaming over at the band's official website. You can also listen to it over at MySpace.

I'm not quite sure what to make of it: I like the riff but the whole thing sounds a bit over-produced.

My Morning Jacket: Two New Songs

2010-08-17T13:11:00.000-07:00

Above is a live performance by My Morning Jacket of a new song, 'Circuital', performed at San Diego's open air theatre on August 11th. The track is likely to feature on the band's next album along with another new tune, 'Friends Again', which you can listen to by clicking below.

My Morning Jacket - 'Friends Again' (live)

I heard about both songs over at Stereogum who heard about them over at You Ain't No Picasso. I hope you enjoy them (thrice removed).

Tom Gabel Performs White Crosses in a Canoe

2010-08-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

Below is a clip of Tom Gabel from Against Me! performing an acoustic version of the title track from the band's latest album, White Crosses, in a canoe of all places. The video is taken from the Norwegian website NRK and was filmed during this year's oyafestivalen in Oslo.

I don't think I have ever seen an acoustic-canoe performance before and, have to say, I rather enjoyed it.

Arcade Fire: The Suburbs

2010-08-13T08:49:00.000-07:00

The Arcade Fire have returned with their third album, The Suburbs, and after living with it for a couple of weeks now, I feel settled in and ready to give some thoughts on it.

Just like their two previous albums, The Suburbs doesn't disappoint. However, it did at first, a little. On the initial couple of listens, the album felt flat, lacking the energy and anthemic sound we have come to expect from the band.

But that's the problem, isn't it? Expectations.

There is no 'Wake Up' on The Suburbs; no instant anthemic gratification. But why should there be? Progress should be strived for in whatever you pursue - especially if it's music - and that's what the Arcade Fire have reached for and achieved with The Suburbs.

In a way, the slightly subdued nature of the album reflects the core subject matter of the album - life in the sprawling suburbs and nostalgia for a childhood spent there. This is also reflected sonically, where the sound, at times, leans towards the 80's, undoubtedly a time when most of the band members were in their youth, and a musical period that provides inspiration.

I said earlier, that there are no high points on first listening, no anthemic moments. Truth is, they are there, they just take a little longer to discover and sink in - surely the sign of an album with depth and longevity.

For example, 'Month of May' begins with a riff that wouldn't be out of place on a (good) Queens of the Stone Age album, and sonically 'Sprawl II (Mountains beyond Mountains)' lies somewhere between Blondie and French electro-pop (I am cringing as I type).

If anything, The Suburbs, in its entirety, is an anthem: to the suburbs, to lost youth, and, most importantly, to the 'album' genre itself. Each song flows into the next and, although they can easily be taken on their own, when placed together the sum of the parts is greater than the whole, connecting into a wonderful artistic statement. How refreshing in an age where digital downloads - specifically the ability to pick and choose your favorite tracks - is eroding the albums place within music.

The Suburbs is a breath-taking LP, a contender for record of the year, and the album to cement the Arcade Fire's place in the annuls of music history. I cannot wait to see them live again when they return to Scotland in December.

Below is a clip of 'We Used to Wait' from the band's recent performance at Madison Square Garden, New York City. Enjoy.

Android 2.1 on Orange HTC Hero

2010-08-02T03:19:00.000-07:00

If, like me, you are tied up with a long-term contract from Orange you will be relieved to know that you can now, finally, get the over-the-air update to Android 2.1. And I must say, it is a vast improvement. Here are the steps I took to get the ball rolling.

I couldn't find any information on the Orange website about the update, so, after some internet searching, I decided to try moving the date forward in my settings: bingo, things started happening.

Firstly, make sure you are connected to the internet, preferably via a wireless hotspot as the download, which is in two stages, is quite large. Navigate to your Hero's settings menu and then to the date and time section. Untick the box that says 'Automatic, use network-provided values', then move the date forward by one year.

Shortly after doing this you should receive a pop-up on screen from HTC asking if you want to download and install an update which you accept. After this first part has installed, which takes a few minutes and updates the you tube app, go back to the settings menu and re-tick the box to get 'network-provided values' for the date and time.

What you will notice is that you now have a new option in the settings menu to check for software updates. After a couple of minutes click on this option and you should get another pop-up asking if you want to install a further update which, again, you should accept. This second part took between 10 and 15 minutes to download and install.

And that's it. Android 2.1 should be up and running. What's great about this update is that it doesn't delete any of your saved data, such as contacts and text messages. What you might want to do (which I didn't!) is make sure your current scene, if customized, is saved as you will be put back to one of the default scenes.

You are now ready to enjoy Android 2.1 which is faster, slicker (check out the zoom function on the home screen), and has more apps available, including the official IMDB and Amazon Kindle ones.

This method worked for me but I have no idea if it will work for others but I'm sure it will. Good luck.

The Avett Brothers: Head Full of Doubt / Road Full of Promise Video

2010-07-23T03:08:00.000-07:00

Here is the new video for 'Head Full of Doubt / Road Full of Promise' by The Avett Brothers.

It's an animated video which looks fantastic and the song is another fine exert from The Avett Brothers' latest album I and Love and You, one of the best, and most heart-felt, alt-country albums I've heard in a while; from any genre in fact.

Intelligent lyrics, tremendous harmonious vocals and beautiful melodies make this album a must buy. I would recommend the double vinyl as it's a beautiful piece of art: from the cover painting by Scott Avett to the written message from the brothers, it's a fabulous addition to any collection both sonically and visually.

There is also a live performance and interview with the band over at The Interface which is definitely worth a look. Part of it - the title track from the album - is featured below.

Against Me!: White Crosses

2010-07-22T03:58:00.000-07:00

The first time I listened to White Crosses, the new album from Florida's new age punk rockers Against Me!, great anticipation led to disappointment.

There was a feeling that the album was over-produced and the outcome was, somehow, a very 80's sounding record that was a little wet behind the ears. However, one of the wonderful things about music is the effect repeated listening can have on your opinion and emotions, often causing you to re-assess your initial conclusions.

Not as raw and visceral as Searching for a Former Clarity and (during initial listening) lacking in the anthemic moments that graced New Wave, White Crosses still packs an almighty punch and could well be the band's most consistent album to date.

Lyrically, the old subjects still dominate: death, drugs, lost love, and politics form the core of the album's content with front man Tom Gabel's voice delivering these themes with conviction and intensity. Personally, I think he has one of the best voices around with the power to make you stop and listen.

From a musical point of view, Against Me! pay homage to their punk roots on songs like 'Rapid Decompression' (Rancid) and 'Spanish Moss' (surely a reference to The Clash's 'Spanish Bombs'). There is even, dare I say it, something of British punk rockers The Wildhearts in the vocal reverbs the other band members shout-out in support of Gabel, a key feature of many of the songs on White Crosses.

I am aware that Against Me! are a band that split opinions; much of there original 'hardcore' fan base have deserted them in the wake of a more commercial sound that has attracted a mainstream audience.

It is a difficult position for a band to be in: whether to stick to your roots and continue to struggle financially or make some changes and actually make a decent living from what you love doing. I can appreciate both sides in this argument but - and I'm sure I will be guilty of committing hypocrisy - if it's good enough for Bob Dylan then it's good enough for Against Me!. At the end of the day, a band must strive to progress or risk extinction. Anyway, they are hardly Green Day, are they?

And, to be honest, as a fan of their earlier albums as well as their recent releases, I can find merit in all of their material even though, at times, it is difficult not to be blinkered. It was exactly that way with White Crosses. From an initial reaction of antipathy to one of unadulterated joy, I am pleased to say that Against Me!'s latest album, through its strong riffs and emotive lyrics, is fast becoming one of my favorite albums of 2010 so far.

Band Of Horses: Laredo

2010-07-16T03:48:00.000-07:00

Above is the new video for 'Laredo' from the new Band Of Horses album Infinite Arms. The video is available through itunes and Vevo in the US but, sadly, it is not available for fans outside of America, yet.

Therefore, I have taken the step to place it here so that BoH fans in the rest of the world can enjoy this great song and beautifully composed video. If this is illegal or a problem in anyway, I apologise in advance and will remove the video upon request, but in this day and age, with the internet making our daily lives a truly global experience, surely everyone should have access to the same content. To the content providers: by all means, stick an advert in front of the video, unique to the individual's country, but don't prevent people from having access to content they really want to see, and that is readily available to others, just because they live in a different country.

If you are in America, you can watch the video on Vevo's youtube channel here in stunning high definition.

Band of Horses: Live from Grand Central Terminus

2010-07-02T06:03:00.000-07:00

The interface, Spinner's showcase of live music, is currently featuring a performance by Band of Horses from Grand Central Terminus in New York.

BoH are one of my favorite bands and, at my recent wedding, my wife-to-be walked down the aisle to the title track from their new album 'Infinite Arms'. I have embedded the live version of the song below. Grand Central is an impressive place for a random gig and BoH do a great job of filling the vast Vanderbilt Hall with their unique alt-country sound.

The Interface is a great website and is also available as a podcast via itunes (or your preferred podcasting app). It features unique live performances from bands as diverse as The Hold Steady, Surfer Blood, and Beach House. It's definitely worth checking out.

'Infinite Arms' by Band of Horses is available to buy now.

Concerning the Future Career of a Mr Gordon Brown, Former Prime Minister

2010-06-25T02:43:00.000-07:00

I sent the following thoughts to a couple of newspapers a few weeks ago but, needless to say, neither of them chose to print it. The beauty of blogging is you have the power to print whatever you like (within the bounds of good taste, of course). The only drawback, when oppossed to having your thoughts featured in the paper, is that hardly anyone reads them (well, at least mine anyway). But I guess that depends on your ego - for many expressing yourself, getting something off your mind is enough. The enjoyment of self-expression outweighs the need to have your work read.

So, with that in mind, here are some thoughts on Gordon Brown's future...

There has been much speculation about the future of Gordon Brown since his resignation earlier this week as both Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party.

Instead of taking the usual route towards guest lectures and memoir writing, might I suggest that Mr Brown considers taking over as leader of the Scottish Labour Party and putting himself in the running to become the next First Minister?

A supporter of devolution before it became a reality, Brown would be a firm favourite to defeat Alex Salmond, as he remains a popular figure in Scotland – something he struggled to achieve throughout the rest of the UK.

With his unparalleled experience in British politics he would not only enhance Scotland’s reputation globally but would also ensure a stronger relationship between Westminster and Holyrood during the expected and prolonged period of financial difficulties facing Britain – a partnership Alex Salmond appears to be uninterested in maintaining.

Mew O2 ABC Glasgow - 5/11/09

2009-11-07T07:23:00.000-08:00

Mew deliver a strong performance for their Glasgow fans.

On a typically cold Scottish night, my brother and I set out for the ABC on Sauchiehall Street to attend the Mew Concert.

We missed the support act and arrived just prior to Mew taking the stage. I have seen the venue much busier, but those who were in attendance showed their appreciation, for an on song performance, throughout the gig.

There was a good mixture of older and newer songs - something that brought about some disagreement between my brother and I. He prefers the more complicated and innovative newer songs, a style that could be described as 'Space Rock', where as I like the rawer riffs from the first album. Perhaps this is because, at times, some of these riffs remind me of the gone but not forgotten Afghan Whigs.

Anyway, it is a mute point as all the songs were performed with precision and plenty of noise throughout. The band have a tight sound that holds the attention and left this concert-goer satisfied that the ticket was money well spent.

Also worth mentioning were the visual elements to the show. Although the frequent strobe lighting was at times uncomfortable, the animation scenes projected onto large screens definitely enhanced the spectacle - in particular the creepy old lady (who reminded me of a distorted Helen Mirren), and the lamenting Teddy Bear (who sounded gruffer than Barry White).

Overall, the concert exceeded my expectations and I would encouraged Mew fans who have yet to see them live to do so next time they play. I know I will be there.

View: 4/5

Dead Man's Shoes

2009-07-21T10:14:00.000-07:00

I watched the film Dead Man's Shoes (2004), directed by Shane Meadows (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0276349/), earlier today and found it to be very engaging and enjoyable.

It is often difficult to deal with violent themes without descending into gratuitous violence, but Meadow's film manages this by leaving much to the imagination where other film-makers may have chosen a gorier path. Further, such scenes are balanced with moments that are both poignant and emotive.

I won't give details of the plot away as to do so would detract from viewing pleasure due to the way the narrative unfolds, where flashbacks playing an important part. But, what I will say is that the film could be seen as a post-modern western. Richard (played by the excellent Paddy Considine) takes on the role of the lone gunman returning to a lawless town (there is no mention or evidence of the existence of the police) to take care of a bunch of no-good bandits lead by Sonny (Gary Stretch).

If I am honest, I often give British cinema (and television) a wide berth, preferring to spend my time gazing at the offerings from America, Asia, and mainland Europe. There is no specific reason for this that I can think of, but if I was to hazard a guess then a conclusion involving the work (?) of a certain Mr Ritchie may be reached.

However, Dead Man's Shoes has made me re-address my attitude towards British films and I will be actively seeking out the other films' from the director's oeuvre, in particular This is England (2006) and Somers Town (2008) both of which I never got round to seeing on release.

Is it time for a BBC Sports Channel?

2009-06-26T07:31:00.000-07:00

This post is on a general sport-related theme but is also relevant to the BBC as a whole.

In recent years, the quality and variety of the BBC's sports coverage has decreased significantly as it struggles to compete with the huge buying power of SKY. With the exception of a few trophies, the cabinet is looking somewhat bare.

A solution for this could be found through the creation of a dedicated BBC sports channel. This channel would allow the BBC to keep all its sports coverage in the one place, pleasing sports and non-sports fans alike, as the main BBC channels would not be clogged with sports coverage.

The BBC already gains its revenue for broadcasting through the license fee. What I propose is a 'supplementary fee' for those wanting to watch live sports on the BBC. This extra subscription fee would allow the BBC to compete again for some of the big sporting events: the ashes, EPL, SPL, international football, tennis and golf majors, the list goes on.

In the wake of the Setanta meltdown, what better time could there be for the BBC to make its move and provide a great product at a decent price for the financially-stretched customer?

For example, the BBC sports channel could work on a pay-per-view system and coincide its launch with a bid for live coverage of Scottish Premier League football. This could be gained at a good price (a lot less than the ridiculous figure Setanta offered) and there is a reasonably large market of subscribers willing to pay for this product. Why should British subscribers line the pocket of multi-national media corporations, like SKY or ESPN, when we have a great platform in our own country? Further, the BBC could move Formula One to this channel and recoup some of the money spent to gain the rights to broadcast this premium sport.

The BBC is an attractive proposition to a possible subscriber. There are many people out there who do not want to subscribe to SKY due to its affiliation with Rupert Murdoch and his News Corporation. The BBC does not have this problem.

Many people will argue that the license fee is already high enough, but they must be realistic: if you want to see the very best sport then you have to be willing to pay for it. I think that the BBC could provide this service and at a reasonable price. The BBC is unique in the world of broadcasting but it must evolve with the time to provide the licence fee payer with the programming they want. This sports channel could herald a new chapter in the corporations history, and a refreshing one at that.

I'm interested to hear what others think...

Equal Opportunities

2007-10-16T05:58:00.000-07:00

The departure of Sir Menzies Campbell as leader of the Liberal Democrat party this week is a clear indication that ageism is alive and kicking in British politics. From the beginning to the end of his curtailed reign, Mr Campbell was ridiculed by opposition MP's and members of the media because of his 'senior' age. It was the general opinion that he lacked the youth, energy, and vigour required to take his party forward.

The question I would pose is this: does experience, knowledge, and wisdom count for nothing in modern times? Following an appearance on the BBC's 'Question Time' two weeks ago I was struck by the way Mr Campbell answered questions intelligently while other, younger panelists fumbled to 'spin' an opinion poll boosting answer. Mr Campbell was sitting alongside Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Transport, George Osborne, Conservative shadow chancellor, and a particularly slimy Ian Hislop, editor of Private Eye. Where as Mr Campbell was able to answer questions on all subjects with authority, both Kelly and Osborne struggled to cope with topics outwith their respective fields; the former consistently making errors with figures and dates, the latter, in general, regurgitating a summary of the answer supplied by Mr Campbell.

There is no doubt that politicians have a difficult and demanding job. Yes, it requires energy and fresh ideas, but more importantly it requires experience and knowledge. It is sad, in these times of political correctness and equal opportunities, that politics in the UK is being found out as lagging behind other work sectors: Sir Menzies Campbell is a clear victim of ageism.