Too painful to look at the camera

Synths and glam may have been part of my diet as an 80s child but I never totally fell in love with 80s music. It’s only now – and after the main revival of 80s chic has passed that am I coming to appreciate what the decade of decadence produced.

Recently I went to Lovebox in London’s Victoria Park and went bananas over the bananas Grace Jones. It turns out another 80s superpower won my heart more – Tears for Fears. Well not quite, a few acts before Grace came BBC Sound of 2010 nominees – Hurts. Tears for Fears can only dream of being able to produce their kind of music – with all the technological advancement in the last 30 years that Hurts have to play with.

The northerners’ powerful, catchy and epic pop surprised most of the crowd – especially when they started singing along to songs they’d never previously heard. Although they didn’t win the Sound of 2010 – I expect Hurts to be the most successful from the shortlist. Ellie Goulding? Yeah – no one cares.

Here is a live version of my favourite song at the moment Better Than Love:

You can also watch the music video for Better Than Love on youtube. Or you can watch the brand new music video for Wonderful Life which they are re-releasing as their next single.

1. Dan Black – I Love Life
2. Daedelus – Make It So (feat. Michael Johnson)
3. La Roux – Tigerlily
4. Peaches – Talk To Me
5. Out Hud – It’s for You (album mix)
6. Moderat – Les Grandes Marches
7. Mum – They Made Frogs Smoke ’til They Exploded
8. Telefon Tel Aviv – Stay Away From Being Maybe
9. Modeselektor – The White Flash (feat. Thom Yorke)
10. Ratatat – Mirando
11. Animal Collective – My Girls
12. Telepathe – In Your Line
13. Esser – Stop Dancing

Any other tracks which you think should be here? Let me know…

The Copenhagen 5-piece, Veto, create electronic rock driven by massive hooks, synths, bleeps and pounding beats. With Troels Abrahamsen‘s soaring vocals lushly complimenting the textured landscapes.

I’m really going to have to listen to something else soon – I’m starting to feel sorry for the rest of my music collection.

There is so much to find on this album – every track has its moment. I especially love that despite Crushing Digits’ racy nature, Duck, Hush And Be Still, the last and most subdued track on the album, is stunning. It feels like a perfect ending.

Crushing Digits is released in the UK on 20 April and is available to pre-order on Amazon.

As I’m sure you can’t wait, have a listen to my favourite track from the album, Crooks. Its the filthy little guitar licks that do it for me:

Veto – Crooks mp3

Oh, and here’s an exclusive treat just for you:

Veto – Built To Fail (Tomboy remix) mp3

However this one came along today. I just couldn’t help myself.

1. Do the Random Wikipedia Search – The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.
2. Go to Random Quotations – The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.
3. Go to the Explore Last Seven Days on Flickr page – Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.
4. Use Photoshop, Gimp, similar or online free image editing website to put it all together.

• - My band is called Behar
• - Album is called as we get out of it
• - Picture was of New York
• - Result is the featured image on post.

Here are some of my friends’ efforts:

There only one thing to do now. Post yours and share!

Peter Bjorn and John is made up of 3 Swedes called, Peter, Bjorn and er, John. I bought their previous album, Writer’s Block (iTunes) after stumbling on the track featured in this post. It’s a lot more lo-fi than their new work. I’m sure you’ve heard the excellent single Young Folks from the album.

Now they’ve got over writer’s block, I’m hoping their new album, Living Thing is going to be a musical War and Peace. There’s a tracklisting at Off the Radar. Now listen to the fat beat and super pop chorus constantly like I have and see why i’m excited:

Peter Bjorn and John – Nothing To Worry About (mp3)

Living Thing is released on 31 March and can be pre-ordered from Amazon.

10. Foals – Antidotes

Expect the Unexpected with Foals. This is what New Rave wanted to be.

Foals on MySpace

9. TV on the Radio – Dear Science

Some dared proclaim Dear Science as the OK Computer for the naughties. Not convinced, but it does confront the Bush years with stunning tracks and great lyrics. Unlike Radiohead’s best, its poignant, but not suicidal. 

TV On the Radio on MySpace

8. Camphor – Drawn To Dust

Epic. In fact, even more epic than I thought it would be. Oh, and this album would certainly win best use of an orchestra.

Camphor on MySpace

7. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend

Took a few listens, but I eventually fell in love with this africana inspired album from the columbia university chums.

Vampire Weekend on MySpace

6. Third – Portishead

How many of us were scared that this was going to be horrible? Thankfully a massive sigh of relief was heard around the world that the Bristolian’s still have what it takes to be the best.

Portishead on MySpace

5. Nico Muhly – Mother Tongue

I first heard about Nico Muhly in the Guardian, apparently he wants to live his fantasy of going to an English boarding school so he can experience the special relationship between master and schoolboy. hmm.

Nico Muhly on MySpace

4. MGMT – Oracular Spectacular

Pure psychedelic pop. If you’re ever feeling a down, listen to this – Its bizarreness will take your mind off anything. Not only that but the rousing choruses are enough to make anyone cheer up.

MGMT on MySpace

3. Shearwater – Rook

From Austin, Texas – this album is a luscious journey through Americana – with Dulcimers, Glockenspiels, Banjos and Homemade instruments. They also have a drummer/clarinettist called Thor Harris, that looks like Thor. I shit you not.

Shearwater on MySpace

2. Dead Confederate – Wrecking Ball

I’ve talked about this album before. I could talk about how great it is again, but I suggest reading my post about this prog/grunge beast.

Dead Confederate on MySpace

1. Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid

Maybe I can see the future. When I played this to friends I foretold it would win the Mercury award and despite being released early in 2008, would remain as the best album. Oh how they laughed. Oh how right I was.

The beauty of The Seldom Seen Kid – it feels effortless.

Elbow on MySpace

Basel, Switzerland – a town of culture, the pharmaceutical industry and permanent frowns. No one smiles in the birthplace of LSD. Basel was pretty, but my holiday was like a trip to a mental asylum. Clinical, regulated and dull. We needed to escape. To Germany.

Freiberg, a beautiful town with great food and smiles, was worth the hour long train journey. Especially as we managed to squeeze in a Broadcast 2000 gig.

Joe Steer, the brains of Broadcast 2000, has been justifiably triumphed by my friends recently. His experimental acoustic jinks, backed by a rare mix of snare drum, violin and glockenspiel, are delightful.

The music of Broadcast 20000 feels more authentic than the similarly styled Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. Perhaps the lack of electronic mumbo jumbo makes a more heart-warming and personal experience. Songwriters that don’t bombard me with all the crazy shit they find on their music software are in my good books – experimentalism can be all about moderation.

Broadcast 2000‘s exposure has been, well, quite big. Get Up and Go is on an Orange advert and on Building Blocks, their tasty mini-album. To whet your appetite Joe has kindly offered my favourite song from the album to holeytonal for you to devour:

Broadcast 2000 – Everybody & Me

Especially when an arty fan of James and the Jewellery Store from Copenhagen makes a music video of Lights Go Dim. Only Danes, as the inventors of Dogma 95, can get away with camcorder films – Festen is one of my favourite movies.

You can download an MP3 of Lights Go Dim from my previous post about James and The Jewellery Store. But his story driven lyrics, bound with the sound of Sufjan Stephens on burlesque, deserve the attention of any art house film maker:

Song By Toad – Email to Columbia (& Sony BMG) - Music bloggers who have worked hard to promote a band have had their posts taken down by the labels who got them to post them in the first place. Not a way to treat people who do free work for you.

what’s your weather – is it raining again? well let this site choose some music to match your weather.

Allan’s World of Music – Kites in Space – Kites in Space Review - a post about a very good, but also very mysterious band 

Instrument Jokes – Yes, this is on the edge of bad, but there are loads of jokes, mainly about classical music. The highlight for me:

How do you tune a Tuba? With a tuba glue!

passionato – DRM free classical music download shop. Say good-bye to your wallet classical music fans.

pretty much amazing – Dress Up like Kanye West - fulfill the dream and dress follow this step by step guide to be the king of hip hop.

“I play drums in Babyshambles but don’t let that put you off.” Good thing it didn’t, because whilst I adore Marmite, I’m not a fan of Babyshambles. 

Adam Ficek, performing under the monicker Roses Kings Castles, is a DJing songwriting multi-instrumentalist whose talents would leave any baby in a shambles.

 Adam says Bletchley, Milton Keynes, where he was born is an, “odd satellite suburban juxtaposition of a place, it doesn’t quite know whether it’s farmland or city“. This perpetually British suburban conundrum has clearly impacted Roses Kings Castles eponymous debut album.

I admire music that connects with the context in which it is created. Take for example the superb The Imagined Village or Jim Moray – both acts successfully unite British folk and urban music.

Roses Kings Castles initially started as a filler during Babyshamble’s break (see The Sun, The Mirror or the Daily Star for more details). It soon spiralled into much more, and Ficek’s home made Lo-Fi has been received with much deserved praise.

The debut album is available from Amazon, but you can preview Roses Kings Castles either with the remix of Entroubled by Boy + Girl from Fried My Little Brain.  Or you could simply listen to the exclusive to holeytonal radio edit:

Roses Kings Castles – Entroubled (mp3)