Madness at Butlins (yes, really)
Posted by jamie on Feb 28, 2011
Whoah. Look what popped up in my email.
For a free four-track download (and tickets) go here.
Lots and lots of Mike TV dates up
Posted by jamie on Feb 28, 2011
Mike TV have posted a big stack of tour dates up. See them all here.
Mash Attack: new single
Posted by jamie on Feb 27, 2011
Bonkers Southampton ska/punk outfit Mash Attack have put new single Dysfunctional on their bandcamp page for $1. Get it here.
Gecko: London show
Posted by jamie on Feb 26, 2011
Gecko are playing the Water Rats on 9th March, and won’t play a live show for a while after that. See it on facebook here.
Sadly, Tottenham vs. AC Milan is at White Hart Lane the same night. Souls will have to be searched.
Ian Britt: new download single
Posted by jamie on Feb 26, 2011
The amazing Ian Britt has posted his new single here. You can get it free for a little while.
Me vs Hero: new street team page
Posted by jamie on Feb 26, 2011
Me vs Hero have a new page for their street team. Sign up here.
Four 0: Tales of the Unexpected
Posted by jamie on Feb 26, 2011
Four 0
Tales of the Unexpected – Do the Dog, 2010
26th February 2011
Jamie
Four 0’s first record, Across the Borderline, was strikingly different and instantly addictive: melodic, thoughtful and drenched in some of the juiciest harmonies I’ve ever heard, it stood apart from anything I’d heard in a very long time. It would have been really, really interesting if it hadn’t been much too much fun to waste time thinking about stuff like that.
So, the first time I saw them in concert, I was really excited. Their live set, though, turned out to be just as enjoyable, but markedly different from the way the record sounded: much more emphasis on the guitars, quicker, more instantly danceable, and edgier: more primal energy and a little rougher around the edges. For want of a better word, more of what you’d instantly recognise and loosely file under “punk”.
When it came to eagerly anticipating a second album, then, it was tough to know exactly what to expect (no pun intended), except that it was likely we’d be surprised once again.
Tales of the Unexpected picks up nicely where Across the Borderline left off: for the most part, it’s breezily laid back and immediately likeable in both the innocence and accessibility of its gently reassuring and peaceful summer pop songs. It rocks out in places: that four-part harmony that opened Across the Borderline is replaced by a Ramones-esque guitar riff that launches Step Back, but, for the most part, this is a gentler, more soulful disc, and, in the main, it’s better for that. It’s excellent throughout, but the real highlights, Lost and Lonely, for example, and Ukelay Saturday are the breezy, semi-acoustic, summer songs loaded with harmonies and feel-good factor.
Desert Rains and Tequila Salt & Lime are peppier, foot-tapping tunes, and the delightful Goosfrabar is so skankable and so happy it’s like someone got a giant sticker of a stupid smile and slapped it across your mouth. I defy anyone not to run around in circles when you put it on.
In its songs and its lyrics, it’s generally all happy, this. At times, though, when the songs are at their mellowest, there’s a swift kick in the teeth: Lost & Lonely, is an obvious example, but it’s not the only time that this happens. Till the End and Step Back aren’t happy songs at all, but even when their songs are about a life ruining relationship, it’s tough not to sing along like you’re being spoon-fed with Ben and Jerry’s. There’s just something about the way that Four 0 play these songs that just makes everything seem that little bit better. They write and arrange them like works of art, but they play them so soulfully, so smoothly, that it’s impossible not to smile.
Tales of the Unexpected gives that warmer, better feeling to the world around you in the same way that putting sunglasses on makes things look better and makes you feel better about ourselves and puts us in a good mood for the whole day. It’s basically like a really cool pair of shades for your ears. I love it.
Stand-out tracks:
Lost & Lonely
Tequila Salt & Lime
Desert Rains
Goosfrabar
Ukelay Satuday
Jody Betts solo tunes
Posted by jamie on Feb 23, 2011
News nicked directly from the new Do the Dog tumblr profile.
Jimmy the Squirrel keyboard player Jody Betts has put some lovely new solo acoustic songs up on the internet for you to hear. Go here to listen to them.
Do the Dog join Tumblr
Posted by jamie on Feb 23, 2011
Do the Dog Music have got a useful little page on Tumblr. Very handy for keeping up to date with what’s going on with all of their bands.
Have a look at it here.
Kid Cudi to support Blink 182
Posted by jamie on Feb 19, 2011
As yet unconfirmed: Absolute Punk are saying Blink 182 will take the rapper Kid Cudi on tour with them next year. We’re assuming that’s going to be in the US. Follow the full story here.
Blink 182 tour the UK in 2011. Tickets are here.
If they want a UK rapper, they should take MC iPod.
