How great were they?

I remember the first time I heard poptones on the radio. Maybe 2 am on this "alternative" late night radio show. Of course, I love bass and the bass was amazing, it was pretty much the entire song. Then with lydon doing his thing but in a much more minimalist impersonal sort of way. The ultimate minimal band.

Poptones: The actual song goes on for a good 8 Minutes, but its cut down here in a nice way.




Flowers really took the openness to a new level with almost nothing but drums and sporadic noises coming in and out.



Public Image Limited is an amazing track and not bad for dancing if you have to. The bass is so singular and heavy but poppy at the same time. Perfect. I've always been obsessed with the ability of the British to write simple and effortless pop music. It's not as easy as it looks.




Covered comes from the early 90s and isn't nearly as powerful in the music department. I liked it mainly because it was annoying and saying "I Give" over and over sounds like, "Fuck you." It's a fun song more because it's classic Lydon than anything else.



A fun mashing of MSTRKRFT and This is not a Love Song.



And an interview that shows that Lydon never stopped pissing people off.

Cover up.

The Boss.


I remember a girl from Chicago who loved Bruce Springsteen. She had glasses.
She moved out west and I haven't heard from her in 5 years.

I found two great covers of "I'm on Fire" today. It is a pretty good song but damn...

Bats for Lashes - I'm on Fire.

Chromatics - I'm on Fire.

Anyway, I'm partial to the BFL cover, but the chromatics aren't that shabby either. Both have great female vocals and are pretty slow.

Perfect Pop Song.


I'm always ready to listen to Enjoy the Silence. For my money it's pretty much the perfect pop song. Lots of space, simple yet amazingly powerful hooks, and the ability to bond to your memory and never forget the first time you heard it.

I've never really listened to Division Day, but I admire their efforts on this cover. I was hoping the eerie record warble sound would stay for the whole song and that the entire sound was creepy, but close enough.

Division Day - Enjoy the Silence.

Be Strong. Be White.



The dead kids are very british yet they make me think about New York. I think they could do a bit better on the chorus but it's fun for your ears. They have a new single coming out monday.

Dead Kids - Fear and Fluoride.


SEXY MF!



It appears that prince is back and he is a white swedish guy.



Nice hair fella.
I can't tell if this last clip is lip synched or not... but it looks really Top of the Pops meets eurotrash American bandstand. Fab.

Grind for the Grind God.


One of the most consistent and heavy death metal bands ever, Bolt Thrower rarely disappoints. Not to mention a large amount of their material is influenced by Warhammer, which you just can't beat.
It's the sound of war made flesh.

While you're still listening to Maiden and catching up with 2001...

SkeletonWitch.


This is probably the best thrash release I've heard since Japan's Bereaved dropped "The spirit Driven by Hate". It's the perfect mix of speed, thick riffs and energy without being too complex and change up happy. I even like it more than Municipal Wastes last record, which I think is a bit of a drop off from the last one. The vocals are almost dipping their toes into black metal which sounds great with the aggression (fands of aura noir take note), and sometimes the music goes that way too with some more mournful and longer passages. But it quickly picks up the the thrash assault to puncture your face. The good news is the entire album is great quality and you should seek it out. Their art has an amazing style too, so get it on vinyl!

Highly recommended.

http://www.myspace.com/skeletonwitch

SkeletonWitch - Upon Wings of Black


Evile.


Evile is another great thrash revival act, out preaching the word with Municipal Waste. You can really hear their influences (Slayer and Exodus) but damn if it doesn't sound fresh. The vocals are very Destruction, clear and growling. Throw in Flemming Rasmussen on production duties and you have one killer thrash record.

http://www.myspace.com/evileuk

Evile - Thrasher


Insect Warfare.


If you haven't heard of these guys yet...
... you suck, or maybe you don't know much about grindcore.
I loved their older releases but this one really kicks up the intensity a notch with the production value. The best blast of grind I've heard since Nasum said goodbye, but lots of dirty thrashy bits and double bass work to keep you tapping along.

http://www.myspace.com/insectwarfare

Insect Warfare - Manipulator



Yelle.


In case you thought I forgot those electro heads out there, here is a sweet Yelle mix by Rolf Honey.

http://www.myspace.com/rolfhoney
http://www.myspace.com/iloveyelle

Yelle - Tristesse/joie (Rolf Honey Rmx)

Do they call it a hiatus?

CB.


“We are Culture Prophet. We play the shows, you supply the dance.”

They are from North Carolina and apparently they know what they're doing. Very nice Digitalism Remix.

Digitalism - Idealistic (Culture Prophet Remix)


BRT.



If you like old school death metal you should be listening to these fellows. Gone is the mathematical approach to death, and instead we have some grooves and memorable riffs. Basically it sounds a lot like old Cannibal Corpse, but with an energy of its on. I hear bits of bolt thrower rifts in there too.

Blood Red Throne - Deranged Assassin


Laura Veirs.



This song really got wedged into my grey matter. I can't really say why I like it so much. The drums and bass are a perfect staccato back beat to the airy guitars and her lighter than air voice. It makes me think of somebody.

Laura Veirs - Don't Lose yourself.

Cryostasium



Cryostasium is black metal in its most primal form, lashing out in a dark seething abyss. They take elements of industrial and ambient along the same lines as Xasthur (who they have a split with.) and create some very pitch dark sound scapes.
Music to get creeped out by.

Cryostasium - Asylum C

if your colours are starting to run...

Bloc. party.




A really good song hooks you in the verse. It's almost as much pleasure as the chorus, so when it comes back down you're still in love with it. The new bloc party single does that for me. I really can't stop listening to it. It's sweeping, a bit pleading, and just great British pop.

Bloc Party - Flux

Perspects.



This is a great little track off an old Adult. Remix single for Hand to Phone. On the A side was a little know band called the Perspects, who are still around and kicking. I love the ghost like sounds over the hard electro beat. Oh yes.

Ah... 2001. Where did you go?

Perspects - Stepwise.


I am Robot and Proud.

A nice long video. This is I am Robot and Proud, A fellow from Toronto who makes great IDM. It's very uplifting for the most part and fun for the whole family. Reminds me a bit of Plaid in places or a less drummed out U-ziq.

Good Quality sound on this video.

Something about it reminds me of Chapel Hill.

What's new?

True Ukrainian Black Metal.



Drudkh is from the Ukraine and mix black metal with folk elements in a sort of meta ulver mixture. I consider them to be the best black metal band going. It's elegant, powerful, raw and well played in ways that most black metal bands don't even understand. Most of their songs are close to 10 minutes, but this track is fairly short, yet representative. It's off a limited to 1000 Hand numbered single called Estrangement.

Drudkh - Only the Wind Remembers My Name.


Shinichi Osawa.



Remixing Plaid this well takes some talent.

Plaid - White Dreams (Shinichi Osawa Rmx)


SHHHHHHH!



This is NOT the new J--Z song!

and finally:

Frank Musik Speaks and you should listen.



Love this guy.......even though his myspace makes your eyes bleed.

Living for the hammer!

Hard-Fi



Hard-Fi are back with a new album. If you didn't catch the last one it's the Clash reborn with some subtle Paul Weller for great measure. One of the best British bands in recent years in my humble opinion. Though I haven't spent a lot of time with the new one what I've heard has been pleasing to these ears.

Hard-Fi - Suburban Knights

And now, some unofficial bootleg remixes!
Aqua-Ski vs Hard-Fi - Living for the Weekend (Aqua ski remix)
Unkown - Hard-Fi - Hard to beat (breaks mix)


Gallhammer



Wow. Amebix shirts are sexy. Don't you think? Gallhammer is a 3 piece bomb of hate straight from Japan. If you like hellhammer than you'll know the drill. Dirty, primitive, and raw early black metal with some sludge songs as well.

They have a long biography on their MySpace page.

Gallhammer - Speed of blood.

I like daags.

New digitalism Video. Sorry for all the youtube goodness lately.
I'll have a proper post tomorrow.

In tribute to the colder weather.

Mmmmm. German necrotic destruction!

Dethklok puts you on blast.

FANSONG.

You hunched and blinded mutants
living in chat rooms

You masturbate on the sheets
your mothers clean for you

You have lined my pockets
overflowed with gold

You're living with your parents
and you're 35 years old

You're a bunch of banks
that I'd like to rob

You're my online cash transaction
you're my future stocks

Transfer you like money
to a Swiss account

Spend you on an impulse
and zero you all out

Hate