I don't know about you but...

...this really looks to be the moment that Guy Ritchie may have jumped the shark.

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Tesco Soul.

So, the new Passion Pit album is now on sale in Tesco of all places. To be honest, this doesn't bother me all that hugely as I was never really caught up in the whole Passion Pit hype apart from "Sleepyhead" but it does raise a question I've pondered alot recently - Why do we become so much less enamoured with a band once it becomes apparent that they are slowly but surely making their towards mainstream ubiquity?

Or, in my case, why do we become almost panic-y about the whole thing? Ever since the Little Boots media assault went into overdrive a couple of weeks ago in preparation for the release of her first proper debut single "New In Town" I have found myself staring at the radio in horror every time the song comes on SPIN 1038 & thinking desperately to myself "NO!! SHE'S MINE!! THE PLEBS WON'T LOVE HER LIKE I LOVE HER!!! like some quasi-lesbian stalker person and becoming more and more aware of the fact that this amazing secret little internet genius I discovered almost a year ago is now becoming a fully fledged popstar whose current audience will probably never know the beauty of of the full, 7 minute glory of the extended version of Stuck On Repeat because she's only put the radio edit on the final cut of her forthcoming debut album (WTF?!?). Don't get me wrong - I am most definitely not begrudging Ms. Hesketh the opportunity to fulfil her dreams of becoming, in her words "a proper popstar" and she completely deserves all the positive attention she is recieving and I will still worship her no matter what. What I am merely trying to point out is that it can be a sad feeling coming to terms with losing what once felt like a more personal relationship with a band you first discovered from the beginning... you start to feel more like a nameless face in a sea of a growing number of new fans that came late to the party. It sounds ridiculous I know but sometimes you just can't help these feelings no matter how trivial and dumb they seem!

Does anybody else ever feel this way?...

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In Bb 2.0 - A Collaborative Music/Spoken Word Project

Getting users to play ambient pieces in the key of Bb then upload the video of their recording to YouTube they created this awesome musical collaboration.

Check it out here http://www.inbflat.net/

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Very Important Eurovision Notice: If This Song Doesn't Win I Will Eat My Hat.

This below is the Norwegian entry for tonight's Eurovision song contest.



It's by a dude called Alexander Rybak and its called Fairytale.

As you can see, it is quite mad yet somehow strangely compelling and brilliant.

And that fiddle riff...

WOW.

You see, THIS is the kind of song Ireland needs to be writing for the Eurovision! It's got that OTT trad feel to it while also incorporating that all important minor key to give it an Eastern European flavour. It also has a bit of an epic chorus goin' on. (We won't focus too much on the clumsy verse lyrics...)

Anyway, NOTE TO NEXT YEAR'S IRISH ENTRY: write something that sounds like this song!!!

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Shameless Plug

For those of you who don't know, Sally (sodthemachine) and I play in a band called 'Candy in my Heels'. We have been very kindly asked to support the awesome 'Cowboy X' at their forthcoming Academy 2 gig on May 31st. For those who didn't bother to read the poster the other support comes from ex-The Chalets and Neosupervital members 'Talulah Does The Hula'. Doors at 7. Tickets available for €10 from Ticketmaster.

Come one come all and enjoy a night of electro rock/indie!

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Reasons Why Ukuleles Rock #67254: Priscilla Ahn.

So pretty...



...and I thought it couldn't get any better than the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain.

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Lego Guitar

Being the big music nerd that I am (especially when it comes to guitars) I just had to post this. Although there are no strings in the picture it is listed as being fully functional but the truss rod can only hold the string tension for so long so you have to take the strings off when your not playing it.

Les Paul Standard body, a nice dogear P-90 pickup on the bridge for light distortion and a vintage tone and then a more modern humbucker at the neck. Unfortunately its already been sold on Ebay.

More pictures here.

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Gettin' Down With One's Bad Self.

As dedicated Happiness Machine followers will already know, I have been under house arrest with the mumps for the last 15 million years or so, including on my birthday a few days ago. On the plus side, I was given a huge boxset of all 7 series of Scrubs for said birthday and have been immersing myself ever since...

...which brings me to one of the more chuckle-inducing moments I have encountered during my recovery; Turk Dancing to Bell Viv DeVoe's "Poison"!!!



And just for the craic, heres the full track itself in all it's early 90's, groove-tastic glory...

Bell Biv DeVoe -Poison

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Wait...They Don't Love You Like Duke Special

I've never been hugely into Duke Special but just a few minutes ago I received an email from his record label (apparently I'm on their mailing list, I was not aware) with a free download to a track called 'Maps' which turned out to be a rather good piano version of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's song of the same name. So here's the link

http://zaphod.uk.vvhp.net/reg/reg.pl?id=3596-81362.

Yes I know it means you have to sign up but I think its only fair for a free track.

And just because it was the next thing that came on iTunes afterwards and made me happy here's a bonus track of Marvin Gaye's Sexual Healing.

*Bonus*
Marvin Gaye-Sexual Healing

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NOFX - They Don't Suck Live

I originally planned to just do bullet points for this but 40 minutes later I seem to have a full review on my hands so here is the review and the set list for NOFX's April 25th show in the Olympia.



I arrive at the venue about 7.20 doors having opened at 7. I go into the already crowded Olympia and find myself a prime spot at the front. The first band Pour Habit kick off the night at an unusually early 7.50. The energy filled 25 minute set comprises of fairly standard punk with the odd bit of ska, done with the musicianship of a metal band. The singer slam danced his way around the stage while the guitarists provided an extremely heavy but happy sounding backing. However, technical issues prevent the full extent of their sound being communicated effectively.

Second on are Fat Wreck Chords The Flatliners. Fronted by a guitarist/singer that has a sense for melody but can scream with the best of them. the band start with a few strong opening punk/ska numbers but as the set progresses each song blends together to produce a wholly underwhelming set. This is once again due in part to technical problems, with the guitars becoming an indistinguishable wall of noise. The band wrap things up and leave the crowd in anticipation, ready for NOFX's first gig in Ireland in 5 years.

The set kicked off with an instrumental intro followed by classic 'Punk In Drublic' opener 'Linoleum' and progressed through a varied and unpredictable mix of songs from the majority of their albums/Ep's and 7". Highlight of the gig was the inclusion of a near flawless performance of the track 'The Decline', the bands 18 minute opus. The band have vowed to only play the track once in each major city they play and never again so for those of you who knew it I salute you and for those who didn't you missed a once in a lifetime (as long as you don't go see them in another country) opportunity.

Evidently the band know which side their bread is buttered on and the only track to appear from their new album 'Coaster' is Fat Mikes ode to his recently deceased parents (who both died in 2006) 'My Orphan Year'. The track is let down by poor sound and unfortunately being unfamiliar with the song, I wasn't able to fully appreciate it.

In what is becoming a rare event at gigs these days (at least the ones I've been going to) the band are conversational throughout the performance which adds a certain simple but inexplicably satisfying sense of showmanship. Jokes are made at the expense of the Mexicans, Jewish and others but all in a lighthearted tone (The guitarists El Hefe and Eric Melvin are Mexican and Jewish). A few sincere moments of thanks are given to the crowd and the other bands but back In the spirit of tomfoolery the the set is finished with a can-can across the stage to Avenue Q's 'Everyone's a Little Bit Racist'.

5 Liqourice Pizzas out of 5!

Set List:

Intro
Linoleum
Stickin' In My Eye
Franco Un-American
Mattersville
The Decline
Radio (Rancid Cover)
Arming the Proletariat with Potato Guns (Instrumental With Jokes)
Fleas
Murder The Government
Pharmacists Daughter
Kill the Bloody Queen (New Kind of Made Up Song)
My Orphan Year
Seperation of Church and Skate
Jesusland
Eat the Meek
Bob

Encore:

Bottles to the Ground
Whoops I OD'd (Fast Version)
Kill All the White Man
Everyones A Little Bit Racist (Avenue Q)

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