FIRST TO WIN A PLACE ON THIS BAD EARTH

Wigga pleeeease. So Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster are going to be recording a new album in November, BOOYA. I have to admit, since their founding member guitarist bogged off to create Vile Imbeciles I lost slight interest. Its not that the songs post Andy Huxley are particularly, bad. Its just that the first two albums (especially the former) are of such knob-rottingly brilliant makings that they really are facing an up hill struggle. The guitars now seem less savage and lyrically McKnight seems somewhat less maniacal.

Having said this I'm gonna put money on this new record being a belter, given that the impeccable frontman has been subject to the steep learning curve of solo songwriting already. After all, if ten percent of his naturally occuring ability to front the best psychobilly band in existence was to manifest itself in his writing then they're gonna be recognised once again, with a bit of luck.

Fingers crossed.

Blog Flume

Frames Janco

I was just watching the trailer for Sean Penn's new film called Milk (which looks relatively bearable) and saw James Franco, weeping. Which reminded me of this rather amusing little thing that Willdogg showed me a while ago. He's even managed to sneak a little weep into this trailer like the genious he is!

I really do like this dude. Not in a gay way (only a little bit). He's proving to be pretty funny, as well as crying convincingly in everything he's ever acted in.

Blogfeld.

Låt Den Rätte Komma In (Let the right one in)

I've become increasingly disillusioned with the horror genre of recent years. That is to say, I've not been even slightly worried by one since I was really young - but to be honest I don't think that's because I've grown up, its just that for the most part horror films are completely shit now. I mean when was the last time you were honestly scared by one of these films? For that matter whens the last time you saw one that didn't have at least one of these elements:

- obscenely hot college girls/dudes (dudes hot enough to make you worry about becoming gay).
- some sort of road trip/journey to an unknown place, and a breakdown in said environment causing these hot guys and girls to talk to the locals.
- retarded/inbred/generally Kerry Catona-esque locals.
- the killing off of black people early (mad racism for sure)
- overly gratuitous violence and gore in the hope that people won't realise how shit the dialogue/storyline is.
- TERRIBLE DIALOGUE (see "Shrooms"(2006))

I could go on listing these banal conventions but I'm too busy trying to work out which one was Wrong Turn and which was Dead End (I do remember that they're both shit though). So yeah I don't think theres much hope left for this genre, or at least I didn't until i saw the trailer for "Låt den rätte komma in" and now it would seem things could be looking up.

From what I can gather, the story centres around school-boy loner (and sporter of one of the best child-haircuts I've ever seen) Oscar. This young chap is summarily battered and bullied by schoolmates until one day, a young girl enters his life. Fortunately this young lady named Eli is a vampire whom spares Oscar the chop and helps him wreak revenge against his tormenters. The cinematography looks crisp and moody, and its Swedish so theres bound to be some naturally hot broads in it - and its shaping up to be one of the most kickass vampire movies you've seen.

I really doubt its going to be a bad film, so much so that I promise you I'll eat one of my own ears if it is. That's a promise people.

I'm going to beg borrow or steal to get hold of this so I'll keep you posted. I'm off to the hairdressers to try and get an awesome Swedish haircut.

Bloggin' All over my own stomach.

WOLF-HEADED CONJUROR

I was just oggling Jason Molina's (disgustingly good alt-folk Americana front man of some of my favourite musical outfits of all time), and it would seem he's gearing up for a new album with Magnolia Electric Co. - Even if you're not aware of Molina's mind-bogglingly adept body of work, you'll be excited to know that the new record, apparently entitled 'a map of the falling stars' will be produced by Steve Albini.

I can honestly say that I've not heard a Molina song that I have not loved, whether it be with Songs: Ohia, Magnolia Electric Co. or under his own name alone. I could rattle on all day about his haunting lyrical genius, or its deeply southern musical accompaniments. But I really would be here all day.

Rest assured, I'll be among first in line for this no-doubt amazingly packaged 12" upon release - trying to put out of my mind the fact that I've still not been able to catch him live, especially seeming as he's gone a bit mental and started dressing like a cowboy.





Blogjammin'

UPDATE CORNER.

So it would appear that Muxtape is set to make a badass comeback in the not too distant future (can i get a WOOP?). It now The site now displays a lengthy explanation as to the reasons why it was closed down in the first place along with an interesting history of the whole idea, headed prophetically with the line, "relaunching soon, in the service of bands".

Basically, the goal of Muxtape is to "challenge the way we experience music online", suggests its creator Justin Ouelette. He goes on to assert that "I still want to work to enable what I think is the most interesting aspect of interconnected music: discovering new stuff." something which I'm inclined to agree with so much that I'm nodding my head and holding up two thumbs with an inane grin on my face (wearing just a towel). Either way, it'll be good to have this back as its a gem amongst online music sites, and if nothing changes it'll still be the best way to stumble across bands that would otherwise forever lurk in the darkest recesses of the ether.

Chris "wanted to, but she was on the" Blog

Mogwai - The Hawk is Howling / Wall of Sound Records

Scottish Friction.

Ooohhh shit! A new Mogwai album already? This one crept up on me like Jack the Ripper in ballet shoes. I could not be happier, for Stuart Braithwaite and the boys are still refusing to stop making some of the most immersing and beautiful music around. On the face of it, it could be whimsically suggested that Mogwai aren't doing anything particularly new here. There's still a seemingly infinite and breathtaking array of layers introduced subtly throughout these songs, culminating in vast soundscapes so mentally consuming, they'll have your spinal fluid flowing backwards. The Tracks still have amusing names at times, (see: "I'm Jim Morrison, I'm dead"). They're still never shorter than 4 minutes. And they're still the most evocative and psyche-fuckingly brilliant examples of post-rock you're likely to hear in the year (or decade)that this record is released.

Don't get me wrong, I've always agreed that post-rock isn't for everyone. Admittedly it sounds as if it may be crap, given a smattering of nu-this and post-that dysentery riddled sub-genres fabricated by any and all idiots who want to make up their own, popping up everywhere you look these days. But if this record doesn't bring in at least a small amount more fans into this genre, I'll start to worry about the human race a whole lot more.

Tracks like "I Love You, I'm Going To Burn Down Your School" bring you racing back to the masterful explosions of the Glaswegian's yesteryear monsters like "Ratts Of The Capital" or "Mogwai Fear Satan" - Thus cold sweats abound, and that spine-chilling feeling you've just seen the ghost of Hitler (am I alone on that one?). Yet spritely sounding numbers like "The Sun Smells Too Loud", warm your mis-beating heart and have me imagining that this band would even be capable of pop music, dare i say it. Hawks retains all of the moody and atmospheric characteristics of Mogwai's best outings and ties them together in what could be the most wonderfully complete and consistent album to date.

The troughs are lower and darker than ever, yet the peaks more destructive and thunderously fierce. Find the loudest stereo you can, sit down in front of it and blast this record into the furthest reaches of your brain lest you never have the unrivalled fortune of hearing it again.

(And its got a really badass picture of an eagle staring into space on the front)

FOUR-AND-A-HALF-STARS

Heavy Trash - Nottingham Bodega 31/09/08

I'd just about re-attached my face after Power-Solo had completed their all-too-fleeting support set, when John Spencer and his wing man walked onstage to complete the lineup of Heavy Trash. These guys have got balls, I'll give them that. I mean, its two-thousand-and-eight and these kids are messing shit up like everybody still hangs out around the ice-cream parlour and dudes still get their kicks driving hot-rods at each other. Its one thing to say your gonna be a rockabilly band, and another to do it without looking like you're desperately trying to milk the next bygone decade by for all its musical nuances. But Spencer's new outfit, as I was soon to find out, fit the bill in both steez and substance.

"Out demon's, OUT", he shouts like an insane Texan evangelist to this rockabilly sermon. and with the demonic spirits of mediocre music exorcised, this shits on. Racing double bass and a rock steady drum beat hold the back line while Matt Verta-Ray lets loose erratic, screeching garage sounds from a battered looking Gretsch. You're on the balls of your feet even before Spencer dives quiff-long into the raucous mix, and you're sure as shit pawing sticky floor beer off you're arse when he does. And all the time he clutches at his own string-strapped guitar, a subtle homage in this true emulation of 50's style and sound.

This is a beautifully messy approximation of a savagely grimy sound all but killed off in this digital age, permeated with comic relief so well placed it'll have you chortling as well as grieving the conclusion of their set. I'm not sure that I've ever been so certain of an entire room's sense of enjoyment. Each time rejuvenated as Spencer calls for a break down and addresses his eager congregation, and not a moment of boredom evident.


If rising household bills are really such a problem in this crunchy-credit world then Powergen needs to start looking into harnessing the energy of these boys, there's plenty to go round, y'all. A thirteen quid ticket could power your home for 2 years.

4/5

myspace.com/heavytrash