out this week

Klaxons: Myths of the Near Future
This album is perfect! Klaxons need to bring new rave to North America!!!

Totem on the Timeline [wicked-cool song]
Gravity's Rainbow [super-wicked-cool song]

buy Myths of the Near Future here


Alkaline Trio: Remains
This is a nice collection of rare b-sides and live tracks that most huge A3 fans should already be familiar with.

Queen of Pain [wicked-cool song]
Old School Reasons [wicked-cool song]

buy Remains here


Little Man Tate: About What You Know
About What You Know is a Libertines sounding record that deserves some attention.

This Must Be Love [super-wicked-cool song]

buy About What You Know here


Jamie T: Panic Prevention
Panic Prevention is a very unique and fresh sounding record!!! This album, along with Klaxons’ Myths of the Near Future, are must-haves!

Salvador [wicked-cool song]
Ike & Tina [wicked-cool song]

buy Panic Prevention here


Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: Some Loud Thunder
Not a huge fan of this band... haven’t really listened to this one yet...

Satan Said Dance

buy Some Loud Thunder here

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food glorious food... cold custard and jelly...

Patrick Wolf has posted a new message on MySpace,

Dear universe

This is so boring to have to write, but I guess it is the only place it will make any impact, I just read an email "review" of my new record that mentioned "annoying skipping noises" on the song "finale".
now.
thankyou very much for thinking I am the kind of person that likes to use glitches and cut ups, as I have in the past in some of my productions. But no there are no annoying skipping sounds in the finale of the magic position.. You are indeed listening to the bad quality leaked version of my album that is travelling around the internet right now on everyones computers.
It is so funny because I intentionally worked around very pure hi fi sounds for this album, I banned myself from distorted beats or glitches or bitcrushing all my audio to death, i was into making paradise music. I guess at mp3 level or whatever it is people download at these days its not likely you get to hear what I hear when I sit at the mastering suite with my headphones on full of joy.

Half of me says.. hooray.. the revolution starts now.. free music for everyone let them eat cake! but then the other half of me says, I have just spent a year and a half of my life creating and nurturing something that I want to share with the world that unfortunately meant I didnt have the time to be a cocktail waiter anymore.

I started releasing records when the internet as we know it now was still in its infancy, when you pressed up 1000 copies of your record, you counted every penny that came back in from sales so that you could afford to pay for the recording of the next record. This is still my aesthetic, despite the world around me becoming more pirate like as I go on. The worst part is that "the album" as an artform is in extinction. Should I be part of the dying breed that keeps speaking in a language that no body wants to hear anymore? I will if I have to.

Ive just been listening to my friend Bishi's new album "Nights at the Circus" and for the first time in years I had that moment of pressing play and listening right through to the last song.. I followed her on an adventure, suspended my belief and shut out the speeding city around me. Then again when I knew I needed some nourishment, I went and did the same thing... like opening the wardrobe, parting the old rabbit skin coats and walking through the back oak panel and off into you very own wonderland. I will be sad if we lose these things, when I am eighty, I will still be organising the last year of my life into fourteen or so songs, like putting your favourite photos into a book to share with friends.

Anyway, I was just sad when I found out not only was my recent work was being heard in the wrong way.. at bad quality and worst of all skipping too, it also reminded me of the whole downloading music prematurely and for free issue, without artwork etc that still perplexes and worries me when I see the amount of out of work and penniless talented musicians and visionaries around me.
Be wise my lovely people!
xx patrick

p.s despite sounding like a music teacher in this message I am in a glorious mood.. I cant wait to hit the road very soon. Lots of exciting events are taking place.. so many new adventures and music to be made.. I will share these with you in due course. In the meantime I better get back to practising my dance routine for the new video, I also have to buy a pigeon from the local pet shop.. wish me luck!

they ain't rappin' like pro

What’s with all the amazing hip-hop talents coming out of the UK?? My first experience with UK rap came from The Streets. Shortly after, I got into Dizzee Rascal, Kano, and Wiley. Then last year, I started listening to the unbelievable lyricist, Plan B. My latest discovery in UK hip-hop is a MC from East London who goes by the stage name, Professor Green. So far (from what I could gathered), Professor Green has only released a mixtape and a single... and the single track, "Before I Die" is actually included in the mixtape. Despite limited studio materials, Professor Green is without a doubt, a very promising new artist. For one, the mixtape, Lecture #1, features some incredible rhymes and flows; and not to mention, Professor Green has the same witty, cocky attitude that made Eminem a key player in North America hip-hop. Oh, and did you know, Professor Green is signed to Mike Skinner’s label, The Beats... now, that's pretty impressive!

Are They Rappin' Like Pro? [wicked-cool song]
Sterotypical Man [wicked-cool song]
Drunken Freestyle
Stay High
So Sick, No Really
Lick Shots
Upper Clapton Dance [wicked-cool song]
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buy Lecture #1 here

monzilla invasion

classic song of the moment

In light of the very exciting news regarding the reforming of Wu-Tang Clan and the announcement of a brand new album entitled 8 Diagrams coming out his summer, here are a couple of classic tracks from Wu-Tang’s first record.


Wu Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta Fuck Wit [super-wicked-cool song]
C.R.E.A.M. [super-wicked-cool song]
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boys would fashion their emotions to the pattern of your heart

As reported before, Bright Eyes will be releasing Cassadaga on April 10, the follow-up to 2005’s I'm Wide Awake It's Morning and Digital Ash In A Digital Urn. The new album will be supported by an EP entitled Four Winds, which will feature the first single off of the new album plus five brand new b-sides. The first thing I noticed when I listen to Four Winds is the incredible production value. The sound quality of the EP is absolutely wonderful; I am just blown away by the instrumentations on each track. Oh, and not to mention, much like all other Bright Eyes releases, Four Winds again features some remarkable lyrics by Conor Oberst. I am pretty mcuh shocked by the fact that only the title track/single will appear on Cassadaga and the rest are just b-sides... hands down, Four Winds features the best collection of b-sides I have ever heard. After hearing the EP, I know that it will make every Bright Eyes fan extremely happy and I cannot wait to hear Cassadaga.

Four Winds [wicked-cool song]
Reinvent The Wheel [wicked-cool song]
Smoke Without Fire [wicked-cool song]
Cartoon Blues [wicked-cool song]
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Four Winds EP comes out on March 6, you can pre-order the CD version here and the 12" vinyl here

horses want to dance but find their wings are damaged

Do you want to hear the first perfect record of 2007? Well, the wait is almost over as Klaxons’s Myths of the Near Future will be out in less than a week in the UK. Myths of the Near Future is one of my most anticipated albums this year... seriously, it really feels like I’ve been waiting forever for this goddamn record!! No doubt, Klaxons fans will be familiar with many songs on the album as they have been featured on various singles and EP released by the band prior to the full length debut. Myths of the Near Future is filled the band's signature multi-layered-falsetto-chaotic-like vocal style along with mixtures of post new wave, house, dancepunk music. Ok, let me try to explain Klaxons’ musical style to those who are hearing about them for the first time: Klaxons create some sort of crazy disorder environment and psychedelic soothing atmosphere at the same time... and the two very different timbres contrast each other instrumentally and vocally throughout Myths of the Near Future. In other words, the band/the album is insane.... insanely good!!!!

Two Receivers [wicked-cool song]
Atlantis to Interzone [wicked-cool song]
Golden Skans [super-wicked-cool song]
As Above, So Below
Magick [super-wicked-cool song]
It's Not Over Yet
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Myths of the Near Future comes out on January 29 in the UK, you can per-order it here

don’t expect me to eat haggis

Happy Robbie Burns' Day!

i've seen your band, i hate your band...

If you are a regular reader of this blog, it is more than clear that I am a huge Libertines/Pete Doherty fan... and yes, that includes Babyshambles and Dirty Pretty Things. I am constantly looking for Libertines influenced bands... searching through MySpace, NME, Drowned In Sound, Last.fm, etc. almost everyday to look for that Libertines sound. Last week, I came across a band from Sheffield, England called Little Man Tate. Although not even close to the fantasticness of The Libertines, Little Man Tate is without a doubt, a Libertines influenced band. Their new record, About What You Know has a similar carefree and witty style as The Libertines. Unlike many want-to-be Libertines sounding records, About What You Know does not become boring or repetitive. In fact, it features more than a handful of extremely memorable songs. If you feel like listening to a fine Brit-rock album, make sure you check out About What You Know, you will not be disappointed!

Man I Hate Your Band [wicked-cool song]
Sexy In Latin [wicked-cool song]
This Must Be Love [super-wicked-cool song]
Who Invented These Lists
Court Report [wicked-cool song]
Little Big Man
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About What You Know comes out on January 27, you can pre-order it here

out this week...

The Good, The Bad & The Queen: The Good, The Bad & The Queen
Damon Albarn’s is back with his best release since 1997’s Blur.

Northern Whale
The Good, The Bad & The Queen [wicked-cool song]

buy The Good, The Bad & The Queen here


Dustin Kensrue: Please Come Home
A surprisingly great solo record by Thrice’s frontman.

Pistol [wicked-cool song]
Blood & Wine [wicked-cool song]

buy Please Come Home here


The Shins: Wincing the Night Away
Just what everyone would expect from The Shins... Wincing the Night Away is another fine indie pop record.

Phantom Limb [wicked-cool song]
Split Needles

buy Wincing the Night Away here


Of Montreal: Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
Weirdly poppy and enjoyable.

Suffer for Fashion [wicked-cool song]

buy Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? here

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cover song of the moment

New '_____ song of the moment' feature! Cover songs are fun! Here’s a cover of The Streets' "When You Wasn't Famous" by Bromheads Jacket, a band I’ve been listening to a lot recently.

Bromheads Jacket: When You Wasn't Famous [super-wicked-cool song]
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lovers all talk in spits and tongues, fight in the playground bully each other

It is almost impossible to pinpoint which genre Jamie T belongs to. His wide range style extends from punk and alternative rock to 2-step and reggae... that’s right, Panic Prevention features styles from acts such as Art Brut, Larrikin Love, Mystery Jets, Babyshambles, and even The Streets. For most parts, Panic Prevention is a noisy, up tempo record. Jamie T’s vocal style is loud and in your face, but at times, there is also this witty quality in it. Indeed, Panic Prevention is very original and it will definitely take at least several listens to sink in all the musical elements.

Brand New Bass Guitar [wicked-cool song]
Salvador [wicked-cool song]
So Lonely Was The Ballad [wicked-cool song]
Back In The Game [wicked-cool song]
Ike & Tina [wicked-cool song]
If You Got The Money [wicked-cool song]
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Panic Prevention comes out on Janurary 29 in the UK, you can pre-order it here

lethargic sunday

Here’s a repost of Patrick Wolf’s cover of The Beach Boys’ "I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times".

national anthem of mallepa

It has been three years since the last Apostle Of Hustle album. Folkloric Feel was a great record; Andrew Whiteman carried the Broken Social Scene sound and kind of played around with it on that record. The same pretty much goes for Apostle Of Hustle's latest, The National Anthem of Nowhere... once in a while, you can hear the Broken Social Scene sound... the title track for instance, which is 100% BSS sounding. However, I think that Andrew Whiteman tried very hard to get away from that; as a result, there are a handful of interesting and unique songs on the record. Overall, The National Anthem of Nowhere is an alright release. While half of the songs are good, I don’t really care for the other half. In the end, I must say, Folkloric Feel is by far, a much finer record.

My Sword Hand's Anger
National Anthem of Nowhere
Cheap Like Sebastien
A Rent Boy Goes Down [wicked-cool song]
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The National Anthem of Nowhere comes out on March 6, I will post pre-order information as soon as it becomes available

the saddest movie ever made

I am a pretty big fan of French cinema, especially French New Wave (Godard is one of my favorite directors of all time)! I just love the style, the radical ideas, political tones, and romanticism of French New Wave. About a week or so ago, I saw Louis Malle’s Au Revoir Les Enfants for the first time and since then, I have not been able to take that film out of my mind. It is absolutely a remarkable movie... oh, and it is probably the saddest movie I have ever seen in my life! The film takes place at a Catholic boarding school during WWII. It is ultimately a story about the ignorance and innocence of young school boys growing up during a very confused and evil period of time. (You can read a more detail synopsis here) Anyone with a heart should watch Au Revoir Les Enfants at least once, and I guarantee, it will make you cry!

can't wait for the new björk album/tour!!!!!!

The magnificent Björk has updated her site. The update talks about the collaborators on her new album... some very exciting shit!!

if you don't know it now then you will do

Blur was my favorite band during a good chunk of my high school years. So clearly, I was beyond excited when I heard the news that Damon Albarn was forming a new project mid last year... and to stir up my excitements ever more, it was reported that The Good, The Bad & The Queen will feature guitarist Simon Tong from The Clash!! Now, that’s a supergroup!!! Months later, they released two singles... I thought they were decent, but overall, I wasn’t too impressed by them. As a result, I had this feeling that the full-length would be a let down. Despite this, I went ahead and gave the album a listen last week. All I have to say is, The Good, The Bad & The Queen is Damon Albarn’s best release since the 1997 self-titled Blur album! The record is ace! The two singles, "Kingdom Of Doom" and "Herculean", are both on the album; however, they sound so much better with the rest of the record than they are as singles. Although it sounds nothing like Radiohead, The Good, The Bad & The Queen produces this same atmosphere/mood as most Radiohead records. The album’s opening track "History Song", will pretty much hook everyone right in. Damon’s mellow and low-key vocal works perfectly with the modern twist of 60s-The Beach Boys slash Zombies sounding instrumentations. The Good, The Bad & The Queen is an unique and refreshing record, there is absolutely no reason as to why anyone should turn this one down!

History Song [wicked-cool song]
'80's Life
Kingdom Of Doom
Herculean [wicked-cool song]
A Soldier's Tale [wicked-cool song]
Green Fields [wicked-cool song]
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The Good, The Bad & The Queen comes out on January 22nd in the UK and 23rd in North America, you can pre-order the album here

shows shows shows

Tickets info:

Brand New @ Kool Haus on May 17 goes on sale, Thursday (Jan 18) @ 10am

Cold War Kids w/ Tokyo Police Club @ Mod Club on April 4 goes on sale, Friday (Jan 19) @ 10am
Tokyo Police Club - Cut Cut Paste
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Bright Eyes @ Opera House on Feb 27 pre-sale, Thursday (Jan 18) @ 10am

Bloc Party @ Kool Haus on March 25 goes on sale, Saturday (Jan 20) @ 10am

Let me know if anyone is interested in going to any of these shows... I'm going to Brand New and CWK already, and I wouldn't mind seeing Bright Eyes and Bloc Party again.

thank you trashzoo!!

A fellow Last.fm user recently sent me the live version of "The Childcatcher" from the Accident & Emergency 7" Single. I have been enjoying this track since the single came out a few months ago, but for those of you who do not own a record player, you can download the track below, enjoy!

The Childcatcher (Live At The Bloomsbury Theatre) [wicked-cool song]
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buy Accident & Emergency 7" Single here

what's really worth living anymore?

There is certainly something very special about I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child by Manchester Orchestra. The record feels absolutely genuine: both the music and vocal is expressed with such honesty and authenticity. I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child has that smooth indie rock sound very similar to Controlling the Famous; although not as rock driven. Actually, to be more precise, I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child is like a blend of Jimmy Eat World’s classics, Static Prevails and Clarity. The record features no gimmick, standout hooks, or anything along that line. In fact, the presentation is rather lo-fi... despite this, I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child is an emotional epic journey, it sounds more powerful than most records I’ve heard in the past year.

Wolves At Night [wicked-cool song]
Now That You're Home
Where Have You Been?
Sleeper 1972 [super-wicked-cool song]
Golden Ticket [wicked-cool song]
Colly Strings
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buy I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child here

my friends say i’m bipolar, my friends are sometimes wrong

Snow finally came down in Toronto yesterday. In a way, the weather affects what I listen to quite often... well, I guess more so when I’m walking outside. When I step out onto the snowy downtown Toronto streets yesterday, I immediately knew that I wanted to listen to Lightness by Peter and the Wolf. For some unexplainable reasons, I always have this inviting feeling/comfort when it comes to folk music during winter time. Great Lake Swimmers had the same effect last winter and now, Peter and the Wolf. Try it for yourself, if you are currently living in a cold place, download the tracks below and listen to them on your portable music device the next time you go out for that long winter walk.

Safe Travels
My Grey Overcoat [super-wicked-cool song]
The Apple Tree
Canada
Dear Old Robyn [wicked-cool song]
The Captain
Silent Movies [wicked-cool song]
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buy Lightness here

the church is filled with losers, psycho, or confused

Of Montreal’s latest, Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?, is one of those albums that will slowly, but definitely grow on you. Nearly every single track carries this extremely catchy, fun, and unpredictable melody. In addition, the record features some very strange and abstract lyrics; making it even more enjoyable to listen to. Last year, many critics praised on The Hold Steady’s Boys And Girls In America as the prefect album to play during a college/frat house party (which I still don’t really get... what the hell is so good about that album??!!) Anyways, in my opinion, Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? is clearly the better college party album… by that, I mean it is the record to put on when everyone’s is high or drunk... it just sounds like one of those albums... but then again, how would I know: I can’t drink (much) due to problems with my liver and I don’t do drugs (anymore). Maybe someone out there can throw a party, play Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? and tell me all about your experience. Well, I guess I should probably stop writing all this nonsense now... enjoy the downloads!

Suffer for Fashion
Cato As A Pun
Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse
The Past is a Grotesque Animal
Faberge Falls for Shuggie
We Were Born the Mutants Again With Leafling
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Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? comes out on January 23, you can pre-order it here

brand new dates

Dates for the 2nd half of the upcoming Brand New tour has just been announced!!! A limited number of presale tickets will be available here starting tomorrow, January 12th at 1:00pm local time.

May 10: Vancouver, BC @ Croatian Cultural Centre
May 11: Edmonton, AB @ Edmonton Event Centre
May 12: Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Hall
May 14: Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theatre
May 17: Toronto, ON @ Kool Haus
May 19: Montreal, QC @ Spectrum de Montreal
May 22: South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
May 23: Providence, RI @ Lupos
May 24: Hartford, CT @ Webster Theatre

horrors album details

The Horrors have just completed their debut album entitled Strange House. It is set to be out in the first week of March and will be preceded by the single, "Gloves".

You can find the cover art as well as the tracklisting below.

1. Jack The Ripper
2. Count In Fives
3. Draw Japan
4. Gloves
5. Excellent Choice
6. Little Victories
7. She Is The New Thing
8. Sheena Is A Parasite
9. Thunderclaps
10. Gil Sleeping
11. A Train Roars
12. Death At The Chapel [UK BONUS TRACK]

I will post pre-order information as soon as it becomes available... but in the meantime, listen to The Horrors EP:

Sheena Is A Parasite [wicked-cool song]
Jack The Ripper [wicked-cool song]
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buy The Horrors EP here

eyes vomiting green crap out equals freaking awesome!

Klaxons’s video for "Magick" is probably the coolest and most memorable video I’ve seen since "Dog Problems" by The Format.



Magick [wicked-cool song]
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buy Magick Single here

upcoming shows

A few really sexy bands are heading out on tour across North America in the near future...

Bloc Party:
3/11/2007 Paramount Theatre, Seattle
3/12/2007 Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver
3/13/2007 Crystal Ballroom, Portland
3/15/2007 South By Southwest, Austin
3/17/2007 Concourse Exhibition, San Francisco
3/19/2007 Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles
3/20/2007 Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles
3/23/2007 Congress Theatre, Chicago
3/24/2007 Royal Oak Theatre, Detroit
3/25/2007 Kool Haus, Toronto
3/27/2007 Metropolis, Montreal
3/28/2007 Orpheum Theatre, Boston
3/30/2007 United Palace Theatre, New York
3/31/2007 United Palace Theatre, New York

Uniform [wicked-cool song]
I Still Remember [super-wicked-cool song]

A Weekend In The City comes out on February 6, pre-order it here


Cold War Kids with Tokyo Police Club:
3/6/2007 Varsity Theater Minneapolis, MN
3/7/2007 The Rave at the Eagles Club Milwaukee, WI
3/8/2007 The Annex Madison, WI
3/9/2007 Subterranean Chicago, IL
3/10/2007 Mojo's Columbia, Missouri
3/12/2007 Juanita's Little Rock, Arkansas
3/14/2007 Gypsy Tea Room Dallas, Texas
3/19/2007 The Republic New Orleans, Louisiana
3/20/2007 Club Downunder Tallahassee, Florida
3/21/2007 The Social Orlando, Florida
3/22/2007 Cafe 11 St. Augustin, Florida
3/23/2007 Vinyl Atlanta, GA
3/24/2007 Mercy Lounge Nashville, TN
3/26/2007 Village Tavern Mt. Pleasant, SC
3/27/2007 Local 506 Chapel Hill, NC
3/28/2007 Nightclub 9:30 Washington D.C.
3/29/2007 First Unitarian Church Philladelphia, PA
3/30/2007 Middle East Downstairs Boston, MA
3/31/2007 Pearl Street Nightclub Northampton, MA
4/2/2007 La Salla Rossa Montreal, Quebec
4/3/2007 Zaphod Beeblebrox Ottawa, Ontario
4/4/2007 The Mod Club (ALL AGES!) Toronto, Ontario
4/6/2007 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY
4/7/2007 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY

Cold War Kids - Hang Me Up To Dry [wicked-cool song]
Cold War Kids - Hospital Beds [wicked-cool song]
Tokyo Police Club - Citizens of Tomorrow [wicked-cool song]
Tokyo Police Club - Be Good [wicked-cool song]

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buy Cold War Kids' Robbers & Cowards here
buy Tokyo Police Club's A Lesson In Crime here

the magic position

So by now, I think that pretty much all Patrick Wolf fans are aware that The Magic Position has been leaked. For the longest time, the album being leaked was... and I guess still is a hot topic in the P. Wolf community. It is an extremely sensitive issue and many were criticized for even discussing/talking about certain tracks off The Magic Position. Thus, I was hesitant on writing this post. I know Patrick worked extremely hard on this record and it is no doubt a big career achievement as The Magic Position is Patrick’s major label debut. As I have commented earlier, this is one of the few albums I will not post in its entirety because I simply want/will try to make people buy the album when it comes out. Also, I want everyone to keep in mind that (I think) the leaked is from a promo copy. Therefore, this is a review on the leaked version, and not the retail version of the album... as the two may have some dissimilarities.

The Magic Position opens with "Overture", my favorite song on the album. Although I must say, I prefer the live version from XFM radio back in October 17, 2006 more. Nevertheless, the song carries the same earnest lyrics and I connect with it on such a high emotional level... probably more so than any other P. Wolf songs... it literally put me to tears the first time I heard it. The title track is a wonderful love song with the most positive lyrics and up tempo music. I think this should be the first thing people hear when they wake up in the morning... if only that could really happen, the world would be a better place! Next is "Accident & Emergency"... which I don’t think I need to say much about as all Patrick Wolf fans have been enjoying this one for the last few months.

The mood suddenly changes after "Accident & Emergency" as the next two are a couple of very dark songs: "The Bluebell" and "Bluebells". Naturally, "The Bluebell" acts as a prelude to "Bluebells". It is about someone hiding, distancing, and isolating him/herself from others; and "Bluebells" is about the separation of two people. Memories are being recalled by the narrator as the song’s heartbreaking lyrics are contrasted by the celebratory fireworks effects heard throughout the track.

Marianne Faithfull gorgeous, yet haunting voice is featured on "Magpie", yet another very dark track on the album. The string-arrangements along with the piano set the perfect atmosphere for this song, especially under Patrick’s and Marianne’s vocals... making "Magpie" one of the most memorable tracks on the record. "The Kiss" is an instrumental track that links "Magpie" and "Augustine" together. For me, I think "Augustine" is the most Wind In The Wires sounding song on The Magic Position. I mean, everything from the instrumentations to the rhythms and lyrics are all very WITW like. "Secret Garden" is another connecting track... unfortunately, it is very minimal sounding and there is really nothing special to it.

The mood of the album takes a 360 turn yet again with another optimistic love track in "Get Lost". This simple and upbeat song celebrates the love of two people as they undertake unpredictable courses together. I guess the next song, "Enchanted", is a continuation/extension of their devotions as the two lovers found the magical place where they can be free and happy forever. "Enchanted" is also very interesting as it does not sound like any other P.W. songs. It has this very refreshing lounge, jazzy, blues kind of feel to it. Lastly, "The Stars" is just superb! I absolutely love the high energy that the music and Patrick’s vocal bring to this track. In my opinion, I think this incredibly fantastic dream-like song should have been the closure for The Magic Position, instead of the very unnecessary "Finale". So there, The Magic Position is divided evenly between bright and tragic music and subject matters. The sound and style is in a way, the combination of both Lycanthropy and Wind In The Wires. Despite two or three less interesting tracks, I think The Magic Position will satisfy most die-hard Patrick Wolf fans.

Overture [super-wicked-cool song]
The Magic Position [wicked-cool song]
Magpie [wicked-cool song]
The Stars [wicked-cool song]
***links to the songs were blocked/removed by Patrick Wolf’s affiliates. this is more than reasonable as the album is not out yet and the songs were leaked illegally. as a result, please do not ask for a repost of the songs in respect of the artist. thank you.

The Magic Position comes out on February 26, you can pre-order it here

a quick/simple recommendation

Air has never been short in creating some sort of atmosphere in their music... while 2004’s masterpiece Talkie Walkie had this dark, strange and creepy, but sometimes sexy vibe; Pocket Symphony, their latest, has this mysterious, mellow, and isolated and escape feel to it... if anything, Pocket Symphony sounds like a more mature version of The Virgin Suicides Soundtrack. This is surely another one of those perfect strolling through the city albums.

Once Upon a Time [wicked-cool song]
Hell Of A Party [wicked-cool song]
Left Bank
Mer Du Japon
Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping
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Pocket Symphony comes out on March 6, I'll post pre-order information once it becomes available.

when you're standing near: tpc; when you're standing next to me: tpc

Check out "Cut Cut Paste", the bonus track from the vinyl version of A Lesson In Crime EP by Tokyo Police Club.

Cut Cut Paste
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buy A Lesson In Crime on vinyl here

i'm going nowhere fast

Don’t forget, Patrick’s latest single "Bluebells" [wicked-cool song] is available to purchase at 7digital.com. Personally, it is annoying that this is a download only single. Why are they doing this to us??? I think the single would sell way more if they put it on both CD and 7” again... like all classic P.W. singles!

Enjoy!!!

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19. you're only 19 for god's sake... oh, you don't need a boyfriend

Not only do I love making those year-end lists, I also love reading other peoples’ lists as well... it’s a great and easy way to discover new music. In the past few weeks, I have noticed that Someone To Drive You Home by The Long Blondes has been popping up in many of those lists. I have heard of the band in the past, but I had no idea what they sounded like. So naturally, I checked out MySpace and downloaded a few songs from the album. Within a short period of time, I find myself liking the record tremendously and enjoying it more and more with each listen. Someone To Drive You Home is like a bowl of indie pop rock with a hint of 70s punk and 80s New Wave. It is catchy as hell; and the young and fun vibe is surely the main attraction of the record! As much as I hate to do this… but in a way, Someone To Drive You Home falls right in the middle of Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Fever To Tell and Show Your Bones... it is not as hyper as the former, but not as rock anthem like as the latter.

Lust In The Movies
Once And Never Again [wicked-cool song]
Giddy Stratospheres
Seperated By Motorways [wicked-cool song]
Swallow Tattoo

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buy Someone To Drive You Home here

a scenic world where the sunsets are all breathtaking

Although it was released under the band name Beirut, Gulag Orkestar was essentially "a solo record" by Zach Condon. In a way, Gulag Orkestar introduced to the world the limitless musical talent of young Zach Condon. On the contrary, Beirut’s latest EP, Lon Gisland was recorded by a full band. The result: first-rate quality music!! As the amateur-ish sound from Gulag Orkestar sadly departs, Lon Gisland features a more professional, sharper sound... but with that being said, it still retains that loveable classic-romantic-Eastern-European-folky-Beirut sound. In addition to four brand new songs(!), the new EP also features an amazing full band reproduction of "Scenic World". Lon Gisland will definitely attract new Beirut fans, and it will no doubt make fans of Gulag Orkestar excitingly awaits for a new Beirut full length.

Elephant Gun [super-wicked-cool song]
Scenic World (full band version) [wicked-cool song]
Carousels
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buy Lon Gisland EP here

2007!!!

Happy New Year!!!