White Rabbits with a little help from Britt Daniel (Spoon) performing on Jimmy Kimmel. Those drums are what dreams are made of.

Labels: video

So here's something that surprised me lately, and it's kind of bad that the only reason I really paid attention to it was because I was channel surfing one day (procrastinating, undoubtedly) and stumbled upon a performance on Ellen. Scarlett Johansson's first musical outing wasn't particularly well-received by the mainstream music media, and it seemed that us laypeople had varying opinions on it, so I was a little hesitant when approaching her latest endeavour (mostly because I have a massive girlcrush on Scarlett and want her to be fantastic at everything). So it makes me completely happy to announce that I love Break Up, a collaboration with Pete Yorn, that's been legally floating around for more than a month now.

It's the type of music that's moving, in it's own quiet, rolling way, the type that could blend into the background of any situation or completely envelop you when you're just lying on your bed, alone, wondering about what Bill really whispered to Scarlett at the end of Lost in Translation. Many of the songs even had the honour of being added to my 'saturday morning coffee mix', aka my favourite iTunes playlist (which, by the way, requires neither coffee, or it to be Saturday, in order to be enjoyed; in fact I am enjoying it right now, at 12.34Am, watching Eric Bana educate Jimmy Fallon on how to be Australian and writing an essay that's due tomrrow). Relator and I Don't Know What To Do are my favourite tracks, highly recommended. We'll see how long this post lasts before it gets taken down by that dastardly Web Sheriff *shake fist*

Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson - I Don't Know What To Do

Labels: mp3, video

Hi kids,

So I was a little inspired by Sam's thoughts of blog revival, and also a little inspired by procrastination (hello, 8,000 word essay), and decided to breathe a tiny bit of life into RATF. So I opened up the blog email inbox and found 650 emails waiting for my attention (this since the end of July, when I last checked it). And as much as I want to procrastinate there is no way in hell I'm getting through all those emails, so if you're actually one of the bands that emailed me personally (and not just label PR), feel free to email me again because I most probably won't get to reading the first one you sent. If you're label PR, feel free to send again anyway, but I'm assuming you'll just send out mass mailing list updates.

So here are two remix tracks I found, though I only opened about 5 of the emails that I got (654 to go...)

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Higher Than The Stars (Saint Etienne visits Lord Spank remix)
Ra Ra Riot - Each Year (Team Goldie remix)

Labels: mp3, remix

It was a long wait for this video. Verdict: was it worth it? In my opinion, it gives me the massive creeps. And I think that it could be better. But I'm not too upset.

If you are one of the many followers of master Snob Scrilla on Twitter, you'd know that he's been excited lately for the release of the video accompanying his latest single, Heartbreak Scorsese. All well and good, you'd say, but the fact is that Scorsese is a simply smashing song (no alliteration intended) with equal parts truth and hilarity.

Labels: video

I am a total video spammer, I know. My content is lacking. But this was just so worthy of posting. It's Taylor Swift's Love Story kind of melted into Viva La Vida, and it's amazing (courtesy of the wonderful Erin). Big words coming from a massive Coldplay skeptic (okay, being born and bred into a country-pop hybrid I have a massive affliction for Taylor Swift, but that's beside the point). It's also probably wrong that I got a little emotional during the crescendo of the song and afterwards, when Jon Schmidt was explaining why it was his daughter's favourite part. Okay, so now pretend you never discovered my weakness.

Something else that kind of made me not hate Coldplay so much occured when Sound Relief rehersals were happening (I live next to Moore Park Golf Course, by the way, in earshot of anything and everything that occurs at the SCG). When I went onto my balcony, I could hear a basic hum that was Icehouse practicing, not particularly interesting, so I went inside. About five minutes later, those sharp violins started off and a raw, live version Viva La Vida wafted across the whole of the general Moore Park area and into my loungeroom.. it was enchanting. I fell in love with it right then.

The next day I went back to resenting them. Creature of habit. But for a moment, they had me transfixed.

Labels: cover, video

I have indescribable amounts of love and appreciation for this video (and the remix is pretty good too).

Sinitta - Right Back Where We Started From (Chris Racine Remix)

Labels: video vault

I've been cleaning out my inbox lately, mostly due to the fact that I have an uni exam tomorrow and would prefer just to pretend it doesn't exist. The good thing about this, though, is being exposed to the following rad acts who are defintely worth my time.

Newcastle has produced what I believe is Australia's best indie band of recent years (the glorious Seabellies). The city's track record is improving, too, with new talents Of The Red Sea, who are unlike their Novocastrian counterparts, but just as worthy of attention. The sound of their latest tune, Escalators, is a little what I'd think of as an Australian interpretation of Interpol - the same killer hooks with low-fi vocals. They're having an album launch at The Hopetoun on June 7th, a worthwhile adventure for Sydney music fans of all types (or, you know, those who come down from Newcastle, I'm not discriminating here).

Of The Red Sea - Escalators

When I received an email entitled "Math The Band kick out the feel good jamz of the Summer of 2009!" I sighed, not because I was indifferent to it, but because the summer of 2009 has already passed for me. Nevertheless I do very much appreciate this song - it's like Matt & Kim on speed (who, incidentally, they have toured with), like a hyper I'm From Barcelona, happy fun digitally enhanced people - as they put it, "sampled casio sk1 drums, paired with solid square waves and more BPMs than can possibly be considered reasonable." Math The Band are guaranteed to put a smile on your face, it's pure, unadulterated joy without a hint of irony.

Math The Band - Why Didn't You Get A Haircut

I get a lot of solo artists email me, and sadly have kind of stopped listening, because I find that so many of them just sound the same. So I was delighted to come across an endearing message from this artist, a gorgeous folky act straight out of Calgary who had me enchanted from the first note, like what would happen if Justin Vernon took a happy pill. Kris Ellestad's brand of music is quiet and unassuming, perfect for any moment, any season, any place. It's rare that artists can create music without much presumption, but still manage to be completely relevant, one that makes music for the beauty of it without riding on another's success. Everyone has their influences, but it's about using your environment and experiences as well, which is what Ellestad has managed to do, and what makes his music so captivating.

Kris Ellestad - November Steppes

Labels: mp3

So on Saturday, a friend and I were listening to My Girls, and whilst singing along, realised we didn't know what a particular line said, so made it up. I understand this happens a lot. At least, it does in my world. It was, therefore, unsettling to look up the actual word later, and realise what we'd been singing as "and my doctor's gay" was, in fact, "and a father's grace". Just a little off?

Animal Collective - My Girls

Another example was the ubiquitous Kids. I'd always thought it said "decision to decision I've made and not fought" as opposed to "are made and not bought". After learning this, I decided my version was much better, and I still sing it like that.



In Dear Sons & Daughters Of Hungry Ghosts, I'd believed that Spencer Krug had Hall & Oates, not, in fact, holes. It seemed to make sense. Two things one might need to live (well.. three things). Water, Hall & Oates. No?

Wolf Parade - Dear Sons and Daughters Of Hungry Ghosts

When I first heard Oxford Comma, I laughed at the name dropping of Lil Jon. After mentioning this reference to friends, they didn't believe that it was actually in this song. This time, I was victorious.

Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma

And then there's Atlas. I'm not even going to attempt to translate what I thought this song said. Something like "zzzyyyyysjnnn dfgjdiodsifjodsjf ewrhewnbrt jklzzzzzzzzzz". See this for the real lyrics.

Battles - Atlas

But perhaps my favourite misinterpretation of lyrics is when I thought Drift Away wanted to "give me the Beach Boys and free my soul."

Labels: mix, mp3, playlist, video, video playlist

They're the foot-tapping joy-inducing boys you know from the infectious Polka, otherwise known as the song that accompanies the ad where people throw things into a car (I have no idea what the ad is for, alls I know is every time it comes on, I'm just thinking.. oh, it's Polka, love love this song). Spunky Brisbane boys Yves Klein Blue have released their new single (and subsequent video), Getting Wise from the "Ragged & Ecstatic" album to be released in late June. Ragged and ecstatic is exactly what these guys are; they have that dance-inciting sound delivered with nonchalant charm and youthful energy that's captivating Australian (and international) listeners again and again..

Labels: video

Huh?

Labels: video

Matt & Kim 'Lessons Learned' Official Video

Labels: news, video

The OFFICIAL Splendour in the Grass lineup announcement for 2009 dropped at 8am this morning, and I lasted until 8.07 to wait for it until I had to run to uni. So it was going to be all hot-off-the-press, but now, not so much.

Enjoy, folks:

Bloc Party (in their ONLY Australian show)
The Flaming Lips
Jane’s Addiction
MGMT (also in their ONLY Australian show)
Hilltop Hoods
Grinspoon
Midnight Juggernauts
The Specials
Sarah Blasko
Augie March
Josh Pyke
Friendly Fires,
Little Birdy
Birds Of Tokyo
The Gutter Twins
Manchester Orchestra
Yuksek
Bob Evans
White Lies
Kram
Yves Klein Blue
Decoder Ring
Lost Valentinos
Leader Cheetah
Jack Ladder
The Middle East
Polaroid Fame
Glass Towers

Splendour in the Grass will return to Belongil Fields on the 25th & 26th of July, 2009.

If you were wondering, here's the lineup that was circulating the interwebs pre-official announcement..

The Flaming Lips Janes Addiction Bloc Party MGMT The Gutter Twins The Specials White Lies Yuksek

Friendly Fires Kram Grinspoon Hilltop Hoods Midnight Juggernauts Josh Pyke Little Birdy

Birds Of Tokyo Yves Klein Blue Glass Towers The Middle East Jack Ladder Leader Cheetah Polaroid Fame

Pretty spot on? Not even sure why I bothered waiting.

Labels: festival, live, news

Note that I certainly will not be the last one to post this. New Sunset Rubdown, I love it. Fun times in the classic Krug style that leaves hearts swelled and fingers crossed for Dragonslayer.

Sunset Rubdown - Idiot Heart

Labels: mp3

So.. if you're out in Sydney next Friday night, just chilling, wandering the streets and wondering where all the cool kids are, quite obviously you've had your head in the sand. To make sure this situation never transpires, you're so lucky to have someone to tell you what's going down - it's our beloved Snob Scrilla's homecoming party/debut album release, and it's on this Friday at Q Bar/sosueme (above OAF/Exchange Hotel), and, well, to steal Sean's word, it's just gonna be radcakes.

Friday 24th April, 2009

Q Bar, 44 Oxford Street Darlinghurst

Our favourite Sydney-based-Californian Party Lord – SNOB SCRILLA - has sounded a call to round up the Axis of Party Radness to help him hijack Sosueme to launch his long-awaited debut album – 'DAY ONE' (through Ivy League Records)… and the siren has been heard!

The result is the greatest party-mash lineup in this dimension… Indie, Party, Hip Hop & Club acts from far and wide are arriving, and this is party to brag to your grandchildren about:

Not counting the special guests who will jump up on the night, the lineup is HUGE!

SNOB SCRILLA
OFFICIAL ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY

Live:

Dash & Will
X n Hell
Chaingang
Stella MC
Catcall
Seven Steady

Djs:

Ruby Rose
Spruce Lee
Nina Las Vegas
Act Yo Age
The E.L.F
Hey Now
CSK OK
Kid Confucius (DJ Set)
Wax Motif
Vivienne Kingswood
Something With Numbers (DJ Set)
Sleater Brockman
Bad Ezzy
Tom Piper
Michaela Solar-March (FBI)
96 Bulls
Inch & Dirt
Deckheads
Bert & Ernie

$10 + bf from Moshtix

Go to Myspace to check out Snob Scrilla tunes, become a fan on Facebook, or listen here -

Snob Scrilla - Heartbreak Scorsese
Snob Scrilla - Hearbreak Scorsese (Remixes)

Labels: live