Coyote Song - Conor Oberst

I'm being spoilt by great music at the moment, and just when i thought it couldn't get any better Conor Oberst has written new material. The Bright Eyes singer and all round legend wrote 'Coyote Song' for 'The Sound Strike' currently taking place in the U.S (specifically Arizona), it's a pretty good cause so check it out. The recording itself isn't great as it is a live version from the crowd, but I knew you wouldn't wanna wait for this. Listen to 'Coyote Song' after the beep.

Video: Your Direction - Chief

Probably one of the best melodies written this year. Chief combine swaying guitar with harmonic lyrics to create one of the best songs you will here this summer. Read more about the video and listen after the beep.

Hypewriter: Lissie

2010 has so far laid the Goulding-Diamandis foundations of a craze sweeping the musical world, the craze of the off the wall female singer songwriter. As well as Marina & The Diamonds have done to build on that foundation, the genre-craze is yet to find its Je ne sais quoi. In my opinion Lissie is just that. More on Lissie, including Videos and MP3's after the beep.

Stream: Band Of Horses 'Infinite Arms'

After releasing four tracks to stream, the full album is finally here. Band Of Horses really like to tease us fans. The album sounds really great, definitely a significant progression from the band. You can listen to the album at the bands website here.

Video: Mumford & Sons Live on Jools Holland

In my opinion Jools Holland's show 'Later Live' never showcases a bands live talent to its full extent, the instrumental part is never loud enough. Having said that there are a few bands which still manage to get that-Top of the Pops style, slightly embarrassed to dance-crowd moving. Mumford & Sons are one of those bands. They played my favourite song 'The Cave' and 'Roll Away Your Stone', both of which sounded great. You can watch both video's and comment after the beep.

Video: Band Of Horses - 'Infinite Arms' Teaser

Anyone else extremely excited.

Festival: Glastonbury Line-Up (Lite)

Alas, I will not be attending this year. But for those of you who are here is my 'Lite' but not so condensed version of the line-up. I would have put them all in order of times and what stages they are on except for the fact I'm lazy.

THURSDAY

Chapel Club

Local Natives

Two Door Cinema Club

Egyptian Hip Hop

FRIDAY

U2

Vampire Weekend

Snoop Dogg

Willie Nelson

Hot Chip

Phoenix

Gaslight Anthem

Groove Armada

The Black Keys

Mumford & Sons

Ellie Goulding

Kele

Bombay Bicycle Club

Tegan & Sera

The xx

Broken Bells

The Big Pink

Local Natives

Delphic

Fanfarlo

SATURDAY

Muse

Seasick Steve

The Lightning Seeds

The National

Imogen Heap

Two Door Cinema Club

Jamie T

Foals

Marina & The Diamonds

Laura Marling

Chiddy Bang

Holy Fuck

The xx

Delphic

Tinie Tempah

Blood Red Shoes

SUNDAY

Stevie Wonder

Faithless

Slash

LCD Soundsystem

MGMT

We Are Scientists

Grizzly Bear

Temper Trap

The Hold Steady

Ash

Julian Casablancas

Broken Social Scene

The Drums

Tunng

Empire Of The Sun

Dirty Projectors

Crystal Castles

We Have Band

Dans Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip

If that lot of amazing bands still hasn't made you want to go then;

1. You are not sane
2. The full line up is here
3. There are still 30 bands TBA

Stream: Laredo - Band Of Horses

There's nothing quite like getting to listen to a track from a new album before its release. You feel privileged, as if for some reason you were the only one which was permitted to listen. Band Of Horses have now given me that feeling twice within a couple of weeks. Firstly the video for 'Compliments' was released and now they have released another track from the new album for us to feast our ears on (along with some stunning album artwork).

'Laredo' is full of classic Band Of Horses folky goodness however the twangy guitar riffs and heavy drums show a very different side of the Horses from 'Compliments'. A side perhaps, that does drive cattle on a dust filled, sun drenched plain.

  

MP3: Compliments - Band Of Horses

As if the video wasn't enough, you can now download the MP3of  Band Of Horses' new track 'Compliments'. Enjoy.

Compliments - Band Of Horses (Video Download)

As if there weren't enough bands releasing tantalisingly great new material at the moment, well now Band Of Horses have got in on the act ahead of a number of UK summer gigs. 'Compliments' is the first song released off the new album entitled 'Infinite Arms' which will be released on 18/5 and Band Of Horses have allowed fans to download the psychoscenic  new video if you sign up for their christmas card list.

The track listing for 'Infinite Arms' is as follows:

01 “Factory”
02 “Compliments”
03 “Laredo”
04 “Blue Beard”
0
5 “On My Way Back Home
”
06 “Infinite Arms”
0
7 “Dilly”
0
8 “Evening Kitchen”
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9 “Older”
10 “For Annabelle”
11 “NW Apt.
”
12 “Neighbor”

Rambling Man - Laura Marling (Music Video)

This album is pure gold.  Vive la Folk Revolución!

Mumford & Sons @ Newcastle Union 07/03/10

95/100 - I have to apologise for me taking so long to post this review I haven't even been busy lately, I'm literally not sure what I have been doing for the last week, hmmmmm.


Anyway, to the review. A gig on a Sunday night is a bit of an odd proposition. my expectations of energy levels from the crowd and me were a tad on the pessimistic side. As always the optimist makes me look like a fool.

Doors were 7.30 ( you get there for about 8.30) and I was enthusiastically early (on time) only to find that the queue length was proportional to Mumford & Sons brilliance. When I had eventually got over the in-queue weather, I witnessed one of the best gigs i have ever seen (Still trying to place this, above or below Blur at Glastonbury?). Before I start on the ceaseless praise of Mumford & Sons I should first congratulate the support acts Andrew Davey and the brilliant Fanfarlo who did the most difficult job in music with ease, and had the crowd singing their praises and buying their merchandise before the end of the night.Although they were great the support acts were great they were pale in comparison to the main attraction. Mumford & Sons played an incredible gig, they made the crowd sing, dance, laugh, shout Geordie words and just generally fall in love with their music all over again. One of the most impressive things about the gig was how much depth the set list had despite their one album release. They mixed in their lively tracks with slower ones and old songs with some brand new songs that left me cruising YouTube just to hear grainy badly shot live versions. The sheer energy of the band turned even the obliged partners in the crowd into avid fans and left the atmosphere buzzing with an admiration of the bands skill and live prowess. I think the fact that three out of the four members of the band played drums at some point says something about the talent that Mumford & Sons have within those banjo plucking fingers. The gig left all that attended with a new lease of Mumford & Sons life and many a whistled 'Little Lion Man' could be heard a long time after they left the stage. All that leaves me to say is well done Mumford & Sons and well done to the person who bought me the tickets.

Cousins - Mumford & Sons (Vampire Weekend Cover)

Are you ready for the most insanely good cover of the last few years. If you thought the original was good try this little folky number, it makes me think that it would be a good idea if Mumford & Sons just sung all other songs because 99.9999999999% of those covers would probably be pure gold. Just like this one. Enjoy.
Cousins - Mumford & Sons (Vampire Weekend Cover)

Hustle - Tunng (Music Video)

Thieves - She & Him

"She & Him make music for an eternal springtime, when the temperature is warm enough to go riding with the top (or at least the windows) rolled down and the radio turned up." I would say that their website biography is pretty much spot on. Now if only I lived somewhere were the temperature was warm and I could afford a drop-top or even a car. Despite being unable to enjoy She & Him's music in the suggested environment I think i could enjoy it any environment even in the perma-winter which Newcastle, UK is currently experiencing. The new album (rather appropriately named) 'Volume Two' is released on the 5th April in the UK so hopefully we will have the aforementioned "eternal springtime" by then. She & Him are kind enough to give us all a taster with the track 'Thieves' which is posted below. Enjoy.
Thieves - She & Him

Unfinished Business - Mumford & Sons

Mumford & Sons are one of those bands that can get away with covering a song quite easily, they have such a distinctive sound which allows them to make any song sound new and different to the original. Despite this the original in this case is a killer track from White Lies called "Unfinished Business" which couldn't really be improved upon in my opinion....But Mumford and his sons had to go and prove me wrong, what a track this is! Listen after the beep.

King Of Spain - The Tallest Man On Earth

Brilliant fast-paced folk is TTMOE's style and Kristian Mattson's new song is no exception. It is the sort of music someone would take a road trip too, maybe to Spain..... His unique voice really sets him apart from other folk musicians and gives his music a heavier sound and his ability with a guitar is there for all to see.

The Cave - Mumford & Sons

I can't quite believe i haven't posted a Mumford & Sons track yet seeing as i haven't stopped listening to their album since it came out. It is almost impossible to pick a track off the album because their are so many great tracks, to give you an idea of how good it is my wmp play counts for the album are as follows 25,34,28,14,29,9,25,13,8,14,12,7. After much deliberation i have decided to post 'The Cave' as it was the first song i heard by them, and was what made me want to listen to more and more and more Mumford & Sons. I expect you will do the same. Enjoy.

The Cave - Mumford & Sons

Train Song - Ben Gibbard, Feist

Ive just discovered this little gem of a collaboration between the legendary Ben Gibbard and Feist. I found it on an obscure charity compilation album called 'Dark Was The Night', you know you have to much time on your hands when you trawl through compilation albums to find little rarities. Enjoy.

Train Song - Ben Gibbard, Feist

Location - Freelance Whales

Another track from the brilliant Freelance Whales which i have been meaning to post for quite a while now, you will be glad i finally got round to it. Every time i here a new track off this album it seems to be better than the previous one, and i loved the first track i heard so as you can gather 'Location' is a pretty good track (and by pretty good i mean one of the best of this year). The only bad thing about this band is that they are only touring in the U.S at the moment so for us Brits the prospect of them live has to remain a fantasy, at least we have their incredible debut album to keep us satisfied.

Location - Freelance Whales