Cute indie pop, but the hairstyles have to go… I mean honestly! Check out here.
New Music: Little Majorette
Swedish trip hop pop luxury. Ginger bearded men and a cute little lady making beautiful beats. ‘Sous Les Etoile’ melts in your mouth. Check out here.
The Streets new single?
This is definately a proper Mike Skinner tune, and back on form!
The worst album covers of all time!
These are just the tip of the iceberg. Click here to check out loads more hilarious (and very very wrong) album covers.
Your last chance to be a Games Maker at the 2012 London Olympics!
You’ve got til midnight tonight to fill in your application. It takes about half an hour to do and you’ll need some ID to prove who you are. Go here to fill!
Live: Robyn at O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been to see Robyn and she rocks it every single fucking time. I do remember seeing her at a tiny venue in Camden more than 3 years ago, before ‘With Every Heartbeat’ was even released and feeling happy for her that she managed to sell out the entire Shepherds Bush Empire tonight. The pics look crap because she moves so much it was impossible to get a decent shot with my camera! Support DJ set by Rebecca & Fiona was also really excellent. More pics on my Flickr.
I think I’ll post up some current favourite electropop Swedish tunes later on in the week.
Despicable Me
I went to see this as an after-gym treat on my day off this week. After Toy Story 3, this is probably the best animation I’ve seen all year- and those little yellow minions are so cute it’s sick. The few songs by Pharrell Williams (of N.E.R.D) are lovely. I really hope they make a second film!
Mike Skinner IS BACK!
After going AWOL on the internet for almost a year, Mike Skinner (aka The Streets) relaunched his website last week with a series of random posts and videos, one of which is above. The sample that kicks in at 0:40 sounds like a monster hit. This is meant to be the last album under ‘The Streets’ name, and there are few things I look forward to more than a new record by Mike Skinner.
I’m going to Melodifestivalen Final!
The final of Melodifestivalen, Sweden’s biggest TV show, always airs live on my birthday weekend. And for years, I’ve wanted to go and see the show- the aim is to find year’s Swedish Eurovision entry. But the scale of events is just enormous. Some reckon it’s bigger than Eurovision itself. Unlike other Eurovision countries, Sweden’s selection is a big deal: if you’re not already a huge pop star in Sverige then you’ve got no chance of competing. Regional heats are broadcast from January to March in cities across Sweden (all held in arena’s naturally), until the final in mid March at the Stockholm Globe (home to Eurovision 2000). And I’m gonna be there!
New Music: Paper Crows
Saw these guys on the Guardian today and the reminded me a bit of 90’s trip hop but more current. There’s a lot of atmosphere in their songs. Check out here.
An all singing, dancing android robot thing with freaky hands
This is a little scary, but I want to dance with it. She’s called the Yamaha HRP-4C, or ‘Girlbot’. Shame this thing obviously cost millions to build and they lumber it with a couple of massive plastic hands stolen off a mannequin from Primark…
What’s your (font) type?
Design powerhouse Pentagram have opened up this amazing new font game where a psychiatrist asks you questions and then connects you to a font. Mine is the 1919 Van Doesburg. I didn’t agree at first, but after hearing what they had to say about this font I was convinced it was made for me! Check it out here… It’s so good!
Shayne Ward’s new single is OK
I don’t know if I should admit, but I brought Shayne Ward’s first album after he won X Factor a few years ago. This is his new single, I like it. Good pop.
New Music: Jared Lee
I love this guy’s music. His new single, ‘It’s Over (Goodbye)’ is really really good. Simple pop/rock with a little American soul. Check out here.
Ben (Tattoo) Saunders… rah!
Carrying on with tonight’s Dutch theme, the guy above is Ben Saunders, who is taking part in The Voice of Holland- a sort of Pop Idol where the judges can’t see who’s singing, or something like that. This dude rocks it! Amazing voice! It’s so nice seeing the judges go nuts over him, it’s the total opposite to talent shows in the UK.
New Music: Kraus
Dutch electropop, this is really good music. It’s fresh and clean and easy to bop along to. Check out here.
First Listen: Robyn ‘Indestructible’ Radio Edit
The album version on Body Talk Pt2 is probably the best song of 2010 in my view, and this is the radio version which will be Robyn’s next single in time for Christmas. Yummy!
New Music: Loomis & The Lust
This is pure, fun, well written pop rock made by some really cool guys from the USA. Loomis & The Lust have this 60’s surf SoCal vibe about them that cheers you up a little bit every time you listen. More importantly though, these guys don’t take themselves too seriously, and as a result they just kinda ooze coolness… Check out some tunes below or go to their Myspace here. Do it, they’re really good!
MP3: Loomis & The Lust – Good Time Lover
MP3: Loomis & The Lust – Bright Red Chords
MP3: Loomis & The Lust – A.D.D
I estimate approximately 3,967 people will choke on the new installation at Tate Modern
First came the ‘Crack’ which (hilariously) had people falling in to big cracks in the Turbine Hall, and and Tate Modern are scattering 100 million unique glass sunflower seeds as part of Ai Weiwei’s new installation. I really like it, and it sends out lots of interesting and powerful messages… but MAJOR health hazard!
Update: As expected, it has shut down after just one week. No one choked but the dust from all the seeds got people coughing a little crazy. Oops!
Live: Hurts at O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
Very very good as usual- second time I’ve seen them live and they are epic. Sorry the pictures are crappy but the venue was packed out and I only just managed to squeeze in to one of the corners.