50 quid bloke

After a full strategic review….all my blogging now takes place here

I love the whole digital DIY thing that new bands get into these days. After all the stuff about how the internet is going to destroy the music industry, the fact that new bands can use it to promote themselves a thousand times more effectively than before is really rather wonderful.

My enthusiasm doesn’t always extend to the music - so while I love getting an e-mail from a band …even if they’ve clearly never read my blog…

However, I’m rather impressed with All Mighty Whispers - not just because they’re doing the digital DIY thing with a fair degree of panache (MySpace - check; Podsafe - check; free downloads on their site -and a player for the whole album - check; a site that you don’t need Flash for - check). But the album, Love Revolution is really rather good.

Take a listen here.

So, I loved Walk The Line - even though it seemed like a white version of Ray. And on Saturday night, while roasting a chicken I listened to Grievous Angel, the Gram Parsons story on Radio 2 (listen again here ). And before you know it, it’s Sunday morning, and I’ve downloaded Johnny Cash Live at San Quentin and Folsom [Amazon | iTunes ] ; and The Byrds Sweetheat of the Rodeo [Amazon | iTunes ] and (this is so Uncut, I can barely admit it): Flying Burrito Brothers Gilded Palace of Sin [ Amazon | iTunes ]. And before you know it, I’m having a country frenzy in the kitchen. And, yes, rather enjoying it.

I never really got that whole country rock thing - but maybe something happens when you turn 40 and it suddenly seems like the most obvious music in the world. The Byrds thing is quite a revelation, because I’ve listened to Fifth Dimension about a million times, but that’s really it. Anyway, I’m sure I’ll be over it soon. Meanwhile - it’s back to the Folsom Prison blues for the 20th time today.

The Delays new single, Valentine (as recommended by NME) is really quite brilliant. To be honest, I found their album last year ultimately quite forgettable. But they’ve clearly been given a bit of a kick and this is much, much better. Hi-engergy indie - if there is such a thing. With more than a whiff of A-ha about it..(ok, maybe that’s not selling it too well). Find it on iTunes.

It’s all been girl power so far this year. Cat Power’s The Greatest and Jenny Lewis have been on constantly - as has Paris Motel’s 071 ep. In addition to this, Hush records in Portland (home of the Decemberists and Kind Of Like Spitting, among others) sent me an advance download (bless them) of a new Shelley Short album, Captain Wildhorse, which isn’t something I’d normally fall upon, but sits alongside the other three almost perfectly.

The boys, however, are back in town. Not just Jack and Brendon , but - and I can’t believe I’m writing this - I’m very excited about Neil Diamond’s 12 songs coming out on Monday, and also the James Roberts album, Everything You Know Is Right - which was reviewed in NME in the first week of January (it got 9/10) and then in the Guardian on Jan 20, but only released on Monday — and it sounds perfect lolloping wintry stuff. Waiting for it to arrive.

[Started writing this post about 10 days ago, then got sidetracked] ..If Jack White and Brendan Benson decide to release their first Raconteurs single: Steady as She Goes and Store Bought Bones on 7inch vinyl - then I’m afraid it’s a case of needs must (and the fact that it was so easily available on Limewire means many others felt the same). I’ll buy two copies of the album to make up. Promise.
I’ve been so busy that I haven’t noticed if it’s now number one or something. But their album is obviously going to be huge. The thing is - it sounds more like Jack White tinkering with Brendon Benson than the other way round, if that makes sense. Bodes well, methinks.

So, yes, we love her from Rilo Kiley; and yes, she was brilliant with Postal Service. Now she’s done an album with the Watson Twins ( Amazon
- but not released yet, I think). Have managed to sniff out a few tracks - and there’s some stuff on, as ever, myspace, and it’s smart, strong country stuff, with the Watson Twins doing the loveliest of harmonies. Yes - I’ll be buying the whole album.

As part of my new tunes regime, I’m dabbling in places I’d normally leave well alone: like the new Mary J Blige album. Can I recommend one track: Gonna Breakthrough (iTunes) as a bit of contrast to all those noise young boys with guitars. I recognise the sample on it, but can’t name it for the life of me: clearly a sign of my age.

Anything from the Brendon Benson/ Jack White band, The Raconteurs? Hasnt’ someone stolen their demos and leaked them onto the net or something?

This year is going to be all about tunes for me. Or ‘tracks’ as the NME calls them. I’m getting slightly bored of buying/ downloading albums - I never quite get round to listening to them. From now on, it’s tracks first - and albums only if I really love it; or if I think the band needs the support (very magnanimous of me, I know)

Yes, I’m buying the NME again: a dead cert sign of a mid-life crisis if ever there was one. Actually, they’re more geared up to the whole ‘tracks/tunes’ thing than most. I like the way they do a ‘10 tracks from this weeks albums’ thing (which is similar to the way the Obs Music Magazine does ‘download tracks’ from each album they review.

That said, they do have an annoying habit of reviewing stuff before it’s released, or available on download anywhere, saying: ‘Now on Radio 1′. What? Tune into Radio1? I’m having a middle age crisis - but not a complete meltdown.

Anyway, some stuff I like from my latest NME-fuelled tune mining. All in all it’s a complete new wave frenzy at the moment. Everything sounds like it’s straight out of 1979/80. And no, that’s not a complaint. If the label Britpop hadn’t been pinched, someone would be inventing it right now.

Black Cab Casino: Sweets and Lead this is a demo on myspace, and it’s really quite nice power pop. Remarkably easy to listen to - which probably means they’ll go nowhere.

DirtyPrettyThings: Bang Bang Your Dead a video of the new single from Carl Barat’s new band. Not completely dissimilar to Brendon Benson, actually, which is probably sacrilege, but intended as praise. Punchy power pop - and thankfully less of an aural mess than babyshambles.

The Kooks: You don’t love me. I’d never heard of them, this fits completely into the new wave thing. Jaunty, choppy stuff. They had a single out called Eddies Gun that you can get on iTunes this is only on vinyl (why?) and maxi cd (why?).

Arctic Monkeys: When The Sun Goes Down: The new single from this year’s sweethearts, not out yet, but you can hear it on MySpace. Pretty much head and shoulders above everything else. Actually, I don’t think it’s quite as smart/ brilliant as some of their other stuff. And, as it’s clear that this is going to be played on the very rare occassions that I go out: could someone please tell me how to dance to it? Again, I quite like the b-side - which, i think it dancing shoes.

Bromheads jacket: What if’s maybe : I mentioned this before, but only just got round to listening to it. It’s like the arctic monkey after four double expressos. I can’t quite work out whether that’s a good thing, or just fast noisy nonsense.

The Long Blondes: Separated by Motorways (iTunes) actually - I’m not completely in love with this, but I thought I’d put it in as they’re very cool at the moment and I don’t want to look like I’m falling behind. I like the b-side: Big infatuation.