song du jour 06/01/11

just a quick post today. found this song by a band called black moth super rainbow completely by accident on you tube following random vid to random vid through complete obliqueness and found a video that had this song as the soundtrack. it instantly grabbed my attention so i stuck it on my favourites and i just keep coming back for more. i've yet to investigate this band any further but there is a little about them here.

this should appeal to lovers of experimental electronic psychedelic weirdness. kinda sounds like the beta band if they were american, if you know what i mean? i guess there are flaming lip elements in there too and

so with that in mind my song du jour is "when the sun grows on your tongue" from the album "dandelion gum".



song du jour 04/01/11

the first song du jour of 2011 and unfortunately it is with a sad and heavy heart. just found out from @moogc that gerry rafferty has died today. the singer songwriter famous for his stealers wheel super group with joe egan and his solo work passed away after a long illness. click here for the full story at the guardian.co.uk.

tough call between this track and baker street but i went with my heart. this track found a new found fame underpinning the scene when michael madson fails (epically) to teach safe shaving techniques to a frightened policeman in the tarantino classic "reservoir dogs". complete overkill on the aftershave there too michael. however, for me this song will always bring to mind much less violent times like playing lego on the kitchen floor while my mum made dinner or dancing around the lounge like a nutter high on e numbers. happy days i'll never forget. i shouldn't; it was only last week.

so with that in mind my song du jour is "stuck in the middle with you" from the eponymous debut album "stealers wheel".

you give us those nice bright colors

do go and check out flavorwire for a little photo collection inspired by the death of kodachrome on 30/12/2010. i particularly like this taj mahal reflection by steve mccurry.

a list: albums of 2010

as the year comes to an end, it is, as i understand it, obligatory to voice one's views of the past 12 months' artistic success'. or something like that. therefore here are my musical winners:

vampire weekend: contra

afro beats sit comfortably with electronic ones in this second album that sees the boys hone their style to perfection. actually enjoy this more than the fist album.

yeasayer: odd blood

highlights include electro folk "madder red", the sing along "ambling alp", hauntingly robotic "the children" and synth heavy electro floor filler "o.n.e.". this album sees the band deliberately try to be more poppy and finds them fully embracing the more subtle electro dalliances of previous efforts on a more full time basis.

the national: high violet

leonard cohen and ian curtis' mutant lovechild fronting a post punk new wave band. sort of. stand out track "blood buzz ohio" is amazing.

my morning bender: big echo 

brian wilson-esque sun filled summery tunes via fleet foxes and vampirweekend from these calfornian [beach] boys. luscious string abound on "excuses", probably the best track on the album.

 

chiefs: modern rituals

close harmony led indie-folk. think csny, neil young, buffolo springfield, fleet foxes and "american beauty" era grateful dead blended with 90s britpop undertones and a modern indie feel. check out "the minute i saw it" and "night and day".

a year in pictures

msn.com photo editor antony bennison provides the year in pictures. some really breathtaking photos in this collection of 60 pictures taken throughout 2010.

my two favorites have to be:

 

christopher thomas' dash 8 q400 in front of the moon, for the effort and time he put in and the resultant stunning image; such a glorious juxtaposition.

 

and alejandra bartoliche's protester pissing at a pack of riot police in argentina. with all the protests going on at the moment this guy could be the poster boy.

click here for the rest at msn.com.

enjoy.

the captain

merry christmas, everyone!

no normal posts today or for some days to come. i'm too busy enjoying christmas! blah blah blah, yadda yadda yadda. i greatly enjoy russell brand's view on life. to get you in the spirit for tomorrow check him out here mulling over what christmas is all about.

enjoymas.

the captain.

song du jour 23/12/10

elbow's guy garvey has let slip the title of their new album on live radio. a mildly inebriated garvey revealed during marc riley's christmas show that their latest offering is to be titled "build a rocket, boys!". click here for the full story and track listing at bbc 6 music news.

i only really know elbow since the release of "the seldom seen kid". how can you not love a song that starts "i've been working on a cocktail called grounds for divorce"! that got my attention. next came this song which is so uplifting and anthemic it hurts.

so with that in mind my song du jour is "one day like this" from the album "the seldom seen kid". i love the message of this song and anything with a string part like this just blows me away.