Be Still My Beating Heart

Tags

gigs, Leftovers, mp3, Music, Sigur Ros

Last night I dragged myself down to Melbourne to watch my beloved Maggies thrash the pants off the Cats. It was a great game – strong tackling, solid defence and pinpoint accuracy. And it’s always nice to knock off the top team.

I was on a high before I even arrived at the ground though, due to the giant poster I passed on the way to the G that advertised Sigur Ros playing at Festival Hall in August. I had resigned myself to the fact that I wouldn’t be able to check them out at the Splendour In The Grass festival in Byron Bay (too much dosh and too far away), so you can imagine my delight when I saw that they were set to play in Melbourne. I was with my parents, and they were a little nonplussed to see me stop dead in my tracks, hit the poster on the wall with glee and actually do a little dance of joy. However they were very happy for me when I explained the significance of the poster and what it would mean for my general health and wellbeing.

After quick phone calls to a few interested parties today, tickets were snagged and anticipation is mounting already. Though Sigur Ros are only a recent discovery of mine, they have quickly become a standard on my Ipod and it’s rare for a day to pass without me immersing myself in their ambient goodness. It’s safe to say that I’m more than a little bit excited! The only disappointing thing is that under 18s aren’t allowed in. My brother is one pissed off 16 year old.

A quick check of their website tonight let me know that I’d missed the presale tickets (explains why the seats we have are not ideal) and also drew my attention to a note encouraging everyone to visit them on Tuesday for a special announcement. Some are talking new single/album cover art, but I’ve got no clue. See what you think. And in the meantime, enjoy what I am hoping to hear live in person myself on Friday August 1. Only 68 days to go!

Heysatan (Live) – Sigur Ros

Staralfur (Live) – Sigur Ros

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Alive and Kicking

Tags

Belle & Sebastian, Islands, Leftovers, mp3, Music, Nik Freitas

To the small handful of you who may have wondered where I’ve been the last few days – mucho apologies. For those of you who don’t know already, I am a teacher and things at school have been pretty frantic lately. I’ve finally found a few minutes to throw together a few random tracks that I’m liking this week. Though the first track may contradict this next statement, their existence in this post signifies that I am still alive. And kicking. Just.
 
Get Me Away From Here, I’m Dying – Belle & Sebastian

All The Way Down – Nik Freitas

The Arm – Islands

What an awesome wake up call

Tags

Leftovers, MGMT, mp3, Music

So for the last few mornings when my alarm has gone off I’ve woken up to the sounds of alternative radio station Triple J. The breakky show hosts have been flogging MGMT lately, and the last three days I’ve heard them either talking about Oracular Spectacular, advertising the album, or playing a song from it. Today it was a combination – a quick plug of the album again, plus a listen to ‘The Youth’, which I promptly downloaded and added to my Ipod while I was getting ready for the day. I played it several times in the car on the way to work and consequently had it floating around my head for the rest of the day.

And that’s exactly the right word for it – ‘floating’. It’s a dreamy track, lush and fresh and so damn catchy. Get it, hear it, love it.

This is a call of arms to live and love and sleep together
We could flood the streets with love or light or heat whatever
Lock the parents out, cut a rug, twist and shout
Wave your hands
Make it rain
For stars will rise again

The Youth – MGMT

Call me a monster created

Tags

Holy Fuck, Leftovers, MIA, mp3, Music, Remix

I’ve been bagging remixes forever, as this post can attest. I’ve never liked ’em, and have always thought they were nothing more than a cheap rip off. Now though, with some help from Lost In Your Inbox, I’ve gained a new appreciation for them. I’ve even gone so far as to download one all by myself, willingly, without complaint or duress.

I’m so proud of myself I could leap a tall building in a single bound. Oh wait. That’s already been done. Instead I’ll have to beat my sister about the head with a wet fish. Not really, she’s just reading over my shoulder and I thought that might encourage her to find something else to do with her time. Like download this (recently individually acquired) excellent remix of MIA’s ‘Paper Planes’, for example.

Paper Planes – MIA (Holy F*** Remix)

Image courtesy of Jim Bradshaw Illustration. This guy does some amazing stuff – drawing, sculpture, computer art, and has even started making cute stuffed toys. Definitely worth a squizz.

Why did the rooster cross the river?

Tags

Leftovers, Magnetic Fields, mp3, Music, Supergrass

Yeah, I don’t know the answer. To do the chicken dance with these guys maybe?

Mansize Rooster – Supergrass

A Chicken With Its Head Cut Off – Magnetic Fields

Remix Refresher Response

Tags

Jamie Liddell, Leftovers, mp3, Music, Remix, Wolf Mother

My mate Marcy over at Lost In Your Inbox did a special let’s-see-if-we-can-convince-Agnes-that-remixes-are-cool post the other day. It was in response to a comment I made on her blog about remixes and how I always wondered why people who rejigged the songs of others got all the credit. We decided that a good remix is like a good cover, where it’s possible for the remixer to make the song their own if they do it right.

So Marcy posted a whole bundle of her favourite remixes for my (and your) listening pleasure. I have to admit, I was a little skeptical at first, but with an open mind I faithfully downloaded every track and gave them all a good listen over a few mornings on my drive to work.

She’s a clever girl, that Marcy. Not only did she pick a swathe of cool remixes, she also managed to convince me to renounce my anti-remix beliefs and concede that, in the right hands, they can be pretty awesome. Especially the chunky beat based ones.

So here’s two of my favourites from her collection. Do yourself a favour and check out the rest of the list.

Woman (Avalanches Remix) – Wolf Mother

Multiply (Gonzales Remix) – Jamie Liddell

I Know A Modern Leper

Tags

Frightened Rabbit, Leftovers, mp3, Music

Until today I’d only heard a couple of tracks from Frightened Rabbit, and hadn’t really paid too much attention to them. They’re getting some blog love at the moment though due to the recent release of their ep The Midnight Organ Fight and while doing the blog rounds the other day I grabbed a couple of tracks from Captain Obvious.

One of these was ‘The Modern Leper’, which came up on my Ipod while I was running tonight, and I listened to it without really noticing the lyrics at first, instead letting the Scottish accent of lead singer Scott Hutchison wash over me. It wasn’t until I heard the words “you must be a masochist to love a modern leper on his last leg” that I went back and listened properly.

I think we all know a modern leper, one who has a “disease (they) just can’t shake”, who’s “rattling through life”, and it can be pretty hard to watch them. This track has affected me pretty personally, and it’s highlighted for me how a song can grab your insides so completely. I find myself smiling at the perfect description of the relationship I have with my own modern leper and the sheer brilliance of the lyrics is enough to distract me from the doomed reality of my own experience.

I’m completely bowled over by these guys. You should be too.

A cripple walks amongst you all you tired human beings
He’s got all the things a cripple has not working arms and legs
And vital parts fall from his system and dissolve in Scottish rain
Vitally he doesn’t miss them he’s too fucked up to care
Well is that you in front of me?
Coming back for even more of exactly the same
You must be a masochist to love a modern leper on his last leg
On his last leg

Check out the rest of the lyrics here.

Excellent review over at Line Of Best Fit.

Review of The Midnight Organ Fight at Dusted Magazine here.

Pitchfork review here.

The Modern Leper – Frightened Rabbit

Head Rolls Off – Frightened Rabbit

On Chain Letters and Flying Saucers

Tags

Calvin Badness, Husker Du, Leftovers, mp3, Music, Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks

As a rule I’m not a big fan of mass emails. I especially hate those stupid chain letters that predict your imminent demise if you do not forward it to every person you’ve ever met in the next 4 seconds. Incidentally, do the 4 seconds begin from the moment the offending email arrives in your inbox, or does the countdown start from the moment you open the damn thing? And if you delete it without opening it at all, does it mean you’ve dodged a bullet, or that your lack of respect for the evil forces of the email chain letter have doomed you anyway?

Another thing that amazes me about them is how they turn normally sane people into trigger happy fear fueled send button pushers. Yes, that is the technical term. I recently received an email from a friend who had sent it to myself and 10 other people in the hope that she would receive a free laptop by the end of the week. Madness!

However  every now and then you do receive a mass email that’s worth clicking open, which is where I came across the above photo, and the photo I included in yesterday’s post. I think today’s image really clever and innocent looking all at the same time. Love it.

Books About UFOS – Husker Du

Aliens – Calvin Badness

Alien Boy – Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks

A Single Soul Dwelling In Two Bodies

Tags

An Horse, Buddy Holly, Leftovers, mp3, Music

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Company – An Horse

Dearest – Buddy Holly

Hiccups

Tags

Add new tag, Leftovers, mp3, Music, The Mountain Goats, Vampire Weekend

Ugh. Sometimes I hate technology. I also hate my lack of ability to manipulate it for my own purposes without going completely insane. I tried changing my theme this morning because I’m a bit tired of this one, but no matter what I tried I couldn’t find the perfect fit. I think my laptop tired of my efforts also because it decided to go into slowmo mode and, not being the most patient person in the world, its attempts to piss me right off worked beautifully.

So I’ve reverted back to my original theme, and am so frustrated with the process that I’m only going to post two tracks of the possible five or six that I was going to include to celebrate what I thought was going to be a new look here at It All Started. Hmmph!

I think I’ll go stick a fork in my eye. It might be more fun.

Woke Up New – The Mountain Goats

One (Blake’s Got A New Face) – Vampire Weekend