Gothic Nursery Rhymes

I first became aware of the Californian artist Mark Ryden after I saw the cover of Scarling.’s Sweet Heart Dealer album that features one of his drawings. His paintings are full of romantic, gothic, religious and sometimes slightly disturbing imagery. Doll like nursery rhyme characters, children and animals all with large puppy dog eyes are set in fantastical and haunting landscapes and scenario. His work has included music album covers, posters and portraits, such as Christina Ricci.

www.markryden.com

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly @ The Kasbah Coventry

Last night we went to see Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly supported by Emmy The Great at The Kasbah (formerly The Colosseum), (formerly The Tic-Toc for the truely ancient amongst us).
Arriving a little later than planned we grabbed a drink and headed for the main room as the main act had already took to the stage. The refurbishment to turn the Colly into The Kasbah seemed to focus on Morrocan arches painted in black around studded doorways, the main room was adorned in similar decor. Basically same old venue, with a new lick of paint. There was a new armband that was required to get a drink at the bars!!!
Pushing as far as we comfortably could into the main room we found that we hadn't missed much of the main act and enjoyed the rest of the performance, it included Call me Ishmael, I spy, War of the Worlds and the new single Find the time that will be available from 3rd March.

The tracks below are live from last years Reading festival.

MP3: I spy (live at Reading 2007)
MP3: War of the Worlds (live at Reading 2007)

album | website

Up the river

Another album I've been listening to on my iPod is Stage Names by Okkervil River, They are a indie/folk outfit from the US and have become highly recommended listening. 

MP3: Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe - Okkervil River 
from the album Stage Names

A Grotesque romp

I have enjoyed listening to Of Montreal a fair bit lately recently. One track that has really  caught my attention is the epic rolling romp The Past Is A Grotesque Animal, it appears on the  2007 album Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?  

oooooOOOOooooo....

MP3: The Past is a Grotesque Animal - Of Montreal

Polyvinyl Records | iTunes | Napster

That Beep Beep song

If you like the music that accompanies the Audi R8 TV advert as much as my baby son - you know the one about 'synchronized feet'- your probably going to enjoy the track below.
When that advert comes on the TV my son stops in his tracks with his mouth hanging open and then claps when it finishes - and then goes about his destructive way. 

Well the song in question is called The Beep Beep Song  from the album I am the man (2007) and is by Hawaiian born Simone White. So there you go.

MP3: The Beep Beep Song - Simone White

How to use Google instead of Limewire

All is explained in this video.

Febuary already

So I’ve been a little lax with the posts in January. The month slipped past quiet unoticed by me until I needed to ask the date. I then discovered that half the food in my fridge was probably out of date and that it was, infact, already Febuary.
So, as I drove home from work yesterday, in the most furocious and short lived snow blizzard I have ever witnessed, I got to thinking about what good music had I come across during January. I decided the answer could be pretty much summed up in three tracks.

MP3: The Drones – The Millers Daughter
Title track from their 2006 album The Miller's Daughter
MP3: Sons and Daughters – Johnny Cash
From their 2003 album Love the Cup. Their new album This Gift has recently been released.
MP3: Foals – Mathletics
This is my favouite of their tracks its better, I think, than their recent single balloons.

I have also just seen the draconian Glastonbury Festival ticket registration you have to go through just to be in with a chance of winning buying a ‘golden’  ticket. It’s akin to applying for a passport, except you will probably get one of those. Details of your registration will be kept for future use and a specifically sized photograph of you will be required with your registration. The lucky few who progress to become ‘ticket holders’ will be met by Micheal Eavis at the gate of Worthy Farm and he will lead them on a journey into a musical wonderland of hippy umpa lumpas and mud.

I have registered.