The Tapesmixer

"Look at me mah, i'm Phil Spector!"... This is what you will most probably be saying after playing with the Tapes 'N Tapes Mixer. It is often the simplest ideas that work best and this adage is really true in the case of this great, but simple online tool. You get to fiddle around with the bass, drums, guitars and vocals from the song 'Jennie', hours of fun for geeks like me.



Officially, the tapesmixer is a cutting edge digital hi-fi interactive tonal interface. This technology allows you create your own mix of tapes 'n tapes songs. Which is kinda what i said already.

Fiddle with: The Tapesmixer

Download: Cowbell (MP3)

Official Website: www.tapesntapes.com
Myspace: www.myspace.com/tapesntapes
Buy: The Loon

Tired Of Being Sexy?

So my boss has begun to develop a mighty gambling addiction, which led me to thinking about what it'd be cool to bet on... random bets along the lines of 'I bet the the next person through the door is a woman' or 'I bet i can get this in the bin from here'. Which in turn led me to thinking about betting on which bands would make great albums or simply be successful... Which in tun led me to pondering current band I would gamble on.

Surely a surefire bet this summer will be that CSS (or Cansei de Ser Sexy - Portuguese for 'Tired of being sexy') become huge. If there were books opened on such matters, the odds on them having huge hits this year with the brilliant single 'Let's Make Love And Listen To Death From Above' and the album Cansei De Ser Sexy would be pretty short. If there is any justice left in the world of pop music they surely cannot fail. With the might of Sub Pop behind them and cooler than cool looks, and attitude here is hoping that we will all be seeing a lot more of CSS!

Download MP3: CSS - Let's Make Love And Listen To Death From Above

Video: CSS - Let's Make Love And Listen To Death From Above
Website: canseidesersexy.com
Myspace: myspace.com/canseidesersexy
Fotolog: fotolog.com/canseidesersexy

All I Want To Do Is Turn Around...

With 2006 more than half way gone and eager bloggers all over the world compiling their lists of the 'best albums of the year... so far', I thought, rather than go the full way, I'd post a couple of my favorite songs of the year so far.



My first choice and winner of the prize for the single song that i have listened to most this year according to my iTunes is 'White Daisy Passing' by Rocky Votolato. A Seattle based singer/songwriter, Rocky Votolato moves in similar circles (both musically and literally) to other Sweetheart Of The Radio favorites Damien Jurado and J.Tillman. 'White Daisy Passing' is from the album Makers.



My second selection is 'Funeral' by Band Of Horses, a band born out of the ashes of the much loved Carissa's Weird. A favorite with bloggers at the beginning of the year, 'Funeral' is the stand out track from their debut album Everything All The Time.


Download: Rocky Votolato - White Daisy Passing (MP3)
Watch: Rocky Votolato - White Daisy Passing (Video)

Download: Band Of Horses - Funeral (MP3)
Watch: Band Of Horses - Funeral (Video)
Listen To: Band Of Horses - KEXP Live Session

Website: rockyvotolato.com
myspace: myspace.com/rockyvotolato

Website: bandofhorses.com
myspace: myspace.com/bandofhorses

Lived In Bars

What could be better than a new Cat Power video? How about a new Cat Power video that features a cameo performance from William Eggleston? It is like all my birthdays and Christmas coming all at once! Well... maybe not quite that good, but good nonetheless.



Cat Power website
William Eggleston website

Buy: Cat Power records
Buy: William Eggleston Books

Noam Chomsky

Now, I'm not an overtly political individual, however with current affairs in the Middle East permeating my thoughts today (hey, it's a Monday... things are slow), I find myself looking around for wider explanations on why things are happening in the way they are. My searches eventually led me to Noam Chomsky. Professor of linguistic at MIT, Chomsky, I guess, is more widely known for his political activism and for his criticism on the foreign policy of the US and other governments... Kind of like Michael Moore, but without the bad dress sense and apparent need to make an ass of himself on video all of the time.

Noam Chomsky: U.S. Doctrinal Constraints On Middle East Peace (MP3)
Noam Chomsky: Why Do They Hate Us ?-Pouring Oil On Troubled Waters -Then And Now (MP3)
Noam Chomsky: The Historical Significance of 911 (MP3)



Noam Chomsky Info
Noam Chomsky @ MIT
Buy Chomsky

Rise Up With Fists!!

I came across this Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins video for the song 'Rise Up With Fists!!' today and it reminded me of what a fantastic album last years 'Rabbit Fur Coat' was. A largely laid-back affair, I always thought of this record as a fantastic companion to/sister of Lucinda Williams' 2001 album 'Essence'.



Official Site: www.jennylewis.com
Myspace: Jenny Lewis
Myspace: The Watson Twins

Buy: Rabbit Fur Coat

Just Beyond The River

Born and raised in a small Fife village, James Yorkston has been following musical pursuits since the age of 8. He followed a girlfriend out of the village to settle in Edinburgh at the age of 17, inspired to see the world, and write songs, by his love of music like Madagascan guitarist D’Gary and folk singer Anne Briggs.

Six years ago he joined Edinburgh garage-punk band Huckleberry, then, three days later, also landed his first solo gig. “Someone came in to my friend’s record shop asking if they knew anybody who could support Bert Jansch and my mate said, Yeah, James’ll do it. I had a week to knock my songs into some sort of order. I was absolutely terrified.”


He fed the hard-core side of his soul with Huckleberry for a few years until the lure of his acoustic muse – and a fear of deafness – finally won out. He sent off two tapes of a song called ‘Moving Up Country, Roaring The Gospel’, one to John Peel, and one to John Martyn, seeking a support slot at an Edinburgh gig. Peel played the tape on air, which led to the Bad Jazz label releasing a single and Martyn offered James the support slot on his entire 30-date 2001 tour.

After a series of singles on both the Bad Jazz and Domino labels he released his debut album 'Moving Up Country' on Domino in June 2002. Second full length album 'Just Beyond The River' followed in the autumn of 2004.

James Yorkston will release a new studio album 'The Year Of The Leopard' in late September.

Download: James Yorkston - Song To The Siren (Tim Buckley Cover) (MP3)
Download:James Yorkston - I Know My Love (Demo) (MP3)
Download: James Yorkston - Surf Song (Live Planet Claire Session) (MP3)


Official Site: www.Jamesyorkston.co.uk
Myspace: www.myspace.com/Jamesyorkston
Buy: James Yorkston Records