John Peel, The Cribs, The gym

Reading the John Peel autobiography at the gym currently. It makes me smile, laugh silently and sometimes just want to cry that he is gone. I hope that he isn't looking down and cursing how the BBC is now destroying bands, I do hope he approves of Huw Stephens and Steve Lamacq who I see as our best replacements if such a thing could exist.
As a side note, is it good or bad to play The Cribs at the gym, you can hurt yourself but isn't that the point? (LOL!)
Secondary point listening to Mens Needs... I still find myself at the rawness and honesty of the changes that the Jarmans confess to in that album, I may be seeing meaning where there is none but then again I may just be listening.
If the rumoured wedding did happen I just hope Gary is happy now, they give so much pleasure to us who are we to not wish some back.

Jeff Lewis

When we did analysis of the bands we had seen last year, was it the Cribs that came out on top - surprisingly not - it was Jeff Lewis. I cant imagine anyone going to see British Indie bands and not bumping into Jeff doing support. He is a little subversive, yes I know he seems a roaring socialist who refuses to wear deodorant, but watch this guy and see if at least one track doesn't sneak into your brain, The Ramen Song is a beautifully understated song that will make the most hardened music snob smile.
The Ramen Song

His new album is pretty full of songs like this, and for those of us shell shocked by his comic that told of his romantic woes it has a bitter irony.
http://measureformeasure.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/a-year-in-love-and-music/
I downloaded the new album and already loved many tracks, not for their music finesse but for their honesty and sweetness.
so we trecked out to see him support Au Revoir Simone May 28th at TT The Bears. His brother and pal formed the junkyard and put on a 40 minute set that sped by. Roll Bus Roll was sweet
Roll Bus Roll

and the suicide song - So What?, was a little shocking , and a little catchy.
We finished the night by grabbing a few words, offering support and enthusiasm and more importantly by buying the new CD which we didn't need apart from to become legal.
Sweet!
Au Revoir Simone weren't bad but not enough to keep us there more than half an hour. Sorry Girls.

Crocodiles Middle East Upstairs May 21st 2009

Opening act was Hooray For Earth who we knew we had seen before but couldn't remember until we saw the guitar with the pedal strapped on it. They put on a solid show with decent guitar and bass which I felt showed they had grown and improved since the last time we saw them support Ra Ra Riot.
Crocodiles - what can you say? It was only the two of them so the drums etc were provided in a recording. But for a new band they had the performance down pat. The lights were completely off with the band using two red lights either side of the stage. Both guys wore dark clothes and wore sunglasses.
Did we see the next Milli Vanilli or MGMT. I am not quite sure, but they did leave me shell shocked in a good way.
They are not where they want to go but they are on the right road, watch this band to see what happens.

Momus Middle East Downstairs May 19th 2009

A show out of my normal sphere.
Momus, aka Nick Currie, gave a retrospective of his 30 year career on Tuesday night. With Aki Sasamoto, dressed in the kabuki stagehand costume performing at the same time, the show was a solid two and a half hours, I was tired watching so kudos to Nick and Aki for their performance. Starting from initial demos and even a song from 'The Happy Family' who were an off shoot from Josef K he worked through a 30 song set from his career. using his iphone to provide the music he performed what I presume has to be his favorite songs from his extensive back collection.
A weird mix of intellectual aesthetics, Nick is obsessed with literature, sex, pedophilia, necrophilia, penis's , homosexuality and all forms of sexuality that most people refuse to think about in public never mind discuss.
I did enjoy seeing The complete History of Sexual Jealousy parts 17-34 done live as this was the song that first interested me and made me investigate him when Napster hit. Seeing Bishonen live was also a highlight.
Momus - Hairstyle of the Devil


Momus - Little Apples

Tiring, different but unmissable.

Twilight Sad Translation

The definitive code (except Ye Ken)

Rabbit- And She Would Darken the Memory
Hit Single- That Summer, at Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy
Eyes Oot- I Became a Prostitute (new)
Downstairs- Reflection of the Television (new)
Faster- That Birthday Present (new)
Loud Quiet- Talking With Fireworks/Here, It Never Snowed
Sheep Dug- Cold Days from the Birdhouse
Mooth- Seven Years of Letters (new)
III- I'm Taking the Train Home
Sixteen Guys- Untitlled 28 (previously released on Killed My Parents and Hit the Road)
Ye Ken- ? new song? played on day 3 at MHOW

From the band themselves- http://twitter.com/thetwilightsad

new songs played last night= reflection of the television, that birthday present, seven years of letters, i became a prostitute
7:42 AM Apr 24th from web

sets from New York

Mon 27 Apr – The Twilight Sad @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Setlist

Downstairs

Faster

That Summer, at Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy

Talking With Fireworks/Here, It Never Snowed

Mooth

Eyes Oot

Cold Days From the Birdhouse

And She Would Darken The Memory



Tue 28 Apr – The Twilight Sad @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Setlist

Downstairs
Hit Single = That Summer, at Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy
Eyes Oot
Sixteen guys = Untitled #28
Mooth
Rabbit = And She Would Darken the Memory
Sheep Dug = Cold Days From the Birdhouse
III = I'm Taking the Train Home

Wed 29 Apr – The Twilight Sad @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Setlist

Downstairs
That Summer, at Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy
Eyes Oot
Mooth
Ye Ken
And She Would Darken the Memory
Cold Days From the Birdhouse
I'm Taking the Train Home

I hope that somebody finds this as useful as I do.

The Twilight Sad

I tend to think in black and white when it comes to music.
Travis was just too blah, Fran Healy needed to realize that three guys yelling do not make a mountain and having them thrown out was just juvenile leaving a real foul taste in your mouth.
Noah and the whale, twee yes, Anni Rossi nice not scintillating not annoying, Ferraby lionheart a snoozefest.
Noah? still quiet but somehow they get under my skin and make me relaxed rather than annoyed, sweet very sweet, lots of new songs very nice night.
Noah and The Whale new song (name provided by NATW)

Noah and The Whale new song Our window

Noah & TW doing Girlfriend In A coma

Friday we went out of our way to be there early, most folks thought this was Mogwai show, we knew better. The bad recording from North Carolina does suck but even stinking fetid water is a boon to the person dying of thirst. The recording gives us the first chance to hear the new songs.
James is cleaner shaven, Andy sports a buzzcut and a beard almost unrecognizable and we get Dok joining the crew.
Simply stated the new songs are amazing they really work live, James has a different stage presence now less introverted less prone to running to the back of the stage and refusing to interact with the audience (which actually still created an effect you remembered). I would give anything to know what he murmurs to himself in those spaces where the music resounds and you see his lips move fervently without vocals being added.
To stand there and just let those notes resound and echo within you feeling the frustration and intense emotion emoted is just beyond words.
oh btw disclaimer - I LOVE this band just in case you hadn't guessed.
We stayed for a few mogwai songs but that wasn't why we were there. We did manage to catch a few words with James and Craig.
Saturday we went out to Northampton Pearl St Ballroom to our second chance to see them.
As we heard the songs twice they seemed even better, 'We are on a hiding to nowhere' everybody's wearing black clothes while I'm wearing brown' the simple lyrics I mention don't encompass the joy of hearing these new songs and starting to notice the finer points.
When I see them I am always filled with wonder at the power of the guitar and the finess that Mark shows on the drums creating the noise necessary but having the sense to leave sparseness where it counts.
Then later you talk to them and how do you express the wonder when they are as down to earth and chatty to the Nth degree.
Enough of my lovefest, I havent loaded my photos yet - thanks Pearl St for being cool about me flouting the no camera rule seeing I didn't use flash.
Set lists