I’m betting you’re either a supporter of Blindfold, or you’ve never heard of them. I fall into the latter category, so here’s a quick background: Blindfold are an Icelandic four-piece who create some very interesting atmospheric music.
Sad Face, their single which is released at the end of the month, is the first time I’ve ever heard their music. Things do not start well: the song begins according to the dreary singer/songwriter textbook. A minor-key acoustic guitar and some maudlin lyrics over the top.
As the U2 publicity juggernaut invades every possible pop culture show on the planet, Bono soundbites are becoming unfortunately more frequent. And about as welcome as a dose of gonorrhea.
The latest is what seems to be a back-handed compliment to Coldplay’s Chris Martin. After initially calling him a wanker, Bono went on to praise Martin’s ‘genius’, saying:
Obviously he is a completely dysfunctional character and a cretin but he happens to be a genius melodist and I think up there with Ray Davies and Noel Gallagher and Paul McCartney.
The People’s Music Awards is a unique way for unsigned bands and artists to showcase their music and get some exposure to the industry and to the public.
It’s got all the features we love in a music competition: unsigned artists, public voting and lots of good tunes to discover. Here’s a bit of the blurb to fill you in:
The TPMA’s are the worlds first Global Unsigned Music Awards and online Chart, that recognise serious talent across 9 music categories. The concept is simple, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE, from the voting to the acts – If you like what you hear, vote for it and give recognition to the artists who deserve it. TPMA is supported by numerous music industry figureheads who continually feedback on the artists and scout for future talent, with round two of the competition voted on by 17 Guest Judges, who this year include the legendary Annie Nightingale (Radio One), Eddy Temple-Morris, and Tony Platt (Island Studios).
Some cool music-related links for February 19th from 14:52 to 14:55:
Hello Obama, goodbye good music – interestingly, this article claims that Obama is ushering in an era of mindless music. Not intentionally, of course…
Nine Inch Nails take a haitus – Jane's Addiction were the real deal and in this current climate mostly dominated by poseurs and pussies it was refreshing to hear something that sounded dangerous, volatile, beautiful and SINCERE.
10 Great Punk Drummers – Historically speaking, music journalists haven't been known for pointing out the musicianship in punk rock. For some reason there's always been this stigma that the sound didn't really require all that much talent to perform.
If you were reading my review of Poker Face yesterday, after you’d finished ROFLing at my ‘poke her face’ jokes, you might have noticed this nugget:
If I could fix [Lady GaGa] up with anybody else in the charts right now, Brandon from The Killers has compatibly strange dress sense – could you imagine their combined walk-in wardrobe? Wow.
And whaddaya know, the two of them performed at last night’s Brit Awards honouring pop octogenarians the Pet Shop Boys. Their shared love of wacky stagewear and synthesised keyboard-music brought them together after all.
Now, let’s keep our fingers crossed for a little lycra-clad baby (Lady Flowers?) with feather covered shoulder pads. You read it here first!
Oops. I fell asleep last night and missed the Brit Awards ceremony. If, like me, you missed it and were reading the papers this morning, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the big news of the evening was Katy Perry vomiting backstage. Was she wasted? No, just slightly overworked and under the weather, as she explained:
I’m so sick right now, but they said I should show up because something special might happen. Thank you to everyone at my record label. I work pretty hard because I want to die right now.
The big winners at last night’s Brits were Duffy (mopping up three awards) and Kings Of Leon winning the International Group and Album categories.
Following up her hot debut single, Lady Gaga gives us Poker Face. If the song’s lyrics weren’t so damned smutty, I’d be rolling jokes about ‘poke her face’ right now. But she’s taken all the fun out of mocking the title. Damn you, Gaga!
A bit like Just Dance, this one took a little while to grow on me. The gurgling synth sounds are fast becoming a Lady Gaga trademark along with an addiction to lycra that would make Madonna blush.
Scoring the Comic Relief single this year is a major coup for The Saturdays. Their choice of Depeche Mode’s Just Can’t Get Enough particularly inspired, reminiscent of when Girls Aloud recycled Jump for the Love Actually soundtrack.
The Sun lauded this for being the sexiest video yet for The Saturdays, but as a red-blooded expert on all things sexy, I disagree. It’s about as sexy as Christina Aguilera back in that Lady Marmalade video – i.e. not at all. Gawd, give me Dawn French dressed up as Mel B any day!
Seems Justin Timberlake doesn’t release anything by himself these days, he’s just happy to meander onto any given rap track and sing a few lines. No real hard work to be done, the audience is happy, and everybody goes home satisfied.
Except T.I. – he’s headed for prison in a few weeks, isn’t he?
