Music Reviews / Previews
Eurovision 2009: Susanne Georgi, Andorra
Time for another Eurovision 2009 profile, we feel. Settle in, chaps, we're doing this for two full months. This year, of course, the Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Moscow, because last year's Eurovision Song Contest was won by Dima Bilan's Russian song Believe. That song, by the way, is now the third most famous Russian song of all time, after that music from the vodka advert and Free Will Must Be Smashed (Boogietime) by Josef Stalin And The Humpettes. Anyway, today's Eurovision 2009 song is by Susanne Georgi of Andorra...
Time for another Eurovision 2009 profile, we feel. Settle in, chaps, we're doing this for two full months. This year, of course, the Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Moscow, because last year's Eurovision Song Contest was won by Dima Bilan's Russian song Believe. That song, by the way, is now the third most famous Russian song of all time, after that music from the vodka advert and Free Will Must Be Smashed (Boogietime) by Josef Stalin And The Humpettes. Anyway, today's Eurovision 2009 song is by Susanne Georgi of Andorra...
Eurovision 2009: Kejsi Tola, Albania
If any of you thought that the new hecklerspray would be dangerously different or bravely exciting, here's some reassurance - it isn't. And, look, here's the proof. It's our seven-millionth annual look at the Eurovision Song Contest! Between now and May we'll be running down each and every stinking entry in this year's Eurovision. Some will be good. Some will be awful. Some will be written by Andrew Lloyd-Webber and so will automatically come under the subsection 'awful'. But we'll be here with you at every step. So let's start by looking at the 2009 Eurovision entry by Kejsi Tola of Albania...
If any of you thought that the new hecklerspray would be dangerously different or bravely exciting, here's some reassurance - it isn't. And, look, here's the proof. It's our seven-millionth annual look at the Eurovision Song Contest! Between now and May we'll be running down each and every stinking entry in this year's Eurovision. Some will be good. Some will be awful. Some will be written by Andrew Lloyd-Webber and so will automatically come under the subsection 'awful'. But we'll be here with you at every step. So let's start by looking at the 2009 Eurovision entry by Kejsi Tola of Albania...
Song Review: Lily Allen – The Fear
The Fear is the first single from Lily Allen’s second album It’s Not Me, It’s You. Unlike most of the guff out in chart land Lily Allen has made a simple but catchy pop song. The big bold sounds of tracks like Smile and LDN aren’t present on The Fear. There could have been potential problems here with this toned down return to the music world, but it works and will probably divebomb into the number one spot on Sunday.
The Fear is the first single from Lily Allen’s second album It’s Not Me, It’s You. Unlike most of the guff out in chart land Lily Allen has made a simple but catchy pop song. The big bold sounds of tracks like Smile and LDN aren’t present on The Fear. There could have been potential problems here with this toned down return to the music world, but it works and will probably divebomb into the number one spot on Sunday.
Lindsay Lohan Gets Covered In White Powder. For Once
Fur coats are important to Lindsay Lohan - sometimes they're all that stop her prematurely withered cha-chas from the elements. However, some people - some French people to be precise - don't approve of Lindsay Lohan's continued endorsement of animal fur. As such they've felt the need to attack Lindsay Lohan, and attack her with a starchy baking ingredient. too. To put it bluntly, someone threw flour at Lindsay Lohan this weekend, and it made Lindsay Lohan sad. But it also made Lindsay Lohan's boyfriend Samantha Ronson furious. Furious enough to dash to her computer and thrash out an angry dollop of screed about it on her blog. So it must be serious - Sam Ronson only uses her blog for important matters, like politics and private matters and reality TV shows and that time she totally just spent like six hours playing Guitar Hero until her hands were sore. You know, the big stuff.
Fur coats are important to Lindsay Lohan - sometimes they're all that stop her prematurely withered cha-chas from the elements. However, some people - some French people to be precise - don't approve of Lindsay Lohan's continued endorsement of animal fur. As such they've felt the need to attack Lindsay Lohan, and attack her with a starchy baking ingredient. too. To put it bluntly, someone threw flour at Lindsay Lohan this weekend, and it made Lindsay Lohan sad. But it also made Lindsay Lohan's boyfriend Samantha Ronson furious. Furious enough to dash to her computer and thrash out an angry dollop of screed about it on her blog. So it must be serious - Sam Ronson only uses her blog for important matters, like politics and private matters and reality TV shows and that time she totally just spent like six hours playing Guitar Hero until her hands were sore. You know, the big stuff.
Hecklergigs: Shearwater, Bush Hall, 17/09
The Bush Hall, in West London’s Shepherd’s Bush, is an unlikely spot for sensitive beauty, situated as it is on the Uxbridge Road, home to as diverse a collection of sights and smells as you’re likely to find in this patchwork capital. Tonight, however, it is acting as a temporary home to Shearwater, creators of rather learned folk rock that ranges from the poetically ethereal to the scarily loud and fragmented.
The Bush Hall, in West London’s Shepherd’s Bush, is an unlikely spot for sensitive beauty, situated as it is on the Uxbridge Road, home to as diverse a collection of sights and smells as you’re likely to find in this patchwork capital. Tonight, however, it is acting as a temporary home to Shearwater, creators of rather learned folk rock that ranges from the poetically ethereal to the scarily loud and fragmented.
Hecklergigs: Glasvegas, The Scala, 23/ 09
In the space of the last two years, Glasvegas have managed to attract a hype that would make even the marketers of Hollywood blockbusters jealous, drawing all kinds of comparisons for their audibly greasy and powerfully excellent chip shop rock n roll. The most frequent and purposefully headline grabbing of these has to be their ‘new Oasis’ tag, a label that seems fairly at odds with a band initially known for the strength of their Scottish accents, but one that does at least have a little weight. Discovered by Alan McGee? Check. While playing third on the bill at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow? Check. Fronted by brothers? Check. Purveyors of moody, shouty anthems? Check, check and check again. Of course, those kind of easy links are a record label’s dream, and the clamour won by Columbia for the signatures of the band has drummed up a fire and safety-busting capacity (and then some) crowd at the comparably small Scala in King’s Cross.
In the space of the last two years, Glasvegas have managed to attract a hype that would make even the marketers of Hollywood blockbusters jealous, drawing all kinds of comparisons for their audibly greasy and powerfully excellent chip shop rock n roll. The most frequent and purposefully headline grabbing of these has to be their ‘new Oasis’ tag, a label that seems fairly at odds with a band initially known for the strength of their Scottish accents, but one that does at least have a little weight. Discovered by Alan McGee? Check. While playing third on the bill at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow? Check. Fronted by brothers? Check. Purveyors of moody, shouty anthems? Check, check and check again. Of course, those kind of easy links are a record label’s dream, and the clamour won by Columbia for the signatures of the band has drummed up a fire and safety-busting capacity (and then some) crowd at the comparably small Scala in King’s Cross.
Hecklergigs: Big Star, Shepherd’s Bush Empire, 28/ 8
The Cambridge Dictionary (that’s the Online Advanced Learner’s edition for all you fact fans) defines 'cult' as ‘someone or something that has become very popular with a particular group of people’, and it’s hard to find a mention of American band Big Star without this word sneaking in. What we generally take cult to mean is that the thing in question isn’t of much interest to the world in general, but thanks to a devoted bunch of obsessives, those who don’t know accept that it must be kind of cool. Big Star are certainly that, and even if you haven’t heard them directly, you might have come across a cover by artists as varied as The Bangles and Elliott Smith or their song In The Street, used as the theme tune to That ‘70s Show (another cover by fellow 70s rockers Cheap Trick). Even if you’ve missed all of that you’ll know about some of their supporters. Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie recently said “everybody in Primal Scream is a big fan of Big Starâ€, Wilco and Idlewild featured on a 2006 tribute album, and Teenage Fanclub practically are Big Star, but Scottish.
The Cambridge Dictionary (that’s the Online Advanced Learner’s edition for all you fact fans) defines 'cult' as ‘someone or something that has become very popular with a particular group of people’, and it’s hard to find a mention of American band Big Star without this word sneaking in. What we generally take cult to mean is that the thing in question isn’t of much interest to the world in general, but thanks to a devoted bunch of obsessives, those who don’t know accept that it must be kind of cool. Big Star are certainly that, and even if you haven’t heard them directly, you might have come across a cover by artists as varied as The Bangles and Elliott Smith or their song In The Street, used as the theme tune to That ‘70s Show (another cover by fellow 70s rockers Cheap Trick). Even if you’ve missed all of that you’ll know about some of their supporters. Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie recently said “everybody in Primal Scream is a big fan of Big Starâ€, Wilco and Idlewild featured on a 2006 tribute album, and Teenage Fanclub practically are Big Star, but Scottish.
Song Review: Keane – Spiralling
“Song review? Don’t you mean CD review, morons?†For once we decided not to leave ourselves open for getting something wrong and remembered that you can’t physically get hold of this new tune from the UK’s worst drug-taking band, Keane. Unless you’re one of those posh industry types, this song is unavailable to buy on CD, vinyl or even from one of those fancy digital downloading services. Though we assume it’s on file sharing sites alongside the mis-titled new Elvis and Frank Sinatra album. Usually we don’t bother telling you how awesome or shoddy a single is, but seeing as it’s free release that didn’t get that much publicity compared to other free downloads, offered by the likes of Radiohead and Sigur Ros, we thought we’d make you aware. Spiralling is taken from Keane's yet to be released (but probably available illegally on the internet) third album Perfect Symmetry.
“Song review? Don’t you mean CD review, morons?†For once we decided not to leave ourselves open for getting something wrong and remembered that you can’t physically get hold of this new tune from the UK’s worst drug-taking band, Keane. Unless you’re one of those posh industry types, this song is unavailable to buy on CD, vinyl or even from one of those fancy digital downloading services. Though we assume it’s on file sharing sites alongside the mis-titled new Elvis and Frank Sinatra album. Usually we don’t bother telling you how awesome or shoddy a single is, but seeing as it’s free release that didn’t get that much publicity compared to other free downloads, offered by the likes of Radiohead and Sigur Ros, we thought we’d make you aware. Spiralling is taken from Keane's yet to be released (but probably available illegally on the internet) third album Perfect Symmetry.
