It's Friday, I'm in Love

Warning: this blogpost contains high levels of saccharine <3

It's officially spring and despite the constant rain, you can see a sparkle in people's eyes and a smile on a lot of faces. yes it's spring and tis the season to be in looooove.
Musically there are many more heartbreak songs than 'oh my god I'm so happy I'm going to explode' ones, a genre more reserved to autotuned radio pop or bands like Coplday but, even old rockers are allowed to revel in their own happiness as The Cure proved in 1992 with one of their most famous song: Friday I'm in Love



Talking of famous songs, we have the "most-covered-song-on-youtube-but-never-equalled" First Day of My Life from Bright Eyes' 2005 album I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning.
It's sweet, it's a tad naive, very hopeful and altogether brilliantly romantic!
Here's a live version




Obviously, for every occasion, there is a fitting PJ Harvey song. I usually prefer her pissed off but she does a great job at being in lust and in love. "I can't believe life is so complex when I just want to sit here and watch you undress" has got to be in the top 10 lyrics ever. This Is Love was released in 2000 in her most commercially acclaimed album Stories from the city, Stories From The Sea

 

Ok, I'm a bit greedy so here's my other PJ-In-Love favourite track: It's You from her following album Uh Huh Her in 2004.




If indie electronica is more your style, Ben Gibbard's The Postal Service have written a lovely song as B-side to single We Will Become Silhouette. Be Still My heart is all about the hopes of a bourgeoning relationship.




Another man who is consumed by love, is brit singer-songwriter Ed Harcourt on his first album Here Be Monsters in 2001. She Fell Into My Arms is a pretty song that will put a smile on your day.




Last but not least for today, my very favourite: Beth Orton's Central Reservation. 'I can still smell you on my fingers and taste you on my breath' how sexy is that? Very!




I realise there are actually quite a few happy-happy-joy-joy-i-have-a-stupid-smile-on-my-face tracks that are also musically good so give me your favourite falling in love songs and we'll do another post soon.

Enjoy Record Store Day, buy loads of music, be happy and go kiss that attractive stranger

xx

Death Grips wake up an old grumpy music lover

So there I was, lamenting my recent  lack of excitment for new music. Am I becoming too old? Too blase? Too 'yeah seen it before and got the T-Shirt'? All the music I've enjoyed recently has come from old bands most of whom I liked when I was 18 already.
The song I've obsessed about the most in 2012 is 1,5 year old, the SUPERB 'Spain' by Blonde Redhead, band formed in 93 in NYC, on their latest album Penny Sparkle



This song title is especially apt as I've been revisiting my old Spain albums, we're talking about Josh Haden's band now. They too are making a come back and will be playing Les Nuits Botaniques in May (yeah I have my ticket already, you bet!) Once again we're talking about 90s music, as Blue Moods of Spain was released in 1995.



Maybe it is because I have a fondness for slash-your-wrists-music (well I love a good rocking tune too you know) but I've been musically subdued lately and failed to get OHMYGODexcited in a while. That was it, I was just another old fart...

BUT then one day, I noticed a enthusiastic tweet from the taleted BBC reviewer and lovely bloke Mike Diver (@mikediver) he was reviewing a hip hop album by Sacramento-based trio Death Grips. He sounded so excited (and we've often had similar taste in music) that I fell compelled to hit youtube and discover what the hell he was all about. WOOOAW proper hip hop with such intensity, urgency,dissatifaction...and a sound that took a few listens to really digest.
Mike is better with words than me, so I'll let you read is review to get a sense of what that album "money store" is all about.
As for me, it feels like I've been punched in the face, the stomach and the ears and it got my heart pumping. Try it if you dare!



Single 'Guillotine' is quite astonishing and doesn't appear on Money Store, probably slightly easier to digest.



Sometimes, we need to get out of our comfort zone to get a kick in the ass and get going again. A few years ago it was Blakroc and These New Puritans who administrated said kick, today it's Death Grips and I F*cking thank them for that!

One last for the road, got your seatbelt on?  It's Blackjack



Death Grips are on Twitter and they will have a second album out later in 2012 - Money Store is in the shops now

Spain are playing the Cirque Royal on Saturday 12/05 and Josh haden is also on twitter