The Magic Pack.

PATRICK WOLF

Accident and Emergency
The Magic Position

Jim Noir longed to be in the (major) key of C, and seemed to be pretty pleased when he reached his goal. Joining the ranks of the diatonic and sounding just as delighted to be doing so is the reinvigorated Patrick Wolf who will proclaim "I’m singing in the major key" on his new album's title track The Magic Position. We can only assume that said position is standing at the forefront of a miniature symphony awash with soaring strings and Bobby's Girl harmonies. Alongside this ridiculously marvellous concoction is the goodtime 80's electro-pop of Accident and Emergency. His trademark vocal swagger is placed atop fanfares, synths, an addictive chorus and anthemic lyrics ("if you never lose, how you gonna know when you've won?") in an entirely faultless three minutes.

Accident and Emergency video
Bluebells - video of another new song, live from his flat. The first in a series of 6 Wolf vidcasts by iCast.

Search for free Patrick Wolf stuff at eMusic!

The Subsistence Farmers

LOS CAMPESINOS


Los Campesinos' flagship tune 'It Started With a Mixx' (apparantly their re-imagining of a Hot Chocolate "classic") opens with the lyric "trying to find the perfect match between pretentious and pop...". And although they may claim that this refers to the art of compiling an impressive ode in the form of a mixtape, it also seems to act as their manifesto as to how to form the perfect pop songs. And slipping in a mention of the "perfect match" to give it a double meaning is a pretty clever move, too!

Another ditty that complies with these harsh restrictions is 'You! Me! Dancing!'. It's as exciting and positive as its title implies (and as caesuric, with a minute-long, almost post-rock intro and sprawling end section) and is the bubbling biological ignition that would result from an experimentational merging of 'It'5' and 'A Certain Romance'. This is a band who have successfully found their desired match and are now destined for the dancefloor.

You! Me! Dancing!

Their myspace, where you can download another couple of greats.

William Shakespeare Presents...

TITUS ANDRONICUS


Titus Andronicus

According to their myspace, it has been remarked upon that this band sounds like "Guided by Voices mixed with Andrew WK". You're curious to hear that combination, right? You need party music, but with some sophistication and credibility? You need to listen to Titus Andronicus!

In their self-titled tune, they have given us the most life-affirmingly aggresive knees-up anthem this world has ever seen. It could easily be the product of a cocaine-fuelled songwriting session between The Arcade Fire and The Libertines, no matter how unlikely such an occurance and unimaginable its result would be. If Hollywood had guts, Titus Andronicus' theme tune is what would've soundtracked Titanic as Jack let go of the iceberg, and every audience member of every screening would've shat themselves. It's a tale of being told to give up, but the snarling passion of this performance suggests that Titus Andronicus won't be taking advice from anybody anytime soon. Phew!

"...the most exciting song of 2006 from the best band of 2007..." - Hi-Fi Popcorn


Their myspace, featuring the awesome Albert Camus and the fuzzy, hymnal, Neutral Milk Hotel-esque Every Time I See The Light.

A Gift of the Sea.

JEREMY WARMSLEY LIVE IN WHELANS - 08.10.06


What's in a name? Musicians often have their destined style of songwriting printed on their birth certificates decades before they poignantally strum their guitar or boot up their laptops. Thus, we are presented with the glorious subtleties of the music of James "blunt" Blunt (or not) and the juxtapositionally lovely scorching heat of Jeremy Warmsley's fiery furnace of ideas. Tonight, against a backdrop of the year's most horrible day, not even the open fire of Whelans' front bar can provide a sufficient tog value. But in the venue, Warmsley takes to the stage to promote his debut LP The Art of Fiction and what results is a hug for every punter and a tune for every thought.

On record, the majority of his songs are lush and multi-layered, but tonight he appears armed only with a battered guitar and the most capable and enchanting voice indie music has heard in a long time. Performing the duties of a dozen choirs, it soars over epics such as 5 Verses and I Believe In The Way You Move with the audience in a state of intent awe. It's when we're listening to songs like the ferocious Dirty Blue Jeans and marching warbeat of I Promise that we realise that what we are hearing is a ragged and catchy manifestation of thermal energy.

5 Verses

Watch a selection of his amazing videos.
Dirty Blue Jeans live and acoustic from his kitchen.
His myspace
Buy The Art of Fiction LP.