What's happened since I've been away.

Colour broke up. I swear, any group of boys under the age of 30 playing music together is always destined for disaster. Or maybe that's just when I start liking them. Still, in the end they released an album called 'Anthology' featuring all of their singles, plus a few other unreleased songs. It's definitely worth having if you haven't already got the singles, but if you have, iTunes may be the answer.

Colour - Tallulah's My Mother's Name

Laura Hocking changed her name to Lola & the Clic, then back to Laura Hocking again. She acquired a couple extra musicians to play with her live. I finally got the chance to see her play. It was delightful, to say the least. She also thought about releasing an EP in September, kept everything quiet for a while, and in November announced that it should be released in January. Well, it's now January, and nothing has been said. I predict May. Laura is a busy woman however, and if you make such wonderful music, you should be allowed extensions. Here's a video to celebrate such talent.

Laura Hocking - Back Down Eddy

Blue Roses released her album in April, and all was well. Not quite as enjoyable as the Emmy release was, but still, definitely worth the buy. Laura Groves is a very talented musician, and I think she's been compared to Kate Bush? I don't know, I don't listen to Kate Bush, but I think that may only be vocal wise. I still can't get over the shitty name, but don't judge a book by its cover, or a musician by its name. That Kevin Rudolf person still managed to have a bit of success didn't he...

Blue Roses - Cover Your Tracks

Emmy the Great played, and played, and played; and I followed. Such a fantastic musician/band, my favourite of 2009. They also released another EP, titled the 'Edward EP,' which was equally as fantastic; they can do no wrong in my eyes. Nothing's been announced for 2010, but here's to hoping they'll play countless more gigs, and perhaps release a bit more music.

Emmy the Great - A Bowl Collecting Blood

2010

Two thousand and ten might perhaps be the year I keep this blog updated. Doubtful. For now though, enjoy this website...

I do love how I redesigned this blog instead of doing my Art essay. I've got my priorities right.

I'm baaack

I've gotten a bit bored so I've decided to take this up again for a bit, mostly for my own entertainment. Anyway, quite a bit has happened with underground UK music since I last posted, we've also had a new year, but I shall try and keep it quite recent. I've decided that's my niche for now, although I may occasionally post music that doesn't come into that category. All right, let's get on with it:

My favourite guitar-fiddling, hip-twisting band Colour released a fanastic new single titled 'Unicorns' on both vinyl and CD recently. I do wish they would get on and release an album, but I can understand if funding doesn't allow them to do so, especially with them being unsigned and all. I have a feeling that is by request though, as I'm sure a label like Big Scary Monsters would've snapped them up by now. The single also includes tracks 'Run Like You're Being Chased' and 'Jewels Like Fairy Lights', both of which are equally full of math-pop goodness. You can download the acoustic version of 'Unicorns' for free over at the Awesome Gnarly Tour website, as well as a track by tour mates Data.Select.Party. Now I haven't heard these tracks as I've currently used up both my emails trying to download the mp3s, and both times my internet connection has failed me, so if anyone could send them my way it'd be much appreciated. Colour are also playing a free instore at Pure Groove Records on April 27th, which should be interesting to see how they transmit their highly technical sound into acoustics (or will it even be in acoustics?). I however, currently have no idea how they'd do it with no acoustic mp3 at present.

When I saw Emmy the Great play at the ICA back in November, I was introduced to the wonderfully talented Laura Groves. Now called Blue Roses, she is set to release her yet to be named debut album on April 27th. Expect lush guitars, with the occasional wonderfully crafted piano parts, complimented by ethereal vocals (still trying to improve on the whole 'describing music' thing). Her new single 'Doubtful Comforts', not so much a prime example of this, sounds more like an intro, can also be downloaded for free at her website; or if you prefer the real stuff, bought on vinyl at Rough Trade. Fortunately, I managed to download that with no problems. She is also playing a free instore (everything is free!) at Pure Groove Records on April 28th (sleepover anyone?), as well as a handful of other dates. Check those out at her MySpace.

Speaking of Emmy the Great, did anyone get her (actually, it's now "their") debut 'First Love' a couple months ago? I thought it was absolutely fantastic. It completely surpassed my expectations, and will most probably have a rightful place on my end of year list. If you haven't gotten it yet, go! And go see them live at one of the shows posted on their MySpace. With the album, they've successfully managed to capture all the sounds the live shows brought to the music, completely remake some of the oldies, and still create brand new songs that do not fail to make a mark upon anyone who is a fan of their (or "her" in this case) older stuff.

I have gotten bit lazy over the past month or so, so I've only just gotten around to checking out the new Laura Hocking song 'Back Down Eddy' she posted quite a while ago. I'll admit, I'm listening to it for the first time right now, but my first impressions: very, very positive. In fact, I love it. This girl never ceases to amaze me. Please, listen to this song. MySpace. Now. She seems to conjure up feelings of sentimentality in me, a bit like Damien Rice does. Come to think of it, she sounds a lot like him (see: 'Swim Thru'), but I could also draw comparisons to Laura Marling, especially with this new song, and Emmy the Great, of course. As always, she's playing in London, so make sure you pop in to see her at one of her gigs, say hello, have tea, etc etc.

Upcoming Releases

I have to make a confession. That long list you see on the right side bar with all the 2008 release dates; well, I probably only check out about half of those. Partly because I can't afford all of them, partly because I lose interest and decide to check out new bands, or I just hear that they're bad. It's terrible, I know. So I am going to try and make a resolution to check out all of the albums I said I was going to, and maybe post a little something of what I think of them and a rating. I can't write reviews.

Ironically, I also want to tell you about some other albums I'm really looking forward to: Jack's Mannequin's "The Glass Passenger," Underoath's "Lost in the Sound of Separation," This Town Needs Guns' "Animals," Emmy the Great's "First Love" and Valencia's "We All Need a Reason to Believe" (not so much this one though.) I hear the Underoath's is absolutely amazing, Valencia's is pretty good, but no word on the others. To celebrate these upcoming albums and my excitement for them, I will post some songs from them:

Jack's Mannequin - The Resolution

Underoath - Desperate Times, Desperate Measures

This Town Needs Guns - Baboon

Emmy the Great - City Song (Album version, I think)

Valencia - Where Did You Go?

See my album release calendar on the right side bar for further information on these releases. Also, new Shiny Toy Guns material should hopefully be released August 11th! I'm so excited, I could explode. Maybe a post on that too.

Acoustic Queens of the Capital

Emmy the Great and Laura Hocking (also known as Laura Sings Liver) are both from London, UK. They have similarities; they're both female and play primarily with acoustic guitars, but both have different styles to their song-writing. Forgive me for lumping these two together, but I thought I would be interesting to do a comparison between the two.

Emma-Lee Moss aka Emmy the Great (see: left) is slightly more attained in the music industry. She is often associated with folk acts such as Laura Marling, has toured with successful acts like Tilly and the Wall and is signed to Drowned in Sound Recordings. She is currently playing at quite a few festivals this summer. She has released a number of singles and an EP available on iTunes. Her debut album 'First Love' is due out this September. I am terrible at describing things, but her songs are slightly more straight-forward with more of a pop edge, but not sickeningly so.

Laura Hocking aka Laura Sings Liver (see: right) as far as I know is not associated with any acts or scenes. She plays in London constantly at many bars. I have yet to see her, but will make sure I eventually do. She has self-released an album and some EPs or singles I think, which you can pretty much download at her different MySpaces, and has mentioned putting an EP out at some point. Her style is slightly more mature and sophisticated, but not in a demeaning way to Emmy.

That's my best attempt at trying to describe and compare them. I think it's best to just leave it up to the music to speak for itself.

Emmy the Great - Easter Parade

Emmy the Great - Two Steps Forward (Live)

Emmy the Great - Long Island (Wave Pictures Cover)

If you enjoyed those, download two free songs at her MySpace and Last.fm.

Laura Hocking - Adieu, Adieu, Little Boy Bleu

Laura Hocking - Greenwich Mean Time (British Summer Time)

Laura Hocking - Strongmen & Acrobats

If you enjoyed those, download more free songs of hers at her one, two, three MySpaces.

My last post ever about I Was A Cub Scout.

Written by Todd on their break-up:

I thought today maybe just maybe, i may write my part, my view, my overall thoughts on the break up of my once slightly popular within certain circles band i was a cub scout.

I have read countless messages, posts, blogs, emails etc.. about it all.

When not one of these people, apart from a said member of the band has any knowledge of what actually caused our split.

lets start kind of near the end.. but il mix it up

William Bowerman is a nice guy, he is good to his friends, his family, his fans and generally and genuinally most of the people he meets. I have alot of respect for him, he is a great drummer and a decent person.

This is not to say that i myself like him in anyway at all anymore.

It was decided that we would call it a day just after a show we had played in london at camden dingwalls. Another show with at least 150 people then last time we played there, another reason as to shit was shit.

i had just got off the phone to my girlfriend and spoken to her about alot of the shit that had been going on. I had explained to her how i did not want to be apart of this project anymore, i felt it had run its course quite badley.

Our managers wanted us to stay in london till the morning for some sort of meeting. I in my usual foul mood asked around everyone and called as many people necassery to make sure this didnt happen. I wanted to go home and sleep on my own floor and drink my own blackcurrent and didnt want have to spend anymore time in camden.

The 'meeting' was on straight after the phone call/ ass kissing in the venue. We were basically told that our good friends at xl did not wish to take us on for our second record, due to many things all explained vaguelly. Il try not to be to vague.

first off we were not making xl much money at all, we were not to the same standards of adele, jack penate or vampire weekend. in fact we thrived on the fact we had nothing in common with most of the bands on that label. but yeah we were not big sellers. we didnt were day glo, we didnt like grime, we were not from london/ urban in anyway, we were not the arctic monkeys, we were not the ting tings and we were not really that interesting.

Our obvious lack of partnership/ friendship never went down well with alot of people. I wrote all the parts for our songs, which William then drummed to as obviously selfish as it sounds. This is how it had always been since day one and how i wished for it to continue. I once said this to William and i believe it was a bit of a burn for him. There was alot of conflict between us even on the smallest of matters but i believed in something and went with it, i still believe in that now.

Towards the end i stopped considering him as a member of this project, as i believe he did to. In my opinion he was absorbed in his own little world where he believed he was god. The king of drums maybe. I think for any fan of our music it was easily distinguishable who was the rock star and who was himself. I could take many more petty digs as he can to.

I tried not to include myself in alot of what being in a band is suposedly meant to entail. I dont enjoy interviews, photo shoots, video shoots and so on. I feel no gratification in talking about myself, seeing photos of myself and watching videos of myself. Where is William was very much the opposite to all of this and would bask in the glory of everything i was a cub scout, it was his dream to do this.

I have always had my own idea of how i would like to set about things, but it was very hard to do it in that environment.

Over the years since we were together we grew more and more apart. At one point we both disagreed strongly towards what was going on in area to do with drugs. It became quite apparent that i know longer shared that belief. but I am not as you may think a heroin addict. This was a problem for William as he felt alot of his friends had gone to shit, but for him to even mention my so called addictions really annoys me. I feel strongly that my problems are my problems and nobody elses.

We also didnt see eye to eye on the main thing. That being the music. in the final 3 months or so as a band William had said to me that since the release of the first pink squares single, he had not been enjoying what the music was all about. This was an instant blow for me, i quickly came to the asumption that in no way where we doing this for the same reasons. William said he wanted to play cute music, i didnt and found that pretty shit.

i love music i listen to lots of it, but i guess our influences were confused alot of the time, even between us both. but we never tried to sound like these bands, we just did haha.

William was very millitant in what he would like. probably the most notable being russian circles. Ive never had anyone that i truelly idolize so i found it kind of odd to see such admiration in one individual.

i found towards the end many people surounding us and us ourselves had become very spineless and pretty twofaced about alot of things. one person would tell another one thing and another person may not even know about it at all.

I was a cub scout helped me meet some of the best people in the world, some of my now nearest and dearest. The years which i spent within that band where easily the best of my life, i dropped out of college and lived like a gypsie which was amazing.

In the end there is alot more that could be said, but in my opinion you shouldnt care.

I hope this brings up some sort of feeling any feeling.

nobody asked for my opinion on it, but this is it. i hope you can understand my side of it, even though it may not be completely clear.

TTNG Post New Song and Announce Album

Oxford's This Town Need Guns have posted a new song called "Chinchilla." This song has come from their just announced debut album 'Animals' due out in October. The new song sounds great, and I'm definitely looking forward to the album's release.

Recently, TTNG's bass player temporarily left to start a family. They have also just announced that a friend by the name of Jamie is filling in for him.

TTNG are playing a number of festival dates as well as touring with Jonquil this year. Head to their MySpace for details.

This Town Needs Guns - 26 Is Dancier Than 4