mp3: The Wrens - She Sells Kisses

The bonus of having the pressure lifted from my shoulders at the end of this week was simply being able to listen to music again. It seemed like weeks where I barely listened to anything never mind got inspired. But as I set about writing my music listings for the paper this week I came across The Wrens - who I admittedly hadn’t heard before - and fell in love with this song.

I did know their name previously, though it kinda inferred to me punky riot grrrl stylings, and how wrong could i be because their all-male lo-fi guitar pop seems to enjoy some really sublime moments. Possibly most famous for managing to take seven years to release a follow-up to 1996’s Secaucus, their most recent album The Meadowlands may well be one of the most sparking, earnest, yet almost-shy pieces of alt-guitar rock I’ve stumbled upon this year. Like Catherine Wheel without the guitar bombast, or the moments of glory Sparklehorse used to come up with.

If I’d heard this song in 1996 I’d have bought the album immediately - as that’s how I was back then. Now I merely download the album and see if it maintains the standard - well to be fair, I do have a lot of CDs that only had one or two great songs and a lot of mediocre - but so far I’m impressed enough to go shopping for it.

For those too lazy to download, ‘She Sends Kisses’ will also stream from piespace.

Plus they’re in Holland next week:

June 30: Vera, Groningen
July 1: Melkweg, Amsterdam
July 2: Metropolis Festival, Rotterdam

mp3: Everybody Come Down (acoustic)

So I mentioned The Delgados and their Complete BBC Peel Sessions a while back. After my initial enthusiasm, I kinda became unsure, what with them already releasing a disc of Peel Sessions in the past. Having heard it, however, I’ve swept all those reservations away because the new compilation is the perfect way to remember the band - like a grand two disc greatest hits package that’s full of life yet refreshingly different from the originals.

‘Everybody Come Down’ is the perfect example. A perfect summer pop song, yet hearing The Delgados stripped down to acoustics was such a rare thing. Usually all strings, horns, flutes and fuzzy guitars, it wasn’t until the very last time I saw them live in Rotterdam that I got a hint of how they could sound when tearing it all back to minimalistic proportions - and even that was only for one song. So this acoustic session track is particularly sweet and innocent and will hopefully make you want to buy the album.

Well it’s been a disastrously quiet month in Stayfun land. Apologies for the lack of updates, but there are two blatant reasons: World Cup and work.

I love the World Cup. It’s my favourite sporting event, and as such, I’ve tried to watch every game, although it hasn’t always been possible due to the work aspects. Ah well.

The bonus of the work aspect is that I finally get to say the new Amsterdam Weekly website is live at last. A few months behind schedule due to complications and the increasing complexity of the specifications, but it finally happened. So now you can download each edition of the Amsterdam Weekly in PDF format (if you aren’t in Amsterdam or are too lazy to go out), and you can also read my weekly Amsterdam gig guide which varies in entertainments points each week - sometimes I get to have fun with it, sometimes I play it straight, depending on how much energy and passion I can muster.

Part of me actually misses the days when I ran a nationwide gig guide cos I like the service aspects of these things, but nah, it was so boring trying to maintain that database.

Yes, I’m thinking it’s time to reintroduce a version of Stayfun Celebrity Death Match. For the opening bout, how about Neko Case vs Sandi Thom?

In case you’re not aware, and let’s hope that you aren’t, Sandi Thom is the latest (fake) internet sensation, and after “webcasting her way to fame” she has found herself number one in the UK charts with that lovely - i mean dire - track ‘I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker’.

It’s not even that I care about what happens in the UK charts, or anywhere else in the world. I’m just prone to being irked by stories of independent success and internet hype, when in reality, any variety of fame is being masterminded by publishing companies and managerial-type people, as always. So as revenge, I’d love to see Neko Case kick Sandi’s ass out of the recording studio and back out of the charts.

Fox Confessor Brings the Flood is one of my favourite albums so far this year, and while I never mentioned it at the time, Neko was particularly wonderful when I saw her in Rotterdam last month. Perhaps a little more shy and restrained than with an English-speaking audience, but every song was musically spot on, not only in terms of her amazing voice, but in regards to some fantastic musicianship from her band too. I’d love to go on about the cymbal playing on ‘Dirty Knife’ particularly, but people already think I’m weird.

I shall conclude my argument with the statement, “Neko rocks! Thom is lame! Download some Neko and marvel in the fantastic rhythms driving ‘John Saw That Number’.”

mp3: Neko Case - John Saw That Number

Since it’s a day for heavy music.

Ages ago I posted about Tool playing in Amsterdam at Heineken Music Hall. For a while there it looked like it might not be happening. Evil Mojo Concerts denied it was going to take place, but I kept my faith and didn’t fly to Scotland to see them. Turns out I was right.

They were just withholding the date because Tool were playing crappy Pinkpop this weekend and they were worried an Amsterdam date would harm festival ticket sales. Bah, I say. They did a similar trick a couple of years ago with Pixies too.

Anyway, the good news is that Tool are playing HMH on June 27, as originally posted here months ago. Even if you have no interest in Tool, find a friend with the new album 10,000 Days and check out what is surely one of the coolest and most elaborate pieces of album artwork ever produced - with built in stereoscopic viewer and high detail 3-D imaging.

Yes, I have a seedy metal past.

The 6th of June, 2006 isn’t the day of the lame new Omen film. No, it’s the unofficial (inter)national day of Slayer. When I first heard about it, I wasn’t so interested. I literally hadn’t listened to Slayer in years. Probably since the last time I saw them live, in 2002 at Donington, I think. But I put some on again the other week, and it’s tremendous fun - especially if you’re into air drumming. Not that I’m particularly into the band. In fact, I think much of what they say is fairly stupid, but they’ve made some classic speed metal, so you can’t deny them that.

So I have two tracks for you…

mp3: Slayer - Jesus Saves

mp3: Aereogramme - Disciple

The first speaks for itself, straight off Slayer’s 20-year-old album Reign in Blood. You’ll either love it or hate it. Seeing as this place is usually indie-friendly, probably hate it.

But the second track is a special treat straight from the Aereogramme vaults. An acoustic Slayer cover recorded especially for today, and it’s beautiful (and dark). Has such a thing ever been written about a Slayer track? Check it out.

And remember, never be (completely) ashamed of your heavy metal past.