Wednesday 30 November 2011

The End of Google Friend Connect

Just to give you a heads up, as of March 2012, Google Friend Connect will no longer exist for non blogger users, so if you aren't following NotAnotherRainySunday via Blogger and still want to recieve updates about new posts, then you might want to follow via Blog Lovin',the facebook page, or twitter. At the moment I'm still a bit unclear about it all, but when I have more details I'll be sure to let you all know.

Monday 28 November 2011

December Sessions


Throughout December be sure to catch some live music at the O2.  Potentially playing to an audience of thousands, up and coming bands have the chance to play at one of the world's biggest venues in a 'once in a lifetime' gig. Already confirmed are Tree Top Flyers (winners of this year's Glastonbury Emerging Talent competition), and former Hoosiers' frontman, Irwin Sparkes' new band, The Sea and I; and with 100 acts playing over 20 nights (December 3rd -22nd), there's sure to be something that takes your fancy. And best of all, it's free!

For more information, visit their website

Friday 25 November 2011

Stornoway - La Blogothèque


Back in October, whilst in Paris for the Pitchfork Festival, Stornoway performed new song, 'When You Touch Down From Outer Space', for La Blogothèque as part of their 'Concerts A Emporter' series. With Adam Briggs on the trumpet, it provides the perfect mix of chirpy melancholia (never did I think those two words would go in the same sentence!) for a cold autumnal evening.

Read my interview with Rob Steadman (drummer of Stornoway) here

Thursday 24 November 2011

Tuesday 22 November 2011

Fleet Foxes: The Shrine/An Argument Video



Directed by lead singer, Robin Pecknold's brother, Sean Pecknold, the wonderful new video for The Shrine/An Argument has just surfaced. Although slightly unsettling, the eight minute animation is beautifully crafted and fits with the serene music perfectly. 


Saturday 19 November 2011

Review: Mylo Xyloto - Coldplay


Release date: 24th October 2011
Best song: Paradise
Rating: 6/10

Described by Chris Martin as an album about 'love, addiction, OCD, escape and working for someone you don't like' Mylo Xyloto is a progression from their previous albums - a step forward perhaps as Coldplay work to compete with some of the biggest pop acts of today; and produced by Brian Eno, it's obvious he's had a huge influence on the album's sound. With stifling synths and heavy beats, the buzzing electronica of Mylo Xyloto dramatically contrasts with their earlier work. The gentle piano hooks of their second album,  'A Rush Of Blood To The Head' seem a million miles away from 'Princess of China', featuring none other than the princess of pop herself, Rihanna.On first listening, I thought my speakers had broken, but no it turns out the song's tinny, slightly fuzzy sound is all part of the effect, and I was rather disappointed that there wasn't much more to the song than a lot of 'oohing' - a typical Coldplay lyric.

     The distortion on Martin's voice in 'Hurts Like Heaven' ruins what is otherwise an upbeat catchy tune, and despite it's 'poppish' roots, is still distinctly Coldplay.However, where they truly redeem themselves is on Paradise. Yes, it's pop and yes, it's synthesised, but for once, nothing detracts attention from the emotion conveyed by Chris Martin. With a minute long introduction rich with strings, Paradise's power stands alone from the rest of the album, and is truly glittering.

       Despite the success of Paradise, as a band that is officially 'The Best Act In The World Today' I expected more of Coldplay's fifth studio album. The songs disappear into a sea of heavy synths, and the lyrics are underwhelming. Regardless of the critical acclaim the band has had for its previous albums, Mylo Xyloto is dull, and wasn't the 'stripped back' album that Chris Martin promised. The tracks lack depth and overall were disappointing considering the hype over the release of Mylo Xyloto.

Monday 14 November 2011

La Blogothèque


French music blog, La Blogothèque, started in September 2003, has become a haven of new music. Describing themselves as 'bloggers who wanted to write about music but do it differently', the people behind the blog are constantly on the hunt to find breakthrough artists from the underground music scenes, and their hugely successful series 'Concerts à Emporter' (Takeaway Shows) , has featured sessions with bands like Local Natives, Wavves, and Sigúr Ros to name but a few. Even if you can’t read French, La Blogothèque is a great way to discover new bands – just visit their youtube channel




Thursday 10 November 2011

The Travelling Band at Borderline



Famous for its music scene, Manchester didn't disappoint when offspring The Travelling Band visited the Big Smoke last Thursday; and despite it being a miserable rainy evening outside, Londoners weren't deterred from filling The Boderline in Soho. In fact, the rich warmth radiated from the set was enough to warm anyone on the cold November night.

     Adam Gorman's gentle voice on opening song 'Screaming is Something' set the tone for the evening, and in true folk-rock style the background harmonies provided a perfect accompaniment to the melancholic melody and sincere lyrics. With a rendition of Blind Lemon Jefferson's 'One Dime Blues', the five-piece managed to cast enraptured silence over the audience from the first line that Jo Dudderidge uttered, and when he sang completely unaccompanied, you could have heard a pin drop in the venue. Constrasting with many of their other songs, the stripped back quality of 'One Dime Blues' was refreshing and even though it wasn't a Travelling Band original, the song was so uniquely arranged you wouldn't be mistaken in thinking that they'd written it themselves.

  'Battlescars' easy breezy country pop was uplifting, and despite it being nearly Winter, the summery twang of the guitar brought back memories of the months just passed. With drummer, Nick Vaal, on the maracas and such an upbeat tempo it was a definite crowd-pleaser and much to my amusement I noticed two women link arms and dance around in a circle. The true highlight of the evening however, came in the form of 'Sundial', their latest single, and perhaps one of their most upbeat numbers as well. With a strong drum beat and catchy lyrics it was hard not to sing along, and Dudderidge picked up on this, dividing the audience into singing two part harmonies. The most successful of gigs always involve audience interaction, and it was no surprise that despite a few grumbles from the 'uncofident females' as Dudderidge described them, the crowd  didn't hesitate in joining in.

    Playing at such an intimate venue like Borderline, The Travelling Band's raw energy shone through in a way that is often lost on a larger stage, however as their fan base steadily grows it'll be interesting to see how they cope playing at far larger venues, though knowing them, the sound will only be bigger and better.


The Travelling Band continue on their tour of the UK, so check http://thetravellingband.co.uk for more details. Their album 'Screaming Is Something' is out now.

Sunday 6 November 2011

Update

Just a quick post to let you know that NotAnotherRainySunday is now on facebook, so 'like' the page, and spread the word! A review of The Travelling Band at Borderline should be up in the next few days, but in the meantime I leave you with a couple of songs to enjoy.

 Knight Of Wands - Au Revoir Simone


Spanish Dance Troupe - Gorky's Zygotic Mynci


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