Peanut’s Playground: What The Hell Is Going On – What’s Up With Dutch Music

May 18, 2011

Peanut’s Playground is my bi-weekly verbal diarrhea. Every other Wednesday I plan to ramble about stuff I like (in my typically screwed up version of English) and hope you will like too. And in case you don’t… mweh.

The general consensus about Dutch music is that it sucks. Ok maybe not the general consensus, since there are a lot of people who don’t give a crap about Dutch music in general!

Whatever the public might thin,k my own opinion on Dutch music is well known. With the exception of a few great artists (most of which don’t record anymore) the majority of the tunes from the Nether regions sucks balls. I’ve always looked somewhat envious to our Belgian neighbors. The complete opposite of what is going in Holland is what’s normal over there. They have more great artists than sucky ones. At least it certainly seems that way.

Even though I think Dutch music sucks I’m still going to yabber a bit about it in this article. The reason for this is that somehow a bunch of very good artists have surfaced these past months, four of which I would like to introduce to you. All of them have ‘break-out’ potential and are definitely worthy of your attention.

First up are Amsterdam-based alternative rock band Alamo Race Track

I’ve written about them before, when they made my year-end list (top 5) with their second album Black Cat John Brown. They’ve just released their third long player called Unicorn Loves Deer on Excelsior Recordings, and although it’s completely different from their previous work, it’s an absolute winner! The melodies and instrumentation are both original and haunting. They might take some time to sink in, but when they do, they’re hard to get out of your head.

Alamo Race Track – Shake The Leaves

You can download their album here

Next up: Dazzled Kid

Dazzled Kid is the solo project of Voicst (alumnus of my 2009′ year-end list) singer Tjeerd Bomhof. Where his main band Voicst make fast paced rocking guitar pop, Tjeerd choose to tone it down a bit for this project, giving it a relaxed but still poppy singer-songwriter feel. Yes No Maybe is the lead-off single of his 2011′ debut album Fire Needs Air.

Dazzled Kid – Yes No Maybe

You can download the album here

Number three: De Staat

How does one describe a band that is totally indescribable? Because that’s exactly what the Nijmegen outfit De Staat are, utterly and completely unique and thus indescribable (to me at least). They call themselves ‘Musical Chameleons’ which sounds about right to me. You can stick any of a hundred genre labels on them and be right. There’s really only option left, and that’s to check out their second album Machinery asap.

De Staat – I’ll Never Marry You

You can download their album here

Last, but certainly not least. Dutch beauty Marike Jager

I’ve been in love with Marike Jager’s music ever since first seeing her play live back in 2007 (which feels like ages ago). Her somewhat quirky stage presence combined with a great voice and fine songwriting captured my interest from the start. Since then I’ve seen Marike progress into an artist Holland has not seen many of over the years. With each album and each performance she fine tuned here craft, resulting in her finest effort yet, this year’s Here Comes The Night. You really really should give that album some well deserved attention!

Marike Jager – Break The Law

You can download her album here

See you in two weeks!

- Martin

Link up with me here:

Peanut’s Playground: Live At The Budokan

May 4, 2011

By Martin

In typical Peanut-style I’ve messed up my timeschedule and made (work related) appointments for about every single day in April and May. And what that means is….a quicky for today’s post and it’s about:

The Nippon Budokan

[Info stolen from wikipedia] The Nippon Budokan a.k.a. as The Budokan is an arena in the middle of Tokyo, Japan. I have no clue whatsoever what goes inside this arena besides the fact that a shitload of great live performances have been recorded there.

I’ve collected a few clips of the most memorable of those performances for your enjoyment. (Translation: these were the best ones I could find on Youtube while writing this article at the office) Yeah I’m a lazy basterd. Sue me.

You might have to turn up the volume a bit for some of these videos…

Cheap Trick – I Want You To Want Me (1978)

Skid Row – Monkey Business (1992)

Ozzy Osbourne – Paranoid (2002)

Rainbow – Stranded (1984)

Muse – Plug In Baby (2010)

The Doobie Brothers – Listen To The Music (1993)

Oasis – Live Forever (1998)

The Beatles – NoWhere Man (1966)

See you in two weeks!

- Martin

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Peanut’s Playground: Forgotten Classics – 13. Mental Floss For The Globe by Urban Dance Squad

April 20, 2011

By Martin

Number 13 in my series of Forgotten Classics:

Mental Floss For The Globe by Urban Dance Squad (1989)

Hi guys. Sorry that I missed my slot two weeks ago. Life suddenly caught up with me and well, that’s just how things go sometimes. But rest assured, I’m making it up with a whopper of a classic today! One that you’ve probably never heard of before but hey, what else is new.

Forget about mainstream acts like Red Hot Chili Peppers or Rage Against The Machine. Urban Dance Squad were the true original crossover pioneers. The Utrecht (in the Netherlands) based group combined rock (guitars) with rap (vocals) and old-skool (scratching) and turned it into something completely new.

They actually had some moderate success too. Not over here in the Nether Regions, but in the States. Deeper Shade Of Soul from their debut album actually made it all the way to #57 in the Billboard Hot 100. Which to Dutch standards is really really fucking succesful.

Anyway, this band doesn’t do their thang no more (whatever the hell that means), so digging into their back catalogue is all that’s left now. And there’s no better place to start than here. Because if you don’t like this album, there is seriously something wrong with your hearing.

Download Mental Floss For The Globe here

1. Fast Lane

2. No Kid

3. Deeper Shade of Soul

4. Prayer For My Demo

5. Big Apple

6. Piece Of Rock

7. Brainstorm On The U.D.S.

8. The Devil

9. Famous When You’re Dead

10. Mental Floss For The Globe

11. Hitchhike H.D.

12. God Blasts The Queen

See you in two weeks!

- Martin

Link up with me here:

Peanut’s Playground: Forgotten Classics – 12. Neon Golden by The Notwist

March 9, 2011

By Martin

Number 12 in my series of Forgotten Classics:

Neon Golden by The Notwist (2002)

It was way back in 2002 that Neon Golden by the Germans of The Notwist was named Album Of The Year by the good people of the Dutch (aren’t I the multinational blogger) music magazine OOR. At the time I had no clue whatsoever what this album was all about and why in god’s name it should be crowned ‘King Of 2002′. After all, wasn’t this the same year that also saw the release of instant classics like (amongst others) Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Interpol’s Turn On The Bright Lights, The White Stripes’ White Blood Cells and Cody ChesnuTT’s The Headphone Masterpiece?

Being fashionably late it took me more than two years to finally discover why so many people liked this album. Because it’s fucking awesome, that’s why! Look here, even the acid pissing wankers of Pissfork listed it in their top 10:

Realizing that The Notwist started out as a (mediocre) post-hardcore outfit makes the musical journey that Neon Golden takes you on all the more amazing. Nothing on the band’s previous four full length releases could’ve hinted at the greatness they would achieve with their fifth album. The fluency in the fusion of (subtle) electronics and guitar-driven pop music is impressive to say the least. The closest comparison I can think of is what Radiohead achieved on Kid A, but with a lot less experimentation.

The focus on the songs make the album a lot more lovable at first listen than its experimental counterparts, and somehow without becoming boring after repeated listens. Even after almost 10 years. Hell, Consequence is still one the best songs of the 00s!

So if you happened to have missed out the first time around (like I did), make up for it now. Check out the sample songs and spend your cash on a great album. You will not regret it.

Download Neon Golden here

1. One Step Inside Doesn’t Mean You Understand

2. Pilot

3. Pick Up The Phone

4. Trashing Days

5. This Room

6. Solitaire

7. One With The Freaks

8. Neon Golden

9. Off The Rails

10. Consequence

11. Scoop

12. Propeller 9

13. Formiga

See you in two weeks!

- Martin

Link up with me here:

Peanut’s Playground: Forgotten Classics – 11. Sugar – File Under Easy Listening

February 18, 2011

By Martin

Photography by LittleFlair…

Hüsker Dü means nothing to me. Bob Mould means nothing to me either. That is to say, the music that the Dü and the Mould made/make isn’t really the music that I like the Bob to make. The music I love is this:

Sugar – File Under Easy Listening (1994)

1994 was a great year in music, and File Under Easy Listening (or F.U.E.L.) was one of its highlights.

Roaring guitars. Loud guitars. But also, beautiful melodies. A combination I’ve gotten to love, and few albums have gotten it better than F.U.E.L. Bob Mould’s voice has never been angelic or smooth or anything like that, but who knew how well it would fit melodic songs instead of just raging rockers. His gritty vocals over the infectious grooves and chords are exactly what keep this album interesting.

Every song is memorable. Memorable in such a way that even after listening to it only once it will have you singing along full force! The song structures are, without exception, simple and easy to grasp. But simple does not equal dull. It’s never dull! Better still, it keeps on surprising you, more than 16 years after its release.

All the traits of a timeless classic if I’ve ever heard one.

DOWNLOAD FILE UNDER EASY LISTENING HERE

1. Gift

2. Company Book

3. Your Favorite Thing

4. What You Want It To Be

5. Gee Angel

6. Panama City Motel

7. Can’t Help You Anymore

8. Granny Cool

9. Believe What You’re Saying

10. Explode And Make Up

Don’t forget to check out my other articles, in case you’ve missed them (which would be an absolute shame, because they’re great and shit).

Tudels,

Peanut

Link up with me here:

Peanut’s Playground: Forgotten Classics – 10. The Dears – Gang Of Losers

February 9, 2011

By Martin

Photography by shinelikestars00…

I was going to write about The Dears’ new album Degeneration Street but I opted to do a forgotten classic post instead. This is number 10 in my ongoing series honoring wonderful and often underrated albums:

The Dears – Gang Of Losers (2006)

The reason I’m not writing about the new album is because I really need to listen to it some more before judging. I already know it’s good but I still have to decide how good it really is. For Gang Of Losers I already made up my mind back in 2006.

Of all albums released in the noughties only two have made my all-time top 20 list, and this is one of those two. And in contrast with how many of my favorite music has captured my attention, this time it was the lyrics that pulled me in.

Frontman Murray Lightburn sings about being homeless. Being discriminated. Being deemed a loser. But also about optimism. About the things that are good in the world. And what makes his stories all the more impressive, is the fact that he’s live through it all. He’s actually been there, living on the streets, getting shit dumped upon him. And somehow, someway, this man has managed to make a series of fantastic albums of which Gang Of Losers is (imo) by far the most impressive.

Every song here is memorable. Instantly. And while most of the time this is a bad sign; this time it’s not. I’ve revisited this album at average at least twice a month since its release. And even now, almost five years later songs like Death or Life We Want You and There Goes My Outfit still give me goosebumps, and this is the main sign of a classic if you ask me.

DOWNLOAD GANG OF LOSERS HERE

1. Sinthtro

2. Ticket to Immortality

3. Death or Life We Want You

4. Hate, Then Love

5. There Goes My Outfit

6. Bandwagoneers

7. Fear Made The World Go ‘Round

8. Gang of Losers

9. Whites Only Party

10. Ballad of Humankindness

11. I Fell Deep

12. Find Our Way To Freedom

Don’t forget to check out my other articles, in case you’ve missed them (which would be an absolute shame, because they’re great and shit).

Tudels,

Peanut

Link up with me here:

Peanut’s Playground: Sweep, Swoop, Swept And Mondo Amore By Nicole Atkins

February 2, 2011

By Martin

Photography by SimonSawSunlight…

If there’s one lady in music who has swept me of my feet it’s this one!

Nicole Atkins – Mondo Amore

Besides the fact that Nicole Atkins is one great chica (check out her twitter if you don’t believe me) she also makes some bloody fantastic music as well!

Her 2007′ album Neptune City is among the very few albums from my year-end-list of that year that I actually still listen to. Listen to a lot actually. The combination of grand orchestration, lush arrangements and huge but lovely vocals has proven to be seriously addictive. That she’s able to add really memorable melodies to that mix makes her even easier to love.

Where Neptune City was like the pop-music version of a Vaudeville show, Mondo Amore is Nicole dragging the whole shebang over to the Jersey shores and kicking the crap out of the can-can dancers! Sure there’s her trademark swooping ballads to be found here (Hotel Plaster, Heavy Boots amongst others) but the majority of this album kicks ass and promisses to be just as addictive as her earlier work.

Go check her out if you haven’t done so before, you know you want to!

Download Mondo Amore here

1. Vultures

2. Cry Cry Cry

3. Hotel Plaster

4. You Come To Me

5. My Baby Don’t Lie

6. This Is For Love

7. You Were The Devil

8. War Is Hell

9. Heavy Boots

10. The Tower

Don’t forget to check out my other articles, in case you’ve missed them (which would be an absolute shame, because they’re great and shit).

Tudels,

Peanut

Link up with me here:

Peanut’s Playground: Gimme Some By Peter Björn And John, Something To Love That Is!

January 29, 2011

By Martin

Photography by complejo…

Everyone that has read more than one of my articles over the past 5 years will already know that this Swedish three-man-band has been one of my faves ever since discovering them.

So there should be no surprise to learn that I was extremely excited about their new album:

Peter Björn And John – Gimme Some

If you happen to be unfamiliar with Peter Björn And John’s music (which wouldn’t be that surprising), then I suggest you hop over to their website asap to get some free sample mp3s and videos: PBJ.com and then return here to read on a bit.

Go on.

I’ll wait.

*dumdidumdidumdidum*

Oh hello! Welcome back!

I can only imagine that you’re just as amazed as I was when first hearing their music. If you aren’t, well frankly I think there’s something seriously wrong with you and you should stop reading this and every other future article I write.

Gimme Some is the band’s 6th album (5th proper one) since their start in 1999. Their first glimpse of fame came when their track Young Folks (the whistling song) from 2006′ Writer’s Block was picked up by a massive amount of websites and radiostations. To date they have yet to deliver a bad piece of music, although I will admit that their 2008′ instrumental release Seaside Rock was sub-par to say the least.

After the bit more adventurous Living Thing from 2009 for Gimme Some the band have returned to what their good great at. Making energetic guitar driven pop/rock with hooks that are all over the place. The album is filled with potential singles, the best one of which has just been released as just that. Second Chance is one of the best songs you’ll hear this year, trust me on that one, and the rest of the bunch ain’t too shabby either. Enjoy!

Visit the band’s website to stay updated

1. Tomorrow Has To Wait

2. Dig A Little Deeper

3. Second Chance

4. Eyes

5. Breaker Breaker

6. May Seem Macabre

7. (Don’t Let Them) Cool Off

8. Black Book

9. Down Like Me

10. Lies

11. I Know You Don’t Love Me

Don’t forget to check out my other articles, in case you’ve missed them (which would be an absolute shame, because they’re great and shit).

Tudels,

Peanut

Link up with me here:

Peanut’s Playground: Forgotten Classics – 9. Kyuss – Welcome To Sky Valley

January 26, 2011

By Martin

Photography by VexingART…

Everybody and his brother’s dog knows Queens Of The Stone Age. Well fuck Queens Of The Stone Age! There’s only band that Josh Homme should be known for and that’s:

Kyuss – Welcome To Sky Valley (1994)

There isn’t a band in history that has earned weirder tags than Kyuss. ‘Stoner rock’. Ehh what? Stones that rock? Sure. ‘Desert rock’. Last time I checked the desert it was quiet as fuck, so this makes no sense whatsoever. Oh wait, they had jam sessions in the desert you say? Well I sing in the toilet, so maybe that explains why I make shitty music…

1992′ Blues For The Red Sun might have gained the ‘classic’ label but this here Welcome To Sky Valley is truly the real deal when it comes to Kyuss. It hasn’t got anything close to something that could be considered a single candidate (although Demon Cleaner has appeared in the latest Guitar Hero game) but when it comes to fulfilling the potential that Kyuss had you need not look any further.

Sky Valley is split up in three ‘suits’, otherwise known as three Roman numerals on the back cover of the album. Seriously, there ain’t nothing more to it than that. And be glad for that! Most albums that work with ‘suits’ turn out to be pretentious and unlistenable pieces of crap, and this is not.

The sound is all over the place but at the same time it’s 100% Kyuss and unique in that way. Thrashing, laidback, psychedelic, rocking and thunderous. This has got it all. And all of this accompanied by the Southern wail of John Garcia and Josh Homme’s guitar played through a bass amp.

Welcome To Sky Valley is a unique and amazing album by a band that would’ve been completely relevant had they still existed today. In case you overlooked Kyuss back in the early 90′s, here’s your chance to redeem yourselves.

DOWNLOAD WELCOME TO SKY VALLEY HERE

1. Gardenia

2. Asteroid

3. Supa Scoopa and Mighty Scoop

4. 100 Degrees

5. Space Cadet

6. Demon Cleaner

III

7. Odyssey

8. Conan Troutman

9. N.O.

10. Whitewater

Don’t forget to check out my other articles, in case you’ve missed them (which would be an absolute shame, because they’re great and shit).

Tudels,

Peanut

Link up with me here:

Peanut’s Playground: How Something New That Seemed To Be Shite Turned Out To Be Quite Good And Mine Is Yours By Cold War Kids

January 23, 2011

By Martin

Photography by iNeedChemicalX…

Now this is a release that I have been waiting for like fucking forever! Well actually the wait’s only been a little less than 3 years but it sure felt like forever to me, but finally FINALLY it’s here:

Cold War Kids – Mine Is Yours

And fuck what a disappointment this album was at first listen!

Wanna know why? Lemme tell you why.

I saw Cold War Kids play live at the Amsterdam Paradiso somewhere in 2006, and they were the most intense act I had ever witnessed on stage. These guys were nothing less than possessed! The drummer was pounding away. The singer ripped his lungs out and the guitars seared with emotion drenched in blood, sweat and tears. They were in one word, amazing!

This is the kind of amazing that I’m talking about:

Imagine my surprise when the first song from Mine Is Yours that actually draw my attention was this one:

Finally Begin

WTF??!! This can’t be the same band!

Don’t get me wrong here; I like this song. I actually like it a lot, but it sounds like something that George Michael could’ve released. And the sound of Ol’ Georgiakis Michaelopopopopoplis isn’t exactly what I had expected from these here guys.

Anyway the initial surprise eventually turned into utter disappointment. Disappointment made me stop listening to the album. Even more so, disappointment actually made me afraid to listen to the album any further. I was actually afraid of the fact that I might start to like this new direction that Cold War Kids had gone into.

In the end it was the sheer quality of Finally Begin managed to steer me to the dark light side and I decided to push on, and what I found surprised me.

Sure there were more songs in the same vein as Finally Begin (read: darn right cathcy/poppy) but not as much as one might expect. Four songs turned out to be ‘new style’. The other 7 could’ve fit in snugly with the band’s previous releases. Intense songs, firmly rooted in blue-collar American rock traditions. And I like ‘em!

All in all this turned out to be a wild ride for a devoted fan like me, but with a happy ending after all. I see this album spinning in my iTunes for quite some time to come. Go check it out!

Download Mine Is Yours Here

1. Mine Is Yours

2. Louder Than Ever

3. Royal Blue

4. Finally Begin

5. Out Of The Wilderness

6. Skip The Charades

7. Sensitive Kid

8. Bulldozer

9. Broken Open

10. Cold Toes On The Cold Floor

11. Flying Upside Down

Don’t forget to check out my other articles, in case you’ve missed them (which would be an absolute shame, because they’re great and shit).

Tudels,

Peanut

Link up with me here:

Peanut’s Playground: Got No Time For Nothing, So Here’s Some Random Stuff

January 19, 2011

By Martin

Photography by RawCore…

Last night I had an unexpected dinner date which has left me kind of strapped for time. I certainly don’t have enough time to make a decent post (as if I’m able to do such thing at all) this Wednesday. So what’s a man to do? Well I do what I see people like Tsuru do when they haven’t got time to write: I whip up an article full of random youtubes found with the magical tool that is Google!

I know I said ‘random’, but in all honesty I do have some sort of theme to this article: POP!

If the word ‘pop’ is enough for you to look further without watching the vids, I do strongly encourage you to pay attention anyway. ‘Cause there ain’t nuttin’ wrong with pop. As long as it’s quality pop, and I do believe I have found a selection of just that for you. If you still don’t like pop after playing these songs, then there is something seriously wrong with you. Enjoy!

More about: Acid House Kings

More about: Alphabeat

More about: The Bird and the Bee

More about: Donkeyboy

More about: Duran Duran

More about: Ginger Ninja

More about: Goldfrapp

More about: Hall & Oates

More about: Jamiroquai

More about: Leigh Nash

More about: N*E*R*D

More about: Roisin Murphy

Don’t forget to check out my other articles, in case you’ve missed them (which would be an absolute shame, because they’re great and shit).

Tudels,

Peanut

Link up with me here:

Peanut’s Playground: And Yes He Also Listens To New Stuff, Like Slippery Slope By The Dø

January 12, 2011

By Martin

Photography by winxyarianna…

A duo from France (him) and Finland (her). If you like Beach House chances are you will love:

The Dø – Slippery Slope

The Dø (pronounced ‘Dough’) are a multi-culti indie-pop duo who took there name from the first letters of their first names (Dan and Olivia). Apparently Dø means all kinds of things in some languages. I’m not sure what, and if you’re interested just check out Google Translate. What’s more important then their name is their music, and that my friends, is pretty amazing!

I loved the duo’s 2008′ debut A Mouthful a lot when it came out, and still do actually. The band has managed to create a sound that is at times light and poppy, while at the same time there’s darkness below the surface and musical experimentation is all over the place. They remind me most of the lighter side (musically speaking) of Beach House, while the trippy- and weirdness sounds a lot like the latest work by (the wonderful) Charlotte Gainsbourg.

Check out the samples below and be convinced.

Visit the band’s website for downloads

1. Dust It Off

2. The Wicked And The Blind

3. Gonna Be Sick!

4. Too Insistent

5. Bohemian Dances

6. Smash Them All (Night Visitors)

7. Leo Leo

8. Slippery Slope

9. The Calendar

10. Was It A Dream?

11. Moon Mermaids

Don’t forget to check out my other articles, in case you’ve missed them (which would be an absolute shame, because they’re great and shit).

Tudels,

Peanut

Link up with me here:

Peanut’s Playground: Forgotten Classics – 8. Pulp – Different Class

January 5, 2011

By Martin

Photography by Becso…

Let me start off by wishing everyone who takes the time to read my latest rambling a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Now that the pleasantries are out of the way lets move on to today’s selected album for Peanut’s Forgotten Classics. And it’s a classic alright! Number eight in this ongoing series is the lovely, the wonderful, the awesomely amazing and utterly brilliant:

Pulp – Different Class (1995)

In all honesty, I’m not so sure that this particular classic has been forgotten. Actually I’m pretty sure that it hasn’t been forgotten at all. Different Class happens to be a bona fide classic. On this side of the pond that is. What I’m really not sure of, is if it ever really got through to all-a-ya over there in the States and Canuckia. Do you guys know how great this album really is? How important it is? How essential it is? Because it is. It really really is! And not just for us Europeans, but for all of you who love music, like I do.

Different Class plays like a movie in the best British tradition. Full of tongue-in-cheek humor and the kind of cynicism and satire that only the Brits seem to have mastered. The lyrics are all about the differences between the social classes and sex. All delivered with huge quantities of dry wit and sung over wonderful melodies, most of which are timeless.

You might have heard the ‘hits’ (Common People, Disco 2000) somewhere before. They’re both firm staples in the ‘Best Songs of the ’90s’ lists floating around the internet. The real treats here though are the lesser known gems, like Underwear and F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.. What does it sound like? Well I’m actually not that great in describing what things sound like, so I suggest you try out the samples posted below and decide for yourselves.

Oh btw, try to get your hands on the Deluxe Edition of Different Class if you can. It gives you an extra set of 11 songs, all of which are worth owning.

DOWNLOAD DIFFERENT CLASS HERE

1. Mis-Shapes

2. Pencil Skirt

3. Common People

4. I Spy

5. Disco 2000

6. Live Bed Show

7. Something Changed

8. Sorted For E’s & Wizz

9. F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.

10. Underwear

11. Monday Morning

12. Bar Italia

Don’t forget to check out my other articles, in case you’ve missed them (which would be an absolute shame, because they’re great and shit).

Tudels,

Peanut

Link up with me here:

Peanut’s Playground: Almost Christmas So Here’s Some Pretty Sounding Stuff, The Arrogant By The Rumour Said Fire

December 22, 2010

By Martin

Photography by fasusu…

It’s the same thing every year. You make your year-end list and always forget to include one or two albums. C’est la vie. It’s just a bit of a shame when you realize that you’ve left out a top 10 candidate just a week after you’ve posted said list.

For me this is the case with:

The Rumour Said Fire – The Arrogant

Let me start of by saying that I know next to nothing about this band. I don’t have a clue where to buy this album either. What I do know is that The Arrogant is another little gem recommended to me by my music mate J, for which I thank her a lot. Again.

So what do they sound like you ask? Well I’m not sure what to compare them to actually. The first thing that pops in my head is what it would sound like when AC Newman would sings Dan Bejar’s songs and vice versa. At times The Rumour Said Fire (who are from Denmark btw) sound like a milder, less intense version of Mumford & Sons, while flashes of a Scandinavian version of Teenage Fanclub also pop up.

It’s upbeat (sounding), light (sounding) and heartfelt (truly). It will warm up your coldest days and light up the darkest moments. Don’t let this one pass you by, because you will regret it as much as I regret not putting it in my Top 10 for 2010.

Visit the band’s MySpace page

1. Sentimentally Falling

2. Comfort To The Dalai Lama

3. Sanctuary

4. The Arrogant

5. Passion

6. Desolation, Mr. Foe

7. Air Force

8. She

9. My Dark Skin

10. By The Shore

Don’t forget to check out my other articles, in case you’ve missed them (which would be an absolute shame, because they’re great and shit).

Tudels,

Peanut

Link up with me here:

Peanut’s Playground: Forgotten Classics – 7. Galactic Cowboys – S/T

December 15, 2010

By Martin

Photography by basistka…

Delving deeper into the vaults I found this here classic album that hasn’t stopped mesmerizing me since it was recommended to me by my friend Nathan somewhere in the beginning of the 90′s. This edition of Peanut Playground’s Forgotten Classics is another one about an album that has yet to be acknowledged for what it is; a classic!

Installment seven is all about:

Galactic Cowboys – S/T (1991)

What do you get when you mix the Beatles with Metallica? Something that in the hands of lesser gods would probably sound like utter crap. Well thank the heavens for the Galactic Cowboys then!

The Texas-based combo called Galactic Cowboys released their self-titled debut in 1991 and it received a shit-load of positive reviews. What it didn’t get though, was actual attention. From anyone. No-one listened to their music back then and almost no-one does today. I happened to be so fortunate that my mate was among the 5 people on Earth that actually did give the band proper attention and pointed me to them, and I was hooked instantly.

The combination of gorgeous multi-vocal melodies, memorable lyrics and LOUD thrashing walls of guitar ticked just about every one of my boxes, and this hasn’t changed over the years. The Galactic Cowboys are just as relevant now as they were back in 1991, and just as deserving of your attention too. Just try ‘em out, you won’t be disappointed.

GET GALACTIC COWBOYS HERE

1. I’m Not Amused

2. My School

3. Why Can’t You Believe In Me

4. Kaptain Krude

5. Someone for Everyone

6. Sea of Tranquility

7. Kill Floor

8. Pump Up the Space Suit

9. Ranch on Mars (Reprise)

10. Speak to Me

Don’t forget to check out my other articles, in case you’ve missed them (which would be an absolute shame, because they’re great and shit).

Tudels,

Peanut

Link up with me here:

Peanut’s Playground Presents: The Year That Was 2010, In Music And Whatnot…

December 5, 2010

By Martin

Photography by cheskahill…

Fuck I hate this time of year!

When you’re a music blogger people always want to know what your favorite albums of the year were. Not surprising since you’ve been bugging the hell out of people all year long with your ‘posts’ and your ‘articles’ and your ‘recommendations’ and shit. But that doesn’t make the task ahead any less daunting!

Choosing 10 or 15 or 25 albums among the hundreds one listens to in a year is not easy at all. Better said, it’s a pain in the ass to do! Which albums to include, which albums to leave out. What will people think when I choose this one over that one… *sigh*

Luckily I usually don’t give a rat’s ass what people think about my taste in music, and this year isn’t any different. I’ve included some albums that normally wouldn’t even come close to bearing the title ‘Best Of The Year’ but they happen to be among my favorites of 2010, and that’s what this list is all about after all.

My list has five overlaps with Ol’ Tsuru’s list of 25 Tsururific albums which pretty much sums up why our teaming up on Tsururadio has worked rather well so far. Not too many similarities, not too few either. Some stuff that he’s disappointed about, some stuff he pointed me to in the first place.

Enough intro already, let’s get started!

Honorable mention: The Best Of by Suede

Everyone should have this collection. Every song on it is worth your attention and their back catalogue has about a gazillion more of those to enjoy.

25. Happiness by Hurts

Not a great album at all, but damn there are some great songs on it nonetheless. Read my earlier blurb here.

24. Tourist History by Two Door Cinema Club

Extremely catchy and addictive. You will plays this for weeks in a row! Nuff’ said.

23. The Drums by The Drums

Much more below the surface than you’d expect at first glance. Good melodies. Cool guys.

22. Contra by Vampire Weekend

I couldn’t care less for their debut (which supposedly is better than this follow-up), but I like this. It’s fun.

21. Below The Belt by Danko Jones

Danko Jones never disappoints. That’s not Danko’s style. Danko’ ROCKS! Read my earlier blurb here.

20. The Boxer by Kele

One of the most surprising releases of 2010. Completely different than his work with Bloc Party. Not any less good though! Read my earlier blurb here.

19. Sir Lucious Left Foot The Son Of Chico Dusty by Big Boi

Best hip-hop album of 2010, hands down. Read my earlier blurb here.

18. I Learned The Hard Way by Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings

Almost this year’s best soul release. Not quite, but a brilliant runner-up!

17. Turning On by Cloud Nothings

Sounds like it was recorded in a toilet, but the quality of the songwriting reveals hints of future greatness!

16. Innerspeaker by Tame Impala

Psych-indie or something like that. Like Grizzly Bear with guitars. And good too!

15. A Sufi And A Killer by Gonjasufi

Don’t talk, just listen. And read my earlier blurb here.

14. Grinderman 2 by Grinderman

When Nick Cave wants to rock, Nick Cave wants to ROCK!

13. Fire Like This by Blood Red Shoes

Cute girl, ugly dude. Guitar, drums. Rock, hard.

12. Are You My Mother? by Kathryn Calder

This is the ‘other female singer from The New Pornographers’. I might like this one better than the ‘other female singer from The New Pornographers’ though.

11. Teen Dream by Beach House

Sweet and cute. And credible too. I like.

10. Down The Way by Angus & Julia Stone

See number 11.

9. Odd Blood by Yeasayer

Yeasayer make the top 10 on the strength of three of the best songs of 2010. The rest is less, but still pretty okay.

8. The Suburbs by Arcade Fire

Never cared for Arcade Fire much, until they started adding memorable melodies to their songs. This is the album where that happens.

7. Brothers by The Black Keys

Reliable as always. A bit poppier than before and I like it even more because of it.

6. Together by The New Pornographers

See number 7.

5. Expo 86 by Wolf Parade

Don’t believe the (negative) hype. No, not even Tsuru’s ramblings. This is an excellent album.

4. Before Today by Ariel Pink’s Haunted Grafiti

Weird and unique. Quite possibly brilliant. Read my earlier blurb here.

3. Postcards From A Young Man by Manic Street Preachers

This really is a last shot at mass communication, and a very very very good one indeed! Read my earlier blurb here.

2. Good Things by Aloe Blacc

Not just the best soul album of 2010, but almost the best of album of 2010 period! This album is amazing from start to finish and should be listened to even though soul isn’t your first choice in music. It’s relevant, maybe even essential. That’s all that matters.

1. Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You by Lightspeed Champion!!!!!!!!!

Tsuru said it very well when he shouted ”Holy shit, where you been LC?” This guy is AMAZING!! Meaningful lyrics, heartfelt vocals, melodies that will haunt your brainwaves for years to come!

I think Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You is a near flawless album which has all the qualities that should put it at the top of my list, and waddayaknow, it’s right there.

The Year That Was 2010, In Music And Whatnot Mixtape

(full zip)

Part 1 / Part 2

1. Lightspeed Champion – There’s Nothing Underwater

2. Aloe Blacc – Femme Fatale

3. Manic Street Preachers – Some Kind Of Nothingness

4. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Grafiti – Can’t Hear My Eyes

5. Wolf Parade – What Did My Lover Say

6. The New Pornographers – Silver Jenny Dollar

7. The Black Keys – The Only One

8. Arcade Fire – Modern Man

9. Yeasayer – Madder Red

10. Angus And Julia Stone – And The Boys

11. Beach House – Used To Be

12. Kathryn Calder – Slip Away

13. Blood Red Shoes – Colours Fade

14. Grinderman – Mickey Mouse And The Goodbye Man

15. Gonjasufi – She Gone

16. Tame Impala – Why Won’t You Make Up Your Mind

17. Cloud Nothings – Hey Cool Kid

18. Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings – Better Things To Do

19. Big Boi – Turns Me On

20. Kele – Tenderoni

21. Danko Jones – Full Of Regret

22. Vampire Weekend – Giving Up the Gun

23. The Drums – Book of Stories

24. Two Door Cinema Club – Undercover Martyn

25. Hurts – Sunday

Bonus: Suede – Heroine

Don’t forget to check out my other articles, in case you’ve missed them (which would be an absolute shame, because they’re great and shit).

Tudels,

Peanut

Link up with me here:

IT’S MIXTAPES WEEK! The TSURURADIO Community Presents… Peanut’s Hair Metal Mixtape!!!

October 22, 2010

By Martin

Photography by DarkMagoo…

Can you imagine that there was ever I time that I ‘defended’ Bon Jovi over Metallica in the schoolyard? So what that I was only 11 when I did that. I must been’ve stoned out of my fucking skull trying to convince people that those poodle haired assfaces were anywhere near the acknowledged kings of thrash metal. Anyway, that time has long gone since.

What hasn’t gone though is my undying love for the crappy music genre that’s called Hair Metal! It’s not that I play this stuff on a daily basis but I will admit to the fact that Van Halen, Mötley Crüe, Europe, Whitesnake and even Skid Row are very much permanent residents in my itunes library. And no, I am not ashamed to admit it. If you don’t like it, I really couldn’t care less. Seriously. I don’t care.

I’m guessing that most of the visitors of this website are from the You Ess of Aa, and you will probably know all of the songs in this here mixtape. This is basically the case because almost every piece of crap music ends up in your Bollbeard Top Ten or whatever one way or another (Bieber, Glee, Crap etc.).

For the rest of the world unfamiliar with amazing *ahum* bands like White Lion, Poison and L.A. Guns…

The TSURURADIO Community Presents…

Peanut’s Hair Metal Mixtape

(full zip)

1. Poison – Unskinny Bop

2. Aerosmith – Rag Doll

3. Europe – Rock The Night

4. Mötley Crüe – Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)

5. Bon Jovi – Bad Medicine

6. L.A. Guns – Ballad Of Jayne

7. Skid Row – I Remember You

8. Warrant – Cherry Pie

9. White Lion – When The Children Cry

10. Ugly Kid Joe – Everything About You

11. Mr. Big – To Be With You

12. Def Leppard – Pour Some Sugar On Me

13. Whitesnake – Is This Love

14. Bad English – Time Stood Still

15. Van Halen – Beautiful Girls

Note: I grabbed most of these tracks from the internet, so the volume can be a little warbled here and there…

Don’t forget to check out my other articles, in case you’ve missed them (which would be an absolute shame, because they’re great and shit).

Tudels,

Peanut

Link up with me here:

IT’S MIXTAPES WEEK! The TSURURADIO Community Presents… Peanut’s Turn Up The Bass Mixtape!!!

October 18, 2010

By Martin

Photography by insert-profanity…

I’m going to start my contribution to Mixtape Week the same way I always have, and always will start it: by complaining. I FUCKING HATE MAKING MIXTAPES!!! I cannot emphasize this enough, I really really detest making mixtapes. It’s so much work compared to normal posts, I can’t imagine myself doing this more than once a year or so. Blech!

All righty then. Now that that’s out of the way lets talk about the music.

I already warned Ol’ Tsuru that my mixtape would be somewhat different. No indie. No folk. No rock. Hell there isn’t a guitar used in any of the 15 tracks on the tape. It’s all about electronics today baby!!

Today’s mix is inspired by three things:

1. My wife’s disappointment about the 80/90′s party she attended this Saturday

2. The entire collection of Turn Up The Bass albums I stumbled upon a little while ago, and

3. Utter utter fucking laziness, since I’ve had this mix all ready to go in my iTunes for a few weeks already.

Some background information. Turn Up The Bass is the name of a series of albums which started way back in 1989. To date there have been 25 albums released with the TUTB label as well as a bunch of yearmix albums. You can see the whole collection here.

I’ve selected a couple of tracks (from the first 4 albums to be exact) which give a pretty good idea of what the series was about around the end of the 80′s and the start of the 90′s. There’s some soul-inspired swing (That’s The Way Love Is), some pumping dance (Pump Up The Jam), some 303-acid (Acid In The House) as well as some hip-hop (The Chief, Say No Go).

In short this is nothing like the stuff that you’ve gotten used to from the Tsurunation, but that in itself should be reason enough to check it out if you ask me. Broaden your horizons, even if it’s with music from artists who’ve been in the mothballs for the best part of the past 20 years…

The TSURURADIO Community Presents…

Peanut’s Turn Up The Bass Mixtape

(full zip)

part 1

part 2

1. Ten City – That’s The Way Love Is

2. Hithouse – Jack to the Sound of the Underground

3. The Residents – Kaw-Liga

4. Hithouse – Move Your Feet to the Rhythm of the Beat

5. Tony Scott – That’s How I’m Living

6. J.J. Fad – Supersonic

7. Double Trouble – Just Keep Rockin’ (Skouse mix)

8. Technotronic – Pump Up The Jam

9. Tony Scott – The Chief

10. Miss Nicky Trax – Acid In The House

11. De La Soul – Say No Go (Say No Dope mix)

12. 101 – Rock to the Beat

13. Afro Erotica – French Kiss

14. The New Confetti’s – Sound Of C

15. The Beatmasters – Who’s In The House

Don’t forget to check out my other articles, in case you’ve missed them (which would be an absolute shame, because they’re great and shit).

Tudels,

Peanut

Link up with me here:

Peanut’s Playground: Forgotten Classics – 6. Caesar – Caesar

October 12, 2010

By Martin

Photography by PollyMass…

Today’s selection is not so much a Forgotten Classic, but rather just Forgotten…

Caesar – Caesar (2003)

Amsterdam’s own Caesar were in one word: amazing! Were? Yes. Were. They no longer exist. But when Caesar were active the world was the better for it (not that more than 500 people realized it). Because they were nothing less than stellar when they existed.

Releasing 4 full albums before there demise, their eponymous fourth was from 2003. The reason I’m writing about it is because I fetched it from the garage last week, ripped it, and fucking loved it! Again. Their particular brand of guitar orientated pop is – in my opinion – the best ever made in the Nether Regions. I must admit, that isn’t that hard since most music that originates from here sucks balls, but still. Caesar were very very good. Easy when they wanted, manic when it was needed. But never ever dull or unoriginal.

Since this album is almost impossible to get a hold off when you’re not from my neck of the woods, I’ve posted a few more songs than usual. Check ‘em out. Be amazed (because you will). And mourn with me about the demise of one of the true unknown bands of heroes.

GET CAESAR HERE

1. Supersonic

2. Stop That Girl

3. El Cat Race

4. In Flames

5. Twist

6. I Know I

7. Dark Matter

8. C.I.A.

9. She Likes My Way

10. The Safeworld

11. Lives Of Mary Lane

12. Please Go On

Don’t forget to check out my other articles, in case you’ve missed them (which would be an absolute shame, because they’re great and shit).

Tudels,

Peanut

Link up with me here:

Peanut’s Playground: What Happens On The Surface And Also Happiness By Hurts

October 6, 2010

By Martin

Photography by TearsOnthePiano…

If you’re looking for substance over form, you’ve come to wrong place. Because this next one…it’s the complete opposite but I still freaking love it!

Hurts – Happiness

This looks to be another release that hasn’t made it to the States yet (if it ever will). And I’m not so sure they would be much of a succes when they do make it over across the pond. But over here, in pop-obsessed Europe they are starting to get a pretty good vibe. In typical fashion the UK, Germany and the whole of Scandinavia have already fallen for them, and rightly so.

Hurts are a two-man synthpop outfit from Manchester. And if you’re anything like me, and by this I mean that you’re a HUGE fan of 80′s synthpop like I am, then you will like Hurts. Hurts sounds like an updated version of bands like O.M.D. and the lighter side of Depeche Mode.

As said, there isn’t much substance here, but who fucking cares if the form is as good as this is. I can guarantee you, more than two listens to this album will have every melody stick in your head for days and will also have you come back to it time after time. It happened to me, even after I first put it aside for being ‘too mwah’. It took a reminder from my music buddy (everyone should have one of those!) to get me to shove it in my iTunes again. Thank you again for that Jeetje, my musical life has become the better for it.

Enough sobbing already! Go check ‘em out. Now!