Oh, Brother

Despite looking like, as the Guardian so eloquently put it, the cast of 'Oasis: The Musical' in all their publicity shots, and acting a little too arrogant for my taste in interviews, I was pleasantly surprised by the first track I heard from these lads from Slough, Brother, entitled 'Darling Buds of May.'

The buzz around them is all 'return of britpop/"lad" bands' based, so I was expecting to find their first offering relatively hackneyed and underwhelming, but I didn't. In my view it's catchy, cleanly produced and very British. (And apparently it's GRITpop.)

I think perhaps their lead singer should tone down his Liam Gallagher act whilst being interviewed though. He thinks he's a bit too cool for school - yes, I rate this song, but they've still got a way to go as a band - they're not, as they themselves seem to believe, God's newest gift to the music industry. I reckon they have yet to prove themselves. And slagging off every other band currently in existence does not make them any better.

So here's 'Darling Buds of May',

What do you think? Done to death, or fresh in a retro sort of way?

x

skeeenz

did anyone see the first ep of the new series of skins last week?

Although I feel that some of the characters have potential, I thought it was a MASSIVE let down. The blonde girl is possibly the MOST annoying person I've ever seen, Frankie's acting left.. a little to be desired... some of the scripting was SO awkward... Jeez! The most unbearable thing in my opinion is how it's just so try-hard these days. The first series cast were so realistic, and the episodes had so many funny and truly random bits, whereas now the show is trying SO hard to be alternative that it's just not realistic at all.

Maybe it will improve?

I have a feeling I may have had a similar rant about the second lot, Effie and gang. I maintain my viewpoint.. None will ever beat Tony's lot.

HOWEVER,

watching last week's episode did help me find out what this song is..

I know it's a terribly uncool way to find music...

but this is a TUNE.

I mean, 1:16 ?!?! It's like REGGAE?!? Where did THAT come from?!!? A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. !!!

x

ps. SORRY as usual I am stuck at school so haven't been able to get on any of your blogs to say hi. I'll be home at the weekend so will pop by if I can..! I still really appreciate comments, sooo, go mad.

It's grapefruit in french... spelt wrong... get it?

Pomplamoose were recommended to me last week by a friend of mine.

THIS:

might well be rivaling Muse's rendition of 'Feeling Good' in my 'favourite covers of all time' list.

This is one of their own songs.

I'm a little bit infatuated with them now.

A little?

Sorry I meant a lot.

It's twee, it's handmade, it's pop, and it's FUN.

Why Would I?

Cold War Kids.

S'well good,

plus he totally sounds like Bowie in the chorus, I think

Bright Young Things

You need to see this film.

If you like hedonism, crazy dancing, decadence, eventual bankruptcy & love conquering in the end then.... I suggest you watch it.

The story is based on Evelyn Waugh's 'Vile Bodies' - though it's easier and probably more enjoyable if you think about them separately lest you end up comparing them too much, and stop enjoying the film in its own right. It's Steven Fry's directorial debut, and simply oozing with glamour. Obviously Fry has the contacts to call together a star-studded cast, but the biggest stars in it play mainly cameos - Jim Broadbent, Richard E. Grant, Peter O Toole and Steven himself, to name a few. However the main roles are filled by yet more big names, perfectly suited to their parts - the hard core of whom is Stephen Campbell Moore, Emily Mortimer, Michael Sheen, James McAvoy and Fenella Woolgar.

It's gorgeous. Kind of a British Gatsby... Glamorous parties, beautiful people, buckets of money. Certainly worth a watch.

Si vous aimez..

If you like: Passion Pit, MGMT, + a bit of the old 'girly vocals' thrown in for good measure:

It's a good song. Very good. Especially loud. And all the 'Passion Pit want their sound back' jibes are, in my opinion, pointless, because when bands are making good music like this why does it matter if it is reminiscent of another, equally good, band? It does sound like Passion Pit, but I don't mind. It has that ability that certain songs do to make you feel really, really happy.

I read an article about this lot in the NME and it made me really warm to them - they hail from New Zealand, where, as far as I know, not that much music is made, really. They've worked and worked and worked, and have managed to be the first New Zealand-ish band to have a number 1 out there in 3 years - let alone with a debut, that hasn't been done for 16. Blimey. Good work, The Naked and Famous...

Just William

I felt I just NEEDED to write a post on this, since it has made me soo happy over the last few days.

Richmal Crompton's beloved children's stories have been given a re-vamp these Christmas for a new bbc adaptation.

The Just William audiobooks were an integral part of my childhood - I listened to them practically every night before I went to sleep - so when I heard about this new series I was half excited, half sceptical that they would RUIN my favourite tales of 11 year old schoolboy japes in middle class England (I would give a date at this point, too, but one of the best, although ridiculous, points about mr William Brown is that throughout Crompton's successful series of books his age remains steadfast at 11, although the setting of each collection of stories changes with the book's own era of publication, thus ranging from the 20s to the 60s).

THEN I found out that Martin Jarvis - the radio 4 broadcaster whose voice is, to me, THE voice of the William stories, since he read the audiobooks - was to narrate the series. All scepticism was instantly gone from my mind, if Martin Jarvis was involved it MUST be good! And THEN I discovered that Daniel Roche, that sweet kid from the brilliant programme 'Outnumbered', was to play William. It was settled. I knew I was gonna love this.

They only made 4 episodes, which broke my childish little heart, because I could gladly work this into my weekly watching schedule. It's worth watching just for the beautiful portrayal of a 50s rural village, the clothes, scenery and simply wonderful poshness. William's family are a treat as well, with his older siblings caricatured into boy-magnet (and 'irritation' to William) Ethel and the wonderful 'tortured romantic' Robert, who can never find a girlfriend and spends most of his time mooning around the garden getting angry and writing 'modernist' poetry.

If you get a chance to see it, do. This post might have meant absolutely nothing to a lot of you... but if you liked William as a kid, or have any thoughts on this at all, then holler!

x

envoi