The Best Thing About Today #31

This song & video:

The Best Thing About Today #29

The new video by a previous Woman of Win, Ellie Goulding.

My Friends Are Talented #3

image from www.myspace.com/beingjofrancis

Say hello to Josh, Jon, Chris and Mike. They are in a band called Being Jo Francis who write wicked songs about life and circuses. Maybe you would like to listen to them? Lucky for you, they have a myspace here which I and they would very much like you to visit. They also like to pose in fields with their hands in their pockets but don't judge them solely on that.

The Best Thing About Today #26

My friend and musician Luke Leighfield has just put up a song from his anticipated third album on his myspace. It's called By My Side and features some stonking guitars and loads of other good features but the stonking guitars have blinded me upon first listen. Well done Ben Price.
Anyway, you can listen to it here:

www.myspace.com/simplylukeleighfield

And you can also pre-order the album now by becoming a fan on facebook. The pre-order is exciting, there are t-shirts and photo books involved.

There is also a tour.

BIG THINGS PEOPLE, BIG THINGS.

Wicked Cool Bands #12

Love it will not betray you dismay or enslave you;
It will set you free.
You will be more like the man you were made to be.
- Sigh No More, Mumford & Sons

image from www.myspace.com/mumfordandsons

Every so often, a band will come to your attention and startle you. You will wonder how you have ever looked at your album collection without theirs in it, you will wonder who else you would play first thing in the morning and last thing and night and in the time inbetween. You will try to think of any other band who has affected you quite the same way in the past year, and falter.

Hello Mumford & Sons.

I won't claim the victory that this band was a self discovery, I was introduced to them a few months ago via a music loving boyfriend of mine, and until yesterday had only heard limited tracks on their myspace (which you can visit here) and their single release from their debut album, Little Lion Man which has been available via Spotify for a couple of months. This one track was one I played a lot, reveling in the folk glory that it is, and the wonderful lyrical talents of the band. Previously mentioned boyfriend managed to wangle the album prior to release by means that shall remain nameless (cough) and I have had to make do with a 5 track release on Spotify. Totally worth it though, since yesterday I've listened to it non stop and like a new love affair, am wondering what I ever did before this album (or the 5 tracks at least) were in my life!

The album is officially released today, 5th of October. Buy it, and get ready for some intensely brilliant lyrical genius and an album full of stonking folk tunes that will no doubt make you want to dance, stamp your feet and take on the world.

The Best Thing About Today #25

What a better The Best Thing About Today than The Maccabees. Less today though, and more yesterday.

image from www.myspace.com/themaccabees

Last night I went to see The Maccabees in London's Brixton Academy. A wonderful, beautiful venue. I saw Brand New there a couple of years ago and was truly mesmerized by such a stunning place, full of haunting atmosphere and wonderfully captivating open space. This space was widened upon my second visit, as at the previous event I had been front center stage, taking in the wonder of the show whilst sharing in hundreds of others sweat pouring out from every crevice. This was suitably welcomed however, as being in the upper circle was a lovely if entirely different experience. My friend Vicky and I did some of the best seat dancing I've ever done in my life and risked life and limb (it's steep okay!?) by dancing stood up at some of the best points. In fact they were all best points. It was a wonderfully put together show, void of light displays, clever banter or any other gimmicks other than simply great tunes played by a bunch of humble and grateful men. These character traits were the best things about the gig, and me and thousands of others realised just how grateful the band were for the opportunity to play at such a venue. Latchmere was a particular highlight, and Can You Give It and of course the fine slab of indie brilliance that is First Love which was of course the encore.

If you ever get the chance to see The Maccabees, you won't be disappointed. I don't know that I've felt the urge to dance at a gig quite as much as I did last night, and I've seen The Spice Girls live. Twice. Yeah that's right, you heard me.

So to sum up, The Maccabees live experience: more dance-worthy than The Spice Girls.

The Best Thing About Today #24

This soundtrack:

[500] Days Of Summer - Music From The Motion Picture

Ellipse.

What follows is the genius that is Imogen Heap's new album!



Listen, love and enjoy.

The Best Thing About Today #20

This song:

YouTube Win #6

Frankmusik doing some badass beat boxing:

Wicked Cool Bands #11

"If you ask me of my fondest memory,
I'd say take my hand and I'll show you where I've been.
As we tread through leaves you'd listen while I speak,
this moment that we share is ours to keep."
- Through The Leaves, Kissy Sell Out

Kissy Sell Out: DJ, electro pioneer, remix king. Summer songs. Big tunes. Best played loud accompanied by sunshine. Listen to Through the Leaves, the best track (in my humble opinion) from their 2009 record, Youth and try not to give in to the desire to run to the nearest park and lie back and think of the summer that we should be having. You might want to take an umbrella for the rain.

Official site.
Myspace.

Wicked Cool Bands #10

"There's a spanner in the works you know,
you gotta step up your game to make to the top.
So go!"
- Something Good Can Work, Two Door Cinema Club


image from myspace.com/twodoorcinemaclub

I love any opportunity to have a dance. Music that makes you want to move and dance is a winner in my book, so to discover Two Door Cinema Club's music is a massive win in this dreary month of July. They only have 2 tracks on Spotify but that hasn't stopped me from playing them over and over again and dancing around my room whilst it poured down with rain outside! They hail from the great wondrous place that is Northern Ireland, specifically Bangor which I hear on great authority is one of the best places on earth. True or not, it certainly churns out some very talented musicians, Two Door included.

Fresh from a brilliant set at Glastonbury (which you can watch here) they continue the summer of festivals with V and Leeds. So if you're going to either of those, then I urge you to go see them.

They have Twitter, they have Myspace and they have great songs. What are you waiting for? Go dance.

Imogen Heap!

image from www.myspace.com/imogenheap

If any of you know me personally you will know that my favourite woman in music and possibly one of my favourite women ever is Imogen Heap! Perhaps you have heard her name about, and you might be familiar with her music, or you might be a big fan, or you might not see what the big deal is. (NB: if you hold that last option, then you are misguided and should seek professional help.) Whatever your affiliation with her or her music, allow me to be annoyingly excited about her new album!

The second solo album entitled Ellipse is ready for release on the 24th of August and Imogen has posted a link where you can listen to the first track from it, First Train Home. It's really great. Trust me.

FIRST TRAIN HOME

The Best Thing About Today #16

This song:



Oh Ali Sudol. How I adore thee.

A Present For You.

REALLY
GREAT
SONGS
ALERT!!

A Spotify playlist that I made featuring some really great music from Passion Pit, Kate Havnevik, Ben Folds, Foy Vance, Brand New etc. You will love it. If you don't, you've gone wrong in your mindtank. Just click the above link and it should open in your Spotify. Enjoy!

The Best Thing About Today #13

New Alexisonfire song!

The Best Thing About Today #12

This album in my life:

image from amazon.co.uk

YES PLEASE!

Massively Great Quotes #12

"Surrender has somehow become so beautiful."
- Mutemath, Control

The Best Thing About Today #8

This song:



SO WICKED. SO GREAT. JUST LITERALLY ONE OF THE BEST SONGS EVER.

My friends are talented.

So, I have lots of very talented friends and this blog is going to plug them.

ALL HAIL INSTALLMENT ONE OF 'MY FRIENDS ARE TALENTED!'

Laura Coates.

I have mentioned her once before, but she is a very talented artist and here is her blog which showcases her work. Once, she and I ate dinosaur turkey shapes whilst watching Comic Relief and we both have a love affair with Winchester. Factzzz.

Adam Guest.

Adam is in a band called awordlike.attack and you can find them on myspace here! It says "They play post-hardcore mixed with elements of post-rock and electronica" but I say "They are great, you should listen to them but mainly you should see them live because they are great". You can decide which of these 2 thrilling sentences makes you want to listen to them most, but definitely see them live if you like that kind of thing and there is an opportunity because they are awesome. Loads of energy and makes you want to jump up and down and generally go mental. Adam will no doubt rip me for this half arsed plug but we have established that I am rubbish at describing how music sounds, I just know if I like it or not. Haha.

Luke Leighfield.

Luke is a musician who plays an obscene amount of gigs and works very hard. He writes wicked pop songs (that is an accurate description for once) and this is his myspace which has a very long list of other ways you can represent for the Leighfield camp including Twitter, Last.fm etc. He lives in Southampton and plays gigs all over the world and when you listen to one of his songs it's like opening a small box with a shining light of beautiful pop music inside that drenches your every core and leaves you feeling an afterglow of pop euphoria.

PART TWO COMING SOON!