The magma albums! At least leave them alone...

On Sat night after a cool Burns supper on or street I was browsing ILM on me phone. Someone had just found some sort of crazy sale on at Amazon.com - if you searched for 'Phantom' music you found all tons of cds being sold for 99 cents each. The suggestion was that Phantom was a distributor to Amazon and it was going out of business or something and thus all the stock was being remindered. What followed for me was a very enjoyable hour at the end of which I had 70 or so albums for 69 $ (shipping them to someone in the US - there was a couple of 50 cent items as well), the 99c thing had gone away by then. I went to bed thinking there was prob only a 1 in 10 chance that this would actually work (only if the amount of orders was so low that Amazon considered it a nuisance to sort them all out) but you never knew.

Still on Sunday all of the order was still there and I had another very very pleasent time looking up the web and learning that yes that Ornette Colman album was a classic and sure, not all the Magma albums were brilliant but most of them were pretty good and what about the gold cd (gold plated?) for Emerson, Lake & Palmer's greatest hits?

And I was extremely proud of having secured a 1000 track, 50 cd compilation of Country and Western for 99 cents!

Well of course they did go and look at the orders, first of all out went all the expensive imports and box sets. Now I'm down to 36 items out of an original 70, I still got things like Best of the BlackByrds (there was loads of great funk that I wouldn't really go for but when it was nearly free....)

You can read the Amazon thread here.

Sorry for not texting any of you about it on Sat night (it was 2 am or so)......not that it would have done you any good in the end.

You want the truth? You can't handle Motormark!

Montreal's The Dears, live in Edinburgh's Liquid Room on 21 January 2005, supported by The Autumns and Ambulance Ltd (seemingly aka The Ambulances).

And — !! electro double feature !! — Bozilla, My Tiny Robots, Motormark, and Piney Gir, Caledonian Backpackers, 22 January.

Got in to the Liquid Room just as openers The Autumns were singing their last two songs — sounded very promising, guitar pop in the vein of many of the modern bands whose names follow the The ???s pattern, but with more variety to their sound than most. Looked excellently geeky (I'm sure I've overused that phrase over the last year — a trend perhaps…?) in their diamond pattern knitwear and traditional “haircuts”, sorry to miss the beginning of their set. Or not: these people were apparently not The Autumns (who hail from L.A. and list their Friday gig as “cancelled”) — they were Scottish I'm sure, but beyond that I haven't a clue who they were <sigh>. Call me an old fuddy-duddy but I wouldn't object to bands being forced to wear name tags some days. Or at least say who they are when they finish playing.

Not so positive about second support, Ambulance Ltd (“from New York”), who sounded pretty generic, 'fraid to say. Not much variety to their sound which was — shit, I don't know, I can't differentiate, just another modern guitar band like. I mean what can I say? Sorry? Audio during their act was odd too, even at their loudest crescendo they sounded muted.

Headliners The Dears sound good fun but not necessarily hugely to my taste (just let me say “modern guitar pop” again, but that would be unfair) on their latest release No Cities Left (in shops now!), although with a better-than-most range of styles under their belt (facilitated by the good variety of voices in their lineup), running all the way to nicely retro bossa nova influences (although that was of course all the rage (appropriately) last year darling) and in general reminiscent of The Smiths. Definitely won me over with this gig though — despite being “sick as a dog”, lead Murray Lightburn took us from a surprising instrumental opener all the way through to an absolutely storming finish with their rather fabulous “Who are you, defenders of the universe” and (ahm, my memory is failing me, but I think) “22 The Death of All the Romance”. Their stage lineup is a little unusual: three male guitarists (including Lightburn) arrayed centre leftwards and frequently playing to each other in a semicircle, with two deliciously disinterested-looking female keyboard players (one of 'em also a flautist) out to the right — and drums to the rear as usual. Little bit of new material played, otherwise mainly stuff I recognised off the album. Lighting was well done, lots of light-reflecting-off-polished-guitars-like-laser-beams going on. Definitely worth catching if you get the chance.

So Saturday follows Friday, another day and another gig. Not been to the Caledonian Backpacker's before, and the initial impression wasn't too good as they wouldn't let us in to the bar unless we were backpackers until strictly after the fairly late 8:30 doors opening. No points for arriving five minutes early then. Visited a pub 'cos Edinburgh is cuh-cuh-cold right now. I mean really, even-Conrad-thinks-it's-cold cold. Standing around outside not recommended. At. All. Tonight is mainly scheduled to be electro, have never heard any of the bands before poking around their websites this afternoon trying to decide between this gig and Kid Commando's; am anticipating fun…

Venue when we get in turns out to be quite an intimate little bar with the stage at one end of a long room. Amplification is good, never painfully loud but enough to make sure you're not distracted by crowd noise.

Opener was Glasgow's Bozilla, possessors of a number of mad fun electronic thingies you can just wave your hand at to get fades, percussion, scratching, all kinds of stuff (looks literally like magic!). And red-dreaded lead singer Aimee with a kicking fine voice — though she mainly chose to stay back in with the rest of the electropop/disco mix — and a nice line in hip-wiggling. Top tracks included “This Is Not New Sound” and “Too Much Fighting on the Dancefloor”, their recreation of The Specials' “Ghost Town” — and these were very top tracks indeed, TINNS being one of the most mind-infecting things I've heard in ages. Any later in the night and I'm sure they'd have succeeded in their stated goal of getting us to Awkwardly Dance ('nother great track).

Next up were Edinburgh's My Tiny Robots. Was perhaps negatively predisposed 'cos their website runs purely through Flash™ so I had to jump through hoops to listen to their music, which then sounded a bit wistful and lacking in variety. They dealt with this preconception reasonably well by playing a good range of guitar-y stuff, but just weren't in tune with the rest of the evening and for all that lead Dylan (?) possesses all the clean lines, swagger and attitude that a lead should I couldn't really work up an enthusiasm — they were the youngest band playing tonight though… They also seemed to have brought a load of friends who left immediately MTR's set ended, which is Just Not On — although it did give us more space to dance, which turned out to be Very Important…

[Minor rant on band websites: publish a few tracks for free, please — I decided which gig I went to today using the Interweb, and the bands which published tracks ended up being the bands I paid money to see]

Third set was by ?Glaswegian? electropunks Motormark. Like most of tonight's bands they spent their time before the set wandering around in the audience, but Miss Jane Motoro kindof stood out more than most for her bleached-out spiky hair. Wasn't adequate preparation though for her reappearance on stage in — admittedly clichéed — heels, tutu and tight diagonal-zipped black leather though. This duo rocked. In no uncertain terms. Your next action should be to buy a ticket to Glasgow and then go dance your socks off wherever and whenever they're playing (like, this Friday in Utter Gutter at the Riverside Club for example). Very very frantic loud jumpy-uppy-downy electro-y punk-y excellence, to which a few people in the audience actually danced (am told that what I was doing was more “scary” than dance, but hey). Couple of mp3s available online, including “We Hate Everybody in the Discotheque” will give you a taste. Oh yes, oh yes, this is what Live is all about.

Last band standing were Londoners Piney Gir. Turns out this is not a band name, but the alias of lead Angela Penhaglion, who sings supported by band A Physician and a Technician (well that was last night; on the web the Technician is referred to as a Scholar, it's all very confusing). Originally from Kansas, and apparently brought up in a pentecostal household with “a formal education in music, untouched by the temptations of sinful secular pop”, her music took the form of electro/synthpop in as many styles as she played songs — including lounge, punk and country (!). Sounded a little reminiscent of Kenickie for sheer sense of fun, but the band were obviously put off by the apparent failure of part of their gear, limiting their repertoire and curtailing the set as a result. Shame, 'cos what we heard was really good.

Unquestionable stars of the last two days though, for sheer live brilliance, were Motormark, closely followed by Bozilla. Will keep an eye out for future Piney Gir gigs too. And while you're at it check out The Dears' recorded material.

2005 stuff

• Art Brut - Bang Bang, Rock & Roll
• Buck 65- Square
• The Darkness - One Way Ticket To Hell
• Lightning Bolt - Hpermagic Mountain
• The Books - Lost and Safe
• Various - Never The Same Leave-taking from the British Folk Revival 1970-1977
• Various - Ethiopiques 3: l'Age d'Or De La Musique Ethiopique Moderne 1969-1975
• Various - Periferic 2001 Folk-World-Ethno from Hungary
• Various - Periferic 2001 Art-Rock & Fusion from Hungary
• The Budapest Gypsy Orchestra - 100 Tagu Budapest Ciganyzenekar
• Mandache Aurel - hegedul
• Various - Chills & Thrills Bucharest
• Run the Road - Volume 2
• Shy FX & T Power - Diary of a digital soundboy
• Fanfare Savale - Speed Brass Of The Gypsies
• The Sugababes - Taller In More Ways
• The Fall - Heads Roll
• Gioachino Rossini - L'Italiana In Algeria
• Kate Bush - Ariel
• The Fiery Furnaces - Rehearsing My Choir
• Kate Bush - King of the Mountain
• Various - Thunder Road * Tracks Inspired by the Boss
• Richard & Linda Thompson - "The End of the Rainbow" An Introduction to Richard and Linda Thompson
• Bettie Serveet - Palomine
• Carrie Yury & Will Oldham - Mutter
• Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill
• Kate Bush - Cloudbusting
• yourcodenameis:milo - all roads lead to fault
• Ladytron - Sugar
• The Divine Comedy - Abscent Friends
• messiah j & the expert - first place
• Roots Manuva - Collosal Insight
• Arab Strap - The Last Romance
• Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - No More Workhorse Blues
• Kate Bush - King of the Mountain
• Delorentos - Leave it on (ep)
• The Artic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor(single)
• The Amazing Pilots - Graduate Blood
• Ray Charles - American Music Legends
• Patsy Cline - American Music Legends
• Kelly's Lot - trio
• GLC - Your Missus Is A Nutter
• Richmond Fontaine - Post To Wire
• Holly Williams - The Ones We Never Know
• Fiery Furnances - Single Again (single)
• Youth Movie Soundtrack Strategies - Ores (single)
• Lethal Bizzle - POW (Forward) (single)
• Sugababes - Caught In A Moment (single)
• Wolfmother - Wolfmother (ep)
• The Editors - The Back Room
• The National - Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers
• Laura Cantrall - When the Roses Bloom Again
• Secret Society - Moments
• Secret Society - The New City
• Laura Cantrall - Humming By The Flowered Vine
• Super Furry Animals - Love Kraft
• Kate Bush - The Red Shoes
• The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
• Malcolm Middleton - Into the Woods
• Various - Hospital Mix 2
• Songs for the young at heart (7")
• James Yorkston and The Athletes - Just Beyond The River
• Arcade Fire - Furneral
• Sean O'Riada - Gaiety
• The Dubliners with Luke Kelly -The Dubliners with Luke Kelly
• The Chieftains - The Best of the Chieftains
• Planxty Live 2004
• Andy Irvine & Paul Brady - s/t
• Altan - The Best of: The Songs
• Horslips - Book of Invasions
• Clannad - Celtic Collection
• Andy Irvine & Davy Spillane - Eastwind
• Galactic - We Love 'Em Tonight - Live at Tipitina's
• Arcade Fire - Arcade Fire EP
• The Earlies - These were the Earlies
• Various - Afro-American Folk Music From Tate And Panola Counties, Mississippi
• Boredoms - Chocolate Synthesizer
• The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers
• Roll Deep - In At The Deep End
• The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
• Josh Rouse - Nashville
• Various - World Library of Folk and Primitive Music - Vol 17 Romania
• Various - Strictly Dancehall
• The Kinks - The Village Green Preservation Society
• Richmond Fontaine - Lost Son
• Jandek - Glasgow Sunday
• Golden Boy with Miss Kitten - Or
• Brian Wilson - Smile
• The Walkmen/Calla - Split EP
• High Contrast - High Society
• Various - Sacred Harp Singing
• Animal Collective - Sung Tongs
• Smog - A River Ain't Too Much To Love
• Ethiopiques 17 - Tlahoun Gessesse
• Richmond Fontaine - The Fitzgerald
• The National - Alligator
• Art Brut - Emily Kane
• Dizze Rascal - Dream
• Various (Uncut) - Gimme Danger
• Various (Uncut) - Dazed and Confused
• M.I.A. - Arular
• The Futureheads - Hounds of Love
• Various - Hospital Mix, Drum + Bass Selection
• M83 - Before The Dawn heals Us
• Various - Shocking Mixtape Vol 1 (hosted by Bruza)
• Various - DJ Target - Target Presents Aim High Vol
• Various - RWD AAA Mix CD Vol 1
• Wire - Ping Flag
• Motormark - chrome tape
• N.W.A - Straight outta Compton
• Various - Run the Road
• Annie - Anniemal
• Jubilee Allstars - The Struggle Continues
• Kid Dakota - The West Is The Future
• The Melvins - Houdini
• Dead Can Dance - Spiritchaser
• Gruff Rhys - Yr Atal Genhedlaeth
• Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & Matt Sweeney - Superwolf
• Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - No More Workhorse Blues
• Daft Punk - Homework
• Low - The Great Destroyer
• The Babyshambles - Kilamanjiro
• Girls Aloud - What Will The Neighbours Say?
• Wiley - Pies (single)
• Cathy Davey - Cold Man's Nightmare (single)
• Sons and Daughters - Johnny Cash (Single)
• The Libertines - The Libertines
• The Libertines - Up The Bracket
• Drive By Truckers - Southern Rock Opera
• Black Sabbath - The Best Of
• Frank & Walters - The Best Of
• Various - Give A Little Sunshine

• Withnail and I
• Firefly Season 1
• Free Zone
• Before Dawn
• Undressing My Mother
• Thumbsucker
• Wallace and Gromit - The Curse of the Were Rabbit
• Serenity
• Crash
• Festival
• Anchorman
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
• Downfall
• In My Father's Den
• War of the Worlds
• All the pretty horses
• Batman Begins
• Cold Mountain
• Le Grande Illusion
• Nosferatu the Vampyre
• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
• Maria Full of Grace
• The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
• In the mood for love
• Happy Together
• Lemony Snicket - A Series of Unfortunate Events
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• Russian Ark
• Bad Santa

• The Amazing Pilots, Richmond Fontaine @ Whelans, Fri 7th Oct
• Prison Love, The Mongrels @ Voodoo Lounge, Tue 4th Oct
• El Goodo, Super Furry Animals @ Olympia, Tue 27th Sept
• Holly Williams, Laura Cantrell @ Whelans, Sun 25th Sept
• Electric Picnic - Stradbally Fri September 1st - Sun September 4th [Sat] The Matthew Herbert Big Band, Goldfrapp, Arcade Fire, Kraftwerk [Sun] Roisin Murphy, Human League, The Bob Mould Band, Lemon Jelly, Nick Cave
• Green Man - Hay on Wye Fri August 19th - Sun August 21st [Fri] Gareth Pearson, Daimh, Voice of the Seven Woods, Woodbine, The Incredible String Band [Sat] Aberfldy, It's Jo and Danny, Malcolm Middleton, Alaisdair Roberts, Superwolf (Aberfldy and Adem afterwards)[Sun] Vito, The Memory Band, Lucky Luke, Sweet Baboo, Euro Childs, Jeffrey Lewis, King Cresote & the Fence Collective, The Earlies, James Yorkston, Joanna Newsome
• Sun City Girls, Devendra Banhart @ The Village, Fri 29th July
• Glastonbury - [Weds] accordian in Tipi field (tiny), singer in Green Field. [Thurs] The Goonies. [Fri] Friction, High Contrast, Zinc, London Elektricity, Fatboy Slim, Adam Smith (tiny bit), System Seven (?tiny), Hyper (?tiny), Fat Boy Slim, fire stage. [Sat] Goldie Lookin Chain, Art Brut (tiny), The Bug, DJ Surgeon (tiny), New Order, Coldplay. [Sun] Rodrigo y Gabriela, Van Morrison, Brian Wilson, Garbage, Primal Scream, Femi Kuti and the Positive Force
• Smog @ Whelans, Sat June 11th
• Daddy G, Black Twang, Dizzee Rascal @ The Ambassador, Sun June 5th
• Pony Club @ Rock Garden, Thurs March 31st
• Dead Can Dance @ Olympia Thurs March 10th
• Kid Dakota, Low @ The Village Mon Feb 28th
• ATP (Love as Laughter, Early Man, Deerhoof, Sean Garrison & 5 Fonger Discount, The Melvins, Mogwai, Faun Fables, Spoon, Matmos, Slint, Mighty Flashlight, King Kong, Red Nails, Pearls and Brass, Sons and Daughters, White Magic, Mum, Staremaster) @ Camber Sands Fri 25th - Sun Feb 27th
• Gruff Rhys @ Whelans, Weds Feb 9th
• Ballroom of Romance w My Brother Woody, Paul O'Reilly, Delorentos, Stoat @ The Lower Deck, Fri Jan 21th
• Gruff Rhys @ The Sugar Club, Fri Jan 14th

• Backroom Boys - Francis Spufford
• Made In America - Bill Bryson
• A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson
• Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - Harry Potter
• Start Raving Rulers - Sean Moncrieff
• A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson
• The Athenian Murders - Jose Carlos Somoza
• Music of the Primes - Marcus du Satoy
• The Algebraist - Iain M. Banks
• Master & Commander - Patrick O'Brien
• Politcians and other animals - Olivia O'Leary
• The Bad Beginning - Lemony Snicket

• Madame Butterfly @ Satte Opera House, Budapest, Sat Dec 17th
• Don Quixote featuring Alina Cojocaru @ Palace Hall, Bucharest Tue Dec 7th
• The Caledonian Ball @ Hilton & Officer's Mess Bucharest Fri Nov 18th
• Some girls are bigger than others @ Olympia, Weds Oct 13th
• Poor Beast In The Rain @ Gate, Sat April 24th
• Guy's birthday party @ Bury St Edmunds, Sat April 17th
• The Magic Flute @ Gaiety, Mon April 4th
• Burns supper @ Munster St, Sat Jan 295h

Fav albums/singles of 2004

I made a quick list to send to Playlouder's competition. Here it is anyway, in order of preference

Albums
The Walkmen - Bows & Arrows
Thee More Shallows - More Deep Cuts
Micah P. Hinson & The Gospel Of Progress - self titled
Morrisey - You Are The Quarry
Lightning Bolt - Wonderful Rainbow (from last year)
Pony Club - Family Business
Joanna Newsom - The Milk-Eyed Mender
The Streets - A Grand Don't Come For Free
Ghost - Hypnotic Underworld
GLC - greatest hits

Singles
Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
Morrisey - Irish Blood, English Heart
B & S - I'm A Cuckoo
Interpol - Slow Hands
Kelis - Milkshake
65 Days of Static - 65s.late.nite
Bonnie Prince Billy/Brightblack - Pebbles And Ripples 2004 Summer Tour EP
The Killers - Somebody Told Me
Scissors Sisters - Take Your Mama
SFA - The Man Don't Give a Fuck (live)