Running down the steps from Leeds Station, coat flapping in the wind we hit the dance floor of Cockpit running - miserable wet rain running off our faces. Just as we were handing over our tickets and sprinting up the stairs Art Brut took to the stage with a thumping rendition of 'Formed A Band'. Ears already ringing we fought through the crowd, reaching the centre of the corrugated-metal-under-a -railway-arch venue without annoying anyone too much and straight away the charismatic Eddie Argos on lead vocals was rousing the crowd who were clearly as "up for it" as we were.

Moving onto other tunes from Bang Bang, Rock and Roll [many of which I have to admit to having not actually heard more than once or twice before going] I could not help but be drawn in. By the time the band launched into a bizarre [apparent cover] of Kim Wildes' Kids in America - later resurfacing in spectacular fashion in their finale] all doubts about whether it would be good to see a band where the lead singer does not infact sing, but talk (and yes, it is his singing voice - it's not irony, it's not rock and roll, they're just talking to the kids) had long vanished. By the time the band launched into a superb rendition of -argueably their best song - Emily Kane (including a few choice words of wisdom that certainly made me smile) I could not help but join in punching the air with everyone else.

Yep, good gig, Art Brut on Top of the Pops ? I can't see it... but then again, they've only just started...

I went to Shunt for the first time this evening. In no way exaggerating it is probably the best place I have ever been. Equally in not trying to let anyone else know about this fanastic place - for it is already apparently becoming too popular -  feel I need to go into a least a little bit of sharing my enthusiasm...

On arriving in London Bridge we made our way around and into the apparently not so good entrance we were suddenly in an huge dark brick lined cavern, with large glass sphere in the distance - huuuugee amount of space with people dotted in corners behind brick piers huddled around candles [providing the only light]. My description cannot do it justice.

And the smell - the place has this fantastic old building smell about it (remarkably like an old church). The drinks were actually a sensible amount of money; bottles naturally.  And I got served fairly quickly too.

After wandering it became clear that this place was massive inside; complete with auditorium space which we'd already missed the start of - sadly. Couple all of this great atmostphere with no unpleasant people and the feeling you are somewhere that is just too good to be real and you are either bored of this post or coming with me next time you are in the big city.  Magic!

... off to see Art Brut at Cockpit Leeds tomorrow - will post Sunday.

Well my first listen turned up two good tracks aside from the already released (and quite reasonable) single 'When You Were Young'.  These tracks being 'Read My Mind' and the title track.  Read My Mind stood out pretty much straight away, which was fortunate because I was just about to chuck the CD out of the office and into Regent's Canal. in disgust.

It's a really solid tune, and a few listens has not reduced my opinion, the chorus' ringing "good old days, the honest men, restless heart and promised land...." really deserving to be played at high volume, and very uplifting.  Equally deserving of merit is the tail end of 'Sam's Town' - the
"I see London, I see Sam's Town" - all very reminiscent (imho) of All These Things That I've Done's "I've got soul but I'm not a soldier" - in spite of the stupidity of the lyrics of the latter, no bad thing.

Enterlude / Exitlude stand out as the only tracks of marked difference to anything the Killers have done before [being the only free from the slightly grating cheesy synth organ sound] - and the album is considerably weaker for the lack of variation from the formula I think. 

However, realising that if I counted When You Were Young, these two and the already mentioned Sams Town and Read My Mind I had already equalled the number of decent tracks on Hot Fuss I felt I ought to retract my damning remarks a bit.

So... at first examination it's not a masterpiece, and is lacking in the freshness which made 'Hot Fuss' the great album.  I would have liked some sign of development of the forumula, or something different at least.  Whether further listens lead me to find another great track amongst those I've missed stops me from going on to say that I think it is like an album of songs that didn't quite make it to Hot Fuss [I know it isn't, but I first thought it sounded like it could be].  But given the choice again, and with the knowledge of it now I wouldn't buy it.

"Don't believe in yourself, don't decieve with belief, knowledge with death's release...

I'm not a prophet or a stone age man. Just a mortal with the potential of a superman... I'm living on... I'm tethered to the logic of Homo Sapien - Can't take my eyes from the great salvation of bullshit faith.

If I don't explain what you ought to know, you can tell me all about it on, the next Bardo.

I'm sinking in the quicksand of my thought  - and I ain't got the power anymore."

 

Superb.... and needing no intellectual or faux-rock journalistic comments.

I finally got The Buggle's second album - Adventures in Modern Recording this weekend.  It should be noted that the CD is not actually available anywhere other than second hand versions of the Japanese 1982 re-issue - so this was a real triumph. (Although rumour [and Wikipedia] say it is due for re-release later this year)

I wasn't disappointed with this one - sure there's plenty of Buggles-esque sillyness (namely Lenny and the frankly bizarre Big Band ending to 'Vermillion Sands') but from the Sgt Pepper a la 80s styling of 'Adventures in Modern Recording' reprise to the slightly haunting (cheesy chorus aside) 'I Am A Camera' and a personal favourite - Inner City.

There's clearly a Yes influence here, documented and written by others far more knowledgable than I am and while the sharpness and consistancy of 'The Age of Plastic' is lacking in the second record - there's also some real highpoints and I can't help but have the feeling that if these tunes were reproduced today (perhaps without the Video Killed the Radio Star style double tracked chorus from Horn who basically single handedly produced the album) it'd be a really great record.