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Bat for Lashes, Basement Jaxx, SEBP, Passion Pit

Niall Byrne — Fri, 01 May 2009 07:55:54 +0000

1. Bat for Lashes covers Kings of Leon
What’s with everyone covering these Nashville sons lately? Natasha Khan joins Lykke Li, Lemar, Tina Cousins and more in the list of artists who have recently covered the band. Listen to them all.
Kings of Leon are Everywhere

2. Basement Jaxx return
‘Raindrops’ is the forthcoming soundtrack to the summer festivals. Best get sick of it now.
http://www.myspace.com/basementjaxx

3. Super Extra Bonus Party second album taster
‘Radar’ is the free download single from the Choice Music Prize-winning band’s second album Night Horses and features Canadian MC Cadence Weapon.
http://tinyurl.com/freesebp

4. Passion Pit’s Manners
With new tracks ‘The Reeling’ and ‘Little Secrets’, this buzz band prove their worth and simultaneously, their love of kids choirs.
http://tinyurl.com/pitjams

Kings of Leon covers are EVERYWHERE

Niall Byrne — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:15:06 +0000

What’s going on? It seems everyone is trying to get a slice of the Nashville boys popularity by covering their songs lately. Here we chart the best and very worst of them:

1. Tina Cousins – Sex on Fire (9/10)

This is the most polarising version by far. It’s either genius or pap. We can’t decide so it gets a solid 9. Ooh listen to that drama.
Favourite moment: 0:48 – when the BEAT kicks in. Kings of Leon do Europop.

2. Lemar – Sex on Fire (Rating: 3/10)

Lemar’s been covering the song on his tour. A sexified if rather pointless version.
Favourite moment: 0:40 – The Jesus pose combined with the chorus to disguise the fact he can’t reach the notes.

3. Bat for Lashes – Use Somebody (Rating: 8/10)

Recorded at a Radio One session, Natasha Khan’s voice matches the sense of loneliness at the very least.
Favourite moment: 1:14 – Khan accentuates the “Ohh Ohhs” with a howl of loneliness.

4. Youtube user Bazzap187 – Use Somebody (Rating: 7/10)

Youtube covers are always either hit or miss (but mostly miss) but this one actually sounds pretty good.
Favourite moment: 1:28 – The reverb on the backing vocals. A nice touch.

5. Pixie Lott – Use Somebody (Rating: 7/10)

18 year old London girl of the moment shows off her vocal chords. She overdoes it a little bit, X-Factor style.
Favourite moment: 1:14 – Watch that mouth gesticulate like only good singer can.

6. Friendly Fires – Use Somebody (Rating: 7/10)

Indie disco-pop’s best band gives the song a bit of percussive flair.
Favourite moment: 2:22 – The drum and possibly theremin (??) freakout.

Winner: 7. Lykke Li – Knocked Up (Rating: 9/10)

The Swedish popstress slays them all with a little help from her producer’s new arrangement. Hands down winner.
Favourite moment: 0:46 – Adding Caleb’s original vocal as backing makes this a winning duet.

Band of Blogs: The Big Pink, Theophilius London, Bat for Lashes

Niall Byrne — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 09:15:28 +0000

1. The Big Pink
Continuing the nu-gaze revival are this Brit pair whose sheets of sound are infected with a modern electronic touch. Check out their single Velvet on 4AD or go see them playing Crawdaddy this Saturday.
http://myspace.com/musicfromthebigpink

2. Theophilus London
Theo’s trying to confuse us. He’s not from LDN, he’s from Brooklyn. His excellent This Charming Mixtape mixes Whitney Huston, Kraftwerk and Bill Withers into a future hip-hop concoction but doesn’t feature any songs from The Smiths. Ask him why he’s messing with us in the flesh when he plays Twisted Pepper, Dublin on Saturday and The Pavilion, Cork tonight.
http://myspace.com/londonwave

3. Bat for Lashes remixes
Two Suns continues to receive critical adoration but single ‘Daniel’ is chalking up some fine remixes on the sideline.
http://tinyurl.com/BFLremix

4. The Hundred in the Hands
Infectious debut single ‘Dressed in Dresden’ does the stomping electro-indie-pop thing wonderfully so expect to hear more of this Brooklyn band.
http://myspace.com/thehundredinthehands