The Darkness appeared, played some power chords, dropped a Christmas single with a fun video and then vanished. And here it is:
Friday, 17 December 2010
Advent 15: Yelling At The Christmas Tree
My 15th Advent song is a little known Billy Idol gem, 'Yelling At The Christmas Tree' with his rather modern take on Christmas and its association with booze. Billy recorded a proper Christmas album a few years ago which I haven't heard - it seems somehow wrong for Billy to sing the Christmas classics, but I don't have a problem with him creating new classics.
Amanda Palmer - 'Map Of Tasmania'
The important news is that there is *new* music from Amanda Palmer in the shape of a new single, 'Map Of Tasmania'. It is available to download now from Bandcamp and features the Young Punx, a mix of ukulele and tribal electronica (or Phat Beats in the parlance), a different sound that I fell in love with immediately. And, being from Amanda, are you surprised to learn that it's about her pubic hair? Of course you aren't. It also has rather fab cover art so download it and enjoy it if you know what's good for you.
And there's more... Amanda's new album, 'Amanda Palmer Goes Down Under' will be available in late January with 'Map Of Tasmania' and eleven other new songs. If they're anything like 'Map' then we're all in for a treat!
And there's more... Amanda's new album, 'Amanda Palmer Goes Down Under' will be available in late January with 'Map Of Tasmania' and eleven other new songs. If they're anything like 'Map' then we're all in for a treat!
Wednesday, 15 December 2010
Advent 14: 'Gaudete'
Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without Steeleye Span giving us some 'Gaudete'. I may be wrong but I think this is the only song in Latin to make it into the top 20 singles chart and I remember them walking onto the stage of Top Of The Pops holding candles back in the '70s.
This video is from a concert in 2004 and shows that they still have it. Maddy's voice is still pure and piercing and my one sadness is that they didn't sing the song when I saw them at Christmas last year, but I forgive that cos they were fab anyway.
This video is from a concert in 2004 and shows that they still have it. Maddy's voice is still pure and piercing and my one sadness is that they didn't sing the song when I saw them at Christmas last year, but I forgive that cos they were fab anyway.
Monday, 13 December 2010
Advent 13: We Need A Little Christmas
Advent 13 is an unusual one for you, but I like Angela Lansbury singing 'We Need A Little Christmas' from 'Mame'. The cast recording has a lot of joy and life imbued into it and the words say it all for me. This video is of Miss Lansbury a few years ago with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in a concert performance. Sit back and enjoy!
Sunday, 12 December 2010
Advent 12: I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday
One of my favourite Christmas songs is 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday' by Wizzard. It's such a happy and optimistic song that it deserves to be in everybody's top ten of Christmas songs.
The Human League at the Royal Festival Hall
Way back at the start of June when I was on holiday in Barcelona I bought tickets to see the Human League at the Royal Festival Hall. It's been a long wait but it finally ended on Friday when I saw Phil, Susan and Joanne once again, and closer than ever before since the tickets were in the fourth row.
The stage was covered in white flooring with three solitary white microphone stands and a black curtain hiding the rest of the stage, a clear sign that the Human League were in the building. The lights dimmed, the background music went quiet and then the first electronic chord started, the black curtain fell, the light show started and there they were, all dressed in black. Striding down a few steps in front of a video wall, Phil started pacing the stage while the girls went to their respective microphone stands and they belted out a new song, 'Electric Shock' from the new album due in March. And it works as a great opener, getting them moving but it was the second song that got the whole auditorium to our feet, singing, dancing and clapping along. And then we were granted wall-to-wall hits for the next hour and a half.
Phil never stood still, pacing back and forth across the stage; Susan was wreathed in smiles, flirting with the audience and having the time of her life; Joanne was all cool and aloof most of the time, breaking out into a big smile every time she forgot to be sullen, with both girls waving their hands above their heads, wiggling their hips and doing the little dances they've been doing for nearly 30 years, and they were perfect. The three-piece band created an enormous sound with their various synths and Mr Oakey even joined in at one point. The costume changes went from black to white to black again, all monochrome except for Joanne's flashes of red.
The time went by so quickly and before I knew it we were into 'Don't You Want Me' which always signals the end of the show. I can't pick out a few highlights from a gig that was full of highlights but I always like 'Being Boiled' and 'Empire State Human' with Phil on his knees, 'Tell Me When', 'Love Action', 'Mirror Man', 'The Sound Of The Crowd' and the great 'The Lebanon'. And , of course, a glorious 'Together In Electric Dreams'. They also played the new single, 'Night People' with a weird collage of Hitler and nuns kissing on the video-wall.
The Human League were, of course, magnificent, and they all looked very well indeed. Phil was whip-thin as ever from his endless pacing across the stage, Susan was looking slender and gorgeous and not over-thin, and Joanne has lost weight since I last saw her and is now looking well voluptuous. I (obviously) had to indulge in taking some photos and a selection are below, I even got a couple of Phil smiling.
If you get the chance to see the Human League in concert then don't miss 'em - they give great show and you'll know all the songs, oh yes you will.
The stage was covered in white flooring with three solitary white microphone stands and a black curtain hiding the rest of the stage, a clear sign that the Human League were in the building. The lights dimmed, the background music went quiet and then the first electronic chord started, the black curtain fell, the light show started and there they were, all dressed in black. Striding down a few steps in front of a video wall, Phil started pacing the stage while the girls went to their respective microphone stands and they belted out a new song, 'Electric Shock' from the new album due in March. And it works as a great opener, getting them moving but it was the second song that got the whole auditorium to our feet, singing, dancing and clapping along. And then we were granted wall-to-wall hits for the next hour and a half.
Phil never stood still, pacing back and forth across the stage; Susan was wreathed in smiles, flirting with the audience and having the time of her life; Joanne was all cool and aloof most of the time, breaking out into a big smile every time she forgot to be sullen, with both girls waving their hands above their heads, wiggling their hips and doing the little dances they've been doing for nearly 30 years, and they were perfect. The three-piece band created an enormous sound with their various synths and Mr Oakey even joined in at one point. The costume changes went from black to white to black again, all monochrome except for Joanne's flashes of red.The time went by so quickly and before I knew it we were into 'Don't You Want Me' which always signals the end of the show. I can't pick out a few highlights from a gig that was full of highlights but I always like 'Being Boiled' and 'Empire State Human' with Phil on his knees, 'Tell Me When', 'Love Action', 'Mirror Man', 'The Sound Of The Crowd' and the great 'The Lebanon'. And , of course, a glorious 'Together In Electric Dreams'. They also played the new single, 'Night People' with a weird collage of Hitler and nuns kissing on the video-wall.
The Human League were, of course, magnificent, and they all looked very well indeed. Phil was whip-thin as ever from his endless pacing across the stage, Susan was looking slender and gorgeous and not over-thin, and Joanne has lost weight since I last saw her and is now looking well voluptuous. I (obviously) had to indulge in taking some photos and a selection are below, I even got a couple of Phil smiling.If you get the chance to see the Human League in concert then don't miss 'em - they give great show and you'll know all the songs, oh yes you will.
Saturday, 11 December 2010
Advent 11: Santa's Disco
Christmas is not just about sentiment, religion and presents, it's also about fun and being silly. Finally we have a Christmas song that is just plain daft and a little bit glorious. It is, of course, 'Santa's Disco' by The Superions (and yes, that is Fred Schneider). C'mon, let's party tonight!
Friday, 10 December 2010
Advent 10: Hey Mr Christmas
Christmas can bring out the best in people and this song proves it. I was never very keen on Showaddywaddy, those drainpipe wearing annoyances, until they did this song and I learned the valuable lesson that everyone has a good side. Even Showaddywaddy.
Thursday, 9 December 2010
Advent 9: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
It's time to celebrate some 'new' Christmas music and I'm enjoying the new album from Annie Lennox. When I heard about the album I was expecting something well produced and worthy with Annie's excellent vocals on top, but 'Christmas Cornucopia' is so much more than that - it's original and has some excellent re-workings of songs we're all familiar with. I like this version of 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' and recommend you listen to the whole album.
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