I'M BACK.

Yes I'm definitely back :]
I'm so sorry about how long it's been, it's been so long that the amazing electro trio, Glamour For Better, split up and then reformed again. Thank god.
This post is a big jumble of bands, songs, videos, gigs and FREE ALBUM goodness.
Enjoy ;]


I went to see one of my favourite bands for the third time the other day; Flamboyant Bella. They were amazing obviously, and they really deserve a lot more listeners. They're not even signed. Happy indie electro pop with male/female vocals; have a listen here.

And why not a picture of me and my friend with the band..



On with the newish bands..

We Are The Ocean
www.myspace.com/wearetheoceanuk

If you know your music, and if you're into rock/emo/screamo, you've almost definitely heard these. They've been hyped quite a bit, so much that I didn't like them the first few times I listened to them. Then after I'd heard their most popular song, 'Nothing Good Has Happened Yet' quite a few times, it really started to stick in my head, and now I love them and I'm seeing them next month! Plus, they've just uploaded their new single 'God Damn Good' onto their myspace, which is definitely worth a listen. You'll like these if you like Alexisonfire.
Recommended: Nothing Good Has Happened Yet, The Afterparty, Don't Be Careless.

The Method To My Medium
www.myspace.com/themethodtomymedium

I actually can't put into words how much I like this band. Sure, they are just another extremely catchy, pop rock band, and it's hard to draw anything original from them but they are definitely worth a listen. Knowing where to build up the songs to create a contagious flurry of guitar riffs and mixing vocal styles, whilst adding electro sounds, mean that once you start listening to these, I doubt you'll be able to stop for a while.
Recommended: Finding Redemption, We Can Live Like Kings.


That's it for the new bands, sorry. You can listen to Disco Curtis if you're not into any of these. I was gonna give them a section but they're way too unoriginal. Still good though :')


High rising pop punkers The Maine have got a new video AND an EP out. Their full length album only came out 5 months ago, so with an EP aswell- which is a mini album of christmas songs- it shows how well they're obviously doing. The video is for their song Everything I Ask For, and you can see it here:

Ohhh, and if you're a keen youtuber, subscribe to The Maine's official channel here. They post updates really frequently and they're quite lovely :)


The songs at the moment that you need to hear:
-Kanye West - Heartless. This is a song from his new album made in just 12 days, which showcases his 'new sound'; basically he now has a voice changer and he has started to sing a lot. Nothing will beat his first album for me, but I literally couldn't stop playing this song when I heard it and I'll be hoping to get the new album, 808's And Heartbreak. If you like this, listen to 'See You In My Nightmares' which features Lil' Wayne.
-Answers On Postcards - It's That Time Again. I heard this song on the radio, and just recognised the voice straight away. Of course it's Answers On Postcards. I've been quite keen on these since they added me on myspace about a year ago. They've got a bit of a 60's sound, with their indie riffs and the singer, Lee's echoing vocals, but it works really well.


FREE ALBUMS..

The Cafe Kids
www.myspace.com/thecafekids

Yet another band who added me on myspace, but one of the very few that I accept. When I saw their album was free, I thought I may aswell give it a chance.. and the verdict? It's too good to give away! I haven't listened thoroughly, but a few songs stand out a mile. You'll like these if you like Farewell, Saving Aimee or The Audition.
Best songs: Girlfriend, Picture Perfect, Lipstick Camera Canvas
Click here to download the album

You, Me, And Everyone We Know - So Young And Insane EP
www.myspace.com/youmeandeveryoneweknow

These are my new favourite band. If you only listen to one band on this post, make sure it's this one. They're completely different and they show how diverse they can go with this EP, even though it's only a 6 song mini album. Most of the album is up tempo, but the song 'The Symptom' is a dark horse, with jazz elements and not their usual type of lyrics, like "you said it's me that makes you a whore". By far the best song on the album, but the other songs are really close. They've been compared to countless bands, just check the shoutbox on their Last.Fm page; Fall Out Boy, Say Anything, Motion City Soundtrack etc etc. I would compare them to original Panic! At The Disco and The Academy Is..., but mixed together and made into something really extraordinary. This will be your best free download in a long, long time :)
Best songs: The Sympton, Could It Be Sunstroke?, Colourful Language
Click here to direct download this album


I think that's it. Yeah. It shouldn't be too long till my next post. If it is, add me on msn (omgitslily@hotmail.com) and shout at me until I post one. Add me on there if you have any suggestions/comments/questions whatever whatever aswell, and make sure you download that album above. You will not regret it!

All pop punk

Yes this time it's all pop-punkish bands, sorry for any disappointment ;]

Actually I lied. At the weekend I went to see Cheeky Cheeky & The Nosebleeds for the 4th time. I've realised just how much I mention them on here so all I'm going to say is: amazing as usual, finally got to meet them and they're so lovely! One of the supports really caught my attention. They were called Your Biggest Fanclub and they played shouty, catchy, indie, math rock. They're a bit of a mix between Foals and Maths Class. Listen here; www.myspace.com/weareyourbiggestfanclub. Actually saying that, I think the other support deserve a listen too. Very 60's indie pop, Loutish Lover were similar to bands like Libertines; www.myspace.com/loutishloverband.


(Your Biggest Fanclub)

I also saw high rising pop punk band Tonight Is Goodbye. The supports were Lights And Sounds and Kill The Arcade. Lights And Sounds were good, they play feel good piano songs that aren't usually my thing but they did it well. I was expecting quite a lot from Kill The Arcade, but I think they're one of those bands who are hyped just for the sake of it, I didn't think they were anything special really.

But Tonight Is Goodbye were amazing. I'm not too into the band and I didn't know many of the songs so I wasn't particularly looking forward to it but their live show proved to me just what a great band they are. The audience were hooked, the frontman seemed to have control over them; they played their songs with the highest of energy and you really felt that they appreciated you there. The highlights for me were 'Black Dress' as it caused the whole room to sing in unison, and 'Castles'; their only slow song of the night, I'd never heard it before and loved it instantly.




On with the bands...

Callahan
www.myspace.com/callahanlovesyou

This band added me on myspace, and whereas I'd usually deny straight away cause I get so many band adds, when they wrote a note with it saying they're similar to All Time Low and Mayday Parade, I couldn't refuse a listen. I don't see the Mayday Parade in them really, but there's definitely some all time low in there. They tick all the boxes when it comes to a pop punk band and if you're into that, even though you won't find originality, you're sure to like them.
Recommended: Dress To Impress, This Ones For The History, When Morning Comes.

Marilyn Avenue
www.myspace.com/marilynave

This band are really something. My only criticism on them is that there are only 2 songs that really stand out as something amazing, but they're so good you have to listen anyway. They're raw, their epic intros make them more interesting, there's screaming but it isn't excessive, they're short sparks of instrumental rock beats are captivating and the vocals are whiney but it only adds to the emotion in the songs. You'll like these if you like the old Escape The Fate, that is when they had their original singer.
Recommended: Daaang, River City Ransom.

Delta Delta!
www.myspace.com/deltaxdelta

This band are very similar to Paramore; probably a bit too similar, but I really can't help but love them. Lead singer, Kelc's voice isn't far off from Hayley Williams and they include all the simple breakdowns, catchy beats and easy-to-learn lyrics that all pop punk bands should, and with only 1 song on their myspace page until yesterday, it isn't easy to make a fair judgement but it'll be interesting to see what else they have to offer.
Recommended: Granpa Built A Castle Cake.

A Good Fight
www.myspace.com/agoodfight

I really like this band; they have a raw, edgy sound which is made up by the tinny, slightly distorted vocals, garage punk style beats and an overall live sounding feel. I can't tell if they're supposed to be like this or their songs are low quality, but it really works either way. Unfortunately, the vocals are sometimes a bit poor and way out of tune, but it could be argued that this just makes the song more edgy.
Recommended: Deja Vu In A Suitcase, Sayonara.

Nevershoutnever!
www.myspace.com/nevershoutnever

Is it just a coincidence that good looking one man bands always seem to get a lot of listeners? Probably not. Nevershoutnever! is a great example. But the 18 million plays he's gained on his myspace page have definitely been gained through his talent aswell as anything else. Making sweet acoustic songs with simple lyrics about parties and wanting to leave your "pathetic excuse for a town", Christofer Drew's fascinating vocals will urge you to listen again and again. He even sometimes throws in some surprise electro beats which only make it better.
Recommended: bigcitydreams, smelyalata.

Settings
www.myspace.com/settingsband

This band are one of the most different on this post. Mixing electro noises into their serious rock songs, they've got that commercial sound that could easily get them played on the likes of Kerrang! and Scuzz TV. The guitar riffs and the sometimes hard vocals that the vocalist, Donny occupies are really similar to Linkin Park and there's also some similarities to 30 Seconds To Mars in there. They're a band to watch.
Recommended: Creatures, Impossible And Never Practical.

Sparks The Rescue
www.myspace.com/sparkstherescue

Having been a fan of this band for 2-3 years, it was interesting to listen to their newer songs the other day and see the dramatic change they've made. I hate it when bands stop doing the sound you know and love from them, but this time I don't think it's that bad. I'm used to the slightly amateur but energetic sound they used to occupy, including unpolished lyrics, electro beats mixed with up tempo guitar riffs, and lyrics like "can we call the hospital; i've been sleeping with the nurses" and "tonight i'm getting clean in the dirty south". But now, they're making clean pop rock songs, the vocalist is so different I thought it was a different person and they're singing feel good songs about autumn and falling in love. You'll like them if you like bands like Mayday Parade.
Recommended: Nurse! Nurse!, Saco Boys Have No Class (old songs) and I Swear That She's The One, My Heart Radio (new songs).

Amy Can Flyy
www.myspace.com/amycanflyy

This band would win any 'Fun Award'. When I started to listen I thought they were just an electro band as the old video game sounds played out, but then loud guitar riffs played over with a steady drum beat. The way they mix them creates an unbelievably catchy sound, and they're songs are about "gadget hearts" and they even manage to put an electro rock mix on 'head, shoulders, knees and toes' and pull it off perfectly.
Recommended: Doctor Doctor, Go Go Gadget Happy Heart.


That's it. Don't expect the next post to be for a couple of weeks, I'm back at college next week :(

Screaming hiroshima six year silvery ;]

It's been ages but now I'm on my holiday from college so I'm making this the first thing that I get done :)

First of all I've got to talk about You Me At Six. Their debut album 'Take Off Your Colours' hit the shops on 6th October. They already had a huge fan base so this was highly anticipated from many. Including a few new versions of familiar songs and plenty new ones, I've got to say this is an amazing album. One song that seems to have caused a bit of trouble with many of the long-time YMA6 fans is the new version of Save It For The Bedroom. It's a bit less edgy and the vocals aren't as strong but once you've played it a few times you'll probably get used to it. The opener of the album is my favourite; The Truth Is A Terrible Thing. I love the epic introduction and it's just incredibly catchy like the rest of the album. Josh's voice is unique and captivating and he seems to be the mould of this band. If you already liked them, definitely get it. If you're into pop punk, definitely get it :]



Keeping on the topic of YMA6 for a bit longer, I also went to see them on the 18th October. Queueing outside in the freezing cold for an hour and half was a total waste of time for me and my friend as we got into the meet and greet AND into the venue early, which was very exciting; especially this moment:



The supports were Farewell and Houston Calls. I didn't think Houston Calls were very exciting or original.. but I loved Farewell (scroll down for more on them). As for yma6, I loved every moment. Josh had the lead singer image down to a tee: cool and slightly arrogant, as he led the whole room as everyone sang in unison. The crowd usually outsang him but that only made it more entertaining.



I also went to see Cheeky Cheeky and the Nosebleeds on the 19th October. It was my third time seeing them, but their first headline tour I think.. I was disappointed with how many people turned up, they deserve more than that. They probably have the most energy on stage I've ever seen in a band and singer Rory's dance moves almost outshine Joe Lean in the weird stakes. An incredible live band, so much in fact, that I'm seeing them again this weekend coming.


On with the new bands..

Screaming Tea Party
www.myspace.com/screamingteaparty

A quirky London band, adding that extra unique flare by never revealing the face of one of their band members- not even live. Not your usual indie punk band where a male and female share the vocals; something about them is different but I can't put my finger on it. Showing that their diverse, their songs sound relatively different from eachother which keeps it interesting.
Recommended: I'd Rather Be Stuck On A Stair Rail, Let's Do Not Say Another Word.

I Heart Hiroshima
www.myspace.com/ihearthiroshima

Unlike the last band, there's not much that different about this band, but they still deserve a listen anyway. Similar to bands like Los Campesinos! with the male/female lyrics and poppy beats, but a bit more repetitive. Everything about them is so catchy, you'll probably like them regardless.
Recommended: especially Captain To Captain, but all of them on the myspace.

Four Year Strong
www.myspace.com/fouryearstrong

I only started listening to these because I annoyingly had one of their songs in my head :] I should have started earlier, they're amazing. I especially like the stuff I've heard from their 2007 album, Rise Or Die Trying. They're a pop punk band with a unique twist, adding in long intros and metal aspects but still making it fun with electro. They're such a good band, listen!
Recommended: Bada Bing! Wit A Pipe, Beatdown In The Key Of Happy, If He's Here, Who's Runnin' Hell?

Farewell
www.myspace.com/farewell

My new favourite band. Like I said, they supported YMA6 and they were just as fun live as they are on the recordings. Your typical pop punk band, but there's something about this band that make them stand out for the rest for me. They're usually fast paced and incredibly catchy, but they prove they can tone it down in their ballad-style song War.
Recommended: Cut You A New Smile, Eighty Eights, Anchors Away, Start It Up, War.

Silvery
www.myspace.com/silverytheband

Saying this band were unique would be an understatement. They mix dark carnival-like sounds similar to The Horrors with 60's style vocals and harmonies. A lot of repitition in their songs makes them simple but still fun. Personally, I was really impressed with these.
Recommended: Horrors, The Nishikado, That Which Is.

S!RENS
www.myspace.com/sirensrock

Remember a band called Miss Conduct? Probably not. But this is the exact same band, turning over a new leaf. I don't understand why they did it; same members, same type of songs, but nevermind. Making female fronted rock really similar to a band I talked about last time; Consort With Romeo. You won't think they're amazing and personally I prefered Miss Conduct- but they're worth a listen.
Recommended: Problem Solved.


That's it :) I'm actually going to start planning the next blog straight away so I don't leave it as long as last time. I don't know what video to add this week, so I'm going to add my own video of YMA6 performing Truth Is A Terrible Thing ;] byeeee

BIG update!

It's been a while but i have plenty of excuses, mainly college work; it's a killer!

Anyway on with the post; i've bought some cd's lately. I have to talk about Mytoybox, his ep is only 4 songs but its an amazing buy. Electroised vocals and sounds and dominating drum beats mean this is a must have. There's a Mytoybox merch sale on at the moment (I have the limited edition yellow tee :D) and the tees are lovelyy.

Buy it all here; www.mytoybox.bigcartel.com
Listen to it all here; www.myspace.com/mytoybox


I also got The Metros debut album, More Money Less Grief. After almost constantly playing it for about 2 weeks, I can easily say it's one of my albums of the year so far. Upbeat indie guitar sounds, that 60's feel and Saul's cockney noticeable singing voice are put together perfectly. Krepes For Christmas is like a whole array of different songs, building up and then back down again in all the right places. These are a right talented lot.

I also saw them at the Birmingham Bar Academy on the 23rd March. I love bar gigs, they're so intimate that you're close to the band if you're at the back. But I was on the front row anyway ;) I knew they'd be good cause their music's so crazy haha, but they were even better than I was expecting. I'll be seeing them again!

www.myspace.com/themetrosband



On with the new bands anywaysss;

Consort With Romeo
www.myspace.com/consortwithromeo

Well just as I was finding a picture of the band, I noticed the [RIP] following their myspace name and found out they'd split up.. all the good bands are lately. Well they still deserve a listen regardless. They're like an English version of Eyes Set To Kill, without the screaming; pop rock fronted by a woman. It really is a shame they've split up, they seemed to really be going somewhere.
Recommended songs: Desperate To Prove You're Not, Not So Cute Anymore.

Powerspace
www.myspace.com/powerspace

If you listened to The Cab that I wrote about a while back, this band are kinda similar. Very poppy, very catchy, loads of hints of R&B with added synth here and there and background harmonies. It's almost definite they'll make it big (well come on, they're a Fueled By Ramen band- they all do).
Recommended songs: Dancing In The Future, I Met My Best Friend In Prague.

Grand Ole Party
www.myspace.com/grandoleparty

Definitely a band to listen to if you like the Yeah Yeah Yeah's, but it's not essential. This band are quite different; they have an old 60's sound, with aspects of jazz and funk whilst the females distinctive strong vocals play over the top. The backing vocals and rusty guitar solos give them that extra dated feel but they pull it off perfectly with a modern twist.
Recommended songs: Nasty Habits, Red Rum Heart.

The Inconsolables
www.myspace.com/inconsolables

This band are mental, and I mean that in the nicest way. They mix simple electro beeps and guitar riffs, with fast paced upbeat drum beats, building up and down dramatically whilst a man and woman share the vocals, which seem to be complete nonsense or just ad-libs. Their songs are complex in the amount of sounds there are, but simple as it's all the same thing repeated, even between different songs. But nevertheless, they're a fun band to listen to and way too catchy!
Recommended songs: I Want To Go To Borneo, Hoverfly, Piranha Shuffle.

Pope Joan
www.myspace.com/popejoan

I was pleasantly surprised by this band. They're your typical math rock indie band I suppose, with talk-style shouty vocals, stop start simple beats and added electro. You'll like them if you're into bands like Maths Class and Foals. They're definitely worth a listen, but they're nothing original.
Recommended songs: 49 Years Time, No TV, Nothing Is Too Much.

Minnaars
www.myspace.com/minnaars

When I first heard these, I found them so ridiculously similar to Foals that I didn't think I'd listen again. But today I found myself going back onto the myspace because their song Essay Essay Essay was just too catchy. This band are basically Foals little sibling, and you find it hard to think it's a coincidence they sound so alike. They have more vocals, but their sharp keyboard sounds are very similar. Their talk style vocals repeat things over and over as the music changes. Putting the comparison to one side, I do actually really like the songs.
Recommended songs: Busy Hands, Essay Essay Essay.

Songs you need to hear:
-Bikini Kill - Double Dare Ya; the power and aggression of riot grrrl music at its very best.
-All Time Low- Dear Maria, Count Me In; a pop punk anthem.

I'm gonna post a video at the end of every blog now. Here is Touch by Flamboyant Bella. I'm posting this cause they're one of my favourite bands, and they're not known half as much as they should be ;]
Flamboyant Bella - Touch OFFICIAL VIDEO



That's all for now. The next post should be after October 6th sometime because that's when You Me At Six's debut album, Take Off Your Colours is released, and a review will have to be posted :) see yaaaa

First interview!..and that's about it.

Yeah as I've started college it's taking up a lot of my time, but I will still try to post atleast once a week. Anyway this is an important post cause it's that interview that I promised, and the band issss... Cheeky Cheeky and the Nosebleeds! I've talked about them a couple times on the blog so most people should be familiar with them. Quite a talkative bunch as you can see on the first answer...

First of all I've got to know how you got your band name!?
Well it's kind of a long story. When we were younger, between the ages of 9 and 10 we all went on a canoeing trip. Actually it might have been a kayak. But yeah, we were canoeing along this beautiful woodland river, taking in the sights, the sounds, the the scent of the fresh pine. We'd playfully splash one another as we went, laughing at the pure joy and freedom of it all.
Well eventually we came to a fork in the river, to the left we could see the river became smoother, eventually leading to a lake, perfect for us to camp for the night and get some fishing in. To the right the river got faster, more rocky and treacherous while the wood was much darker.
Well, needless to say we all started paddling towards the left fork. Just at the last moment, however, our little canoe was caught by an undercurrent and we were pulled to the right.
We all looked at eachother; we knew we were in for quite a wild ride. Faster and faster our brave canoe skimmed, bouncing from rock to rock. So rapid were the waters that we all lost our paddles, at the mercy of this terrifying river. We could hear the chattering of strange creatures from the trees, ready to devour us should we perish.
Through some kind of miracle we managed to survive this section of the river and the waters calmed. tranquility was restored. We thought we were out of danger at this point and burst into a hearty, relieved laughter.
As we drifted along, a sound became apparent in the background. The sound of a waterfall. We began frantic attempts to paddle with our hands but to no avail, we were swept over the edge, surely to be dashed on the rocks hundreds of feet below.
I closed my eyes at this point, certain I would never open them again.
When I did open them however, it was to see Christian holding onto a branch growing behind the waterfall, through a huge feat of strength he managed to pull us all into a hidden cave behind the waterfall. Our little canoe plummeted and was destroyed and we lay in the cave. We lay there for another few minutes, regaining our breath and nursing our wounds.
Eventually we all stood up, realising that we still weren't out of danger.
'Hey!' Ali cried, 'what's that?'
He was pointing to the back of the cave, which continued, and sure enough there seemed to be some kind of light further in.
'We've got no choice,' said Tom, 'we might as well go deeper into this cave.'
We all nodded our agreement, and on our hands and knees crawled deeper into the cave, which became narrower and narrower. After what seemed like an eternity, we reached and opening into a larger cave. The walls emitted an eerie glow, bathing us all in light. And written on the wall was a primitive cave painting. The penmanship was crude but unmistakable. it read 'Cheeky Cheeky and the Nosebleeds.'
We all read it in silence. Suddenly, voices called from above us; 'Hey!, you down there!' and a ladder was thrown. We were saved in more ways than one.

I first saw you supporting Joe Lean and the JJJ, but who has been your favourite band to tour with?
That tour was great, cos it was our first ever, it was great touring with Vincent Vincent and the Villains too, because we grew up listening to them. Johnny two Bands and stuff.

I saw you at Underage Festival over the summer and I know you were pretty excited for it, how was it and which bands did you get to see?
It was absolutely amazing. The crowd had so much energy. They broke the tent and everything.
We didn't really get to see any other bands cos we had to go and play club NME at Koko later that day. Which was a shame, it would have been cool to see Dizzee.

Did you get to play any other festivals? What else did you get up to over the summer?
Yeah, we played Glastonbury, Latitude, Leopallooza and a whole bunch of venue festivals, like Dot to Dot, Great Escape and Boring By the Sea. Cos we haven't been on tour we have spent lots of time rehearsing and in the studio. We recorded our new single You Let Me Go, which is out early November.

When you're on tour, can't it get a bit too much being together all of the time?
Nah! We've known eachother for a long long time. It's the easiest thing in the world.

You already have a few songs on your myspace page, when do you plan on releasing an album?
We're thinking about an album for kinda next march. It'll depend if we think we are ready though, like if we think it will be good enough.

You have an upcoming tour, which runs all the way through October, do you have any support acts confirmed for that?
No, not yet I don't think.

Are there any places that you're particularly looking forward to playing?
Well Edinburgh is an amazing city. And Northampton is our home away from home. We got respect for Northampton.

Finally, for people who might not have heard you, how would you describe your sound for them?
Umm... Chuck Berry playing Blur songs.


(Credit to Paul Dugdale)

So there you have it. A big thanks to them for that.

Here's a few songs worth listening to at the moment...
-Fei Comodo - Break The Ice, a good but maybe predictable screamo band from the UK.
-The Saturdays - Up, maybe you shouldn't tell people you listen to this one. Cheesy pop at it's best and I'm ashamed to say it's too catchy not to like, these will probably make it big as they supported Girls Aloud.

I have nothing else to post atm! More very soon hopefully. Keep reading :)

Lovely news. And more new bands.

Quite a bit to get through, I'll start with the good news so incase you get bored half way through you'll hear it first. It's just been confirmed a few minutes ago that I'll be able to do my first online interview for the blog. They're an amazing band, but you'll have to wait till next time!

Also, it seems that I'm now officially in the Beggars street team, so to give them the promoting that they deserve here's their video for You And Me which is my personal favourite song by them. Have a listen!




On with the new bands, got a mix of genres this time...

Cinematic Sunrise
www.myspace.com/cinematicsunrise

I've got to say, on finding out this band features the vocalist and keyboardist of Chiodos, it made me a lot more interested in them. Backing away from the screamo for this band, they make the poppy rock songs mixing the keyboard with catchy drum beats and also prove that they have a versatile sound on hearing the beautifully sung ballad 'You Told Me You Loved Me'. However, 'Pulling A Piano From A Pond' is actually a must hear, it becomes addictive on the first listen.
Recommended: Pulling A Piano From A Pond, You Told Me You Loved Me.


WeHaveAGetaway
http://www.myspace.com/wehaveagetawayband

It's always nice to see new English pop punk bands on the scene, as it shows we can do it just as well as America that seems to have the Fueled By Ramen label dominating pop punk worldwide. Having both female and male (who really sounds like Tom Delonge to me) singers which doesn't usually happen with this genre, it's nice to see it happening and they work really well.
Recommended: Matches, Girls Like You.


Mytoybox
http://www.myspace.com/mytoybox

As I've been slowly listening to electro less and less it would take something really good to get me to like it now. And that's exactly what Mytoybox aka Matt is. Seriously well talented at what he does, really good beats and I promise you'll be singing along after the first few listens! His ep is also way too cheap, you should get it ;]
Recommended: all songs.


Klaus Says Buy The Record
http://www.myspace.com/klaussaysbuytherecord

Have you heard the young but incredibly talented songstress Jose Vanders? (If you haven't heard her then go listen right now) Well this is her boyfriends music and wow, they're a talented couple! Making mainly acoustic songs with an electro remix thrown in, he's indie folk with added piano here and there. He's that type of person where you can just tell that they're really talented straight away, like Lightspeed Champion. Listen listen :]
Recommended: Battlezoo, Telephone RMX.


Other bands you should listen to;
-Farewell City! - they'd be just like any other female fronted pop punk band.. if it wasn't for that Usher cover. It's quite something.
-Fleeing From Finales - their song 'Thundercats VS Mighty Ducks' must be heard.


I'm done then, that INTERVIEW will be in the next post so don't forget to check back to see who it is. Oh and one more thing, if you have any comments or suggestions about the blog other than commenting on here cause I know a lot of people don't have an account, email me at omgitslily@hotmail.com. Thanks.

Be Your Own Pet's final gig

Welll I travelled 2 hours to London to see Be Your Own Pet's last ever gig and didn't get back till almost 3am but god it was worth it. It was at Camden Dingwalls, a small venue that holds under 500 people.


(Credit to Andy Parker)

Me and my friend Bex were 4th in the queue and got on the front row. The stage wasn't very high and was right next to the crowd which I've never seen in real life before. Soon enough everyone was falling or jumping onto the stage but kept getting kicked off by the band. It was quite scary to be right at the front of it but just the most amazing experience and I have the bruises as a bit of a memento ;)


(Credit to +++ponyrock+++ on Flickr)

In the last song everyone just got up onto the stage and it was so crammed the band could hardly play. I accidentally stopped John from playing drums at one point cause if I hadn't have held onto something I might have fallen right on top of the drumkit ahaha. Anyway BYOP were on top form as usual. I thought it would be sad but it wasn't. There was a bit of thanking the record label and the fans but it was too chaotic to think about what that gig actually meant.


(Credit to littlepants on Flickr)

Afterwards, after many arguments with the security guard we got to meet the whole band and me and my friend were the only ones left in the venue getting pics with them. When I saw Jemina i just said 'omg jemina' and kinda lunged myself at her and hugged her. I still can't believe I've met her, she's like an idol to me :') I bought each of the singles vinyls and got them all to sign their face ;D best gig of my life! They will be sorely missed.


Here's the pics of me and Bex with the band!


Us (I'm on the right) with Jemina and Jonas; Jonas kinda jumped into the picture unexpectedly so that's why I look so weird ahah.


Us with Nathan and Jemina. I almost forgot to get my vinyls back from Nathan!


Us with John. Bless him haha, he was the only one I could bring myself to talk to properly.


Us with John and the singer from the Hot Melts who were the support; have a listen, they are much better live than on the recordings tbh.


Us with Jonas. Aaaaa :) I've got to say I probably enjoyed having that picture taken the most.


And here's the one video I managed to get;




Hmmm anything else..
Oh yeah. You Me At Six. I'm obsessed with them at the moment.
I'm seeing them on their UK tour in October, they have an album out October 6th which I just can't wait for AND they have a new video for the song 'Jealous Minds Think Alike' which you can play below. It's all very exciting :)




That's it, see you soooooon x

Yes I'm still alive..

I've actually been doing quite a lot but to make up for the time without blogging, this is gonna be an extra long blog. I might even miss out some bands as I have SO many to write about!

I ordered 2 cd's a couple weeks ago and they arrived this week; Eight Legs - Searching For The Simple Life and William - Self In Fiction. I haven't had much time to play William's album yet because I've been far too busy playing Eight Legs. I actually just fell in love with the album on the first play, they're your typical indie band similar to The Kooks, Joe Lean and the JJJ and even sometimes The Futureheads and The Maccabees. If you haven't heard them, download 'These Grey Days' and 'Blood Sweat Tears'. However, William's album still does sound really good so far. They kind of remind me of Vampire Weekend on some of their songs, they're quite original as they mix indie beats with the unusual vocalist and it really works.


Kids Love Lies
www.myspace.com/kidslovelies

This is surely one of the most exciting new bands you'll listen to in a while. I don't have one bad word to say about them. Quite similar to Blood Red Shoes as they play mostly upbeat indie with a female vocalist. They're also really versatile as they have a perfectly sung slower song, 'Chimera' which is just as good as the rest. Infectiously catchy and instantly lovable, they're just far too good.
Recommended: every song on the myspace.


The Kabeedies
www.myspace.com/thekabeedies

Upbeat, happy, careless pop. Similar to bands such as Los Campesinos! and Johnny Foreigner as they are a band where a female and male share the vocals, and sing over beats made to dance along to. Singing about fun and light hearted topics such as mythical beasts, dancing and parties, it's clear to see this band is purely about having a good time.
Recommended: Palindromes, Lovers Ought To, Mythical Beasts.


The Xcerts
www.myspace.com/thexcerts

I've heard this band before, but this time round I realised I had underrated them. They're not too different from the majority of indie pop bands out there, but scottish 3 man band The Xcerts produce catchy music which works really well. Their songs vary in tempo and I the songs breakdown and pick back up again in exactly the right places. A really good band to sing to and even though you probably won't love them at first, but they're definitely worth a listen.
Recommended: Growing Old, Listen. Don't Panic, Just Go Home.


4 Or 5 Magicians
www.myspace.com/4or5magicians

Another band I'd heard before and actually liked but never got round to listening to again. Making music quite different from a lot of indie bands, it isn't just up tempo beats with catchy choruses. They have weird and different intros, long intros that aren't boring, but are a great build up to the song and a vocalist who's accent shows through in his strong voice. All of these factors should ensure that this band are remembered and seperated from the rest. All of their songs don't sound quite similar, so they haven't really made their own individual sound but have a lot of different sounds to make something totally different.
Recommended: Ideal Man, Change The Record, I'm In The Band.


A1 Bassline
www.myspace.com/a1bassline

Totally different to the music I usually write about, A1 Bassline is a DJ who produces garage dance songs, and mainly remixes of other songs. He's really amazing at what he does and I love basically everything I've heard so far. If you're into artists such as Partyshank, Glamour For Better or Pendulum, or like techno, dance or drum and base, you should like him straight away. There's actually a remix of Glamour For Betters' 'Shape Cutting Catalyst' up on his myspace now.
Recommended: Bad Man Horror Theme Clip, Shape Cutting Remix, Girl Thing.

- Speaking of Glamour For Better, their new album Darling You're Nothing is out now. Click here where you can find it on Itunes. On previewing the songs on there it sounds amazing as I would have expected so I should be getting it soon.


The other day, accidentally finding the website of Be Your Own Pet's record label Infinity Cat Records, I stumbled across quite a few new bands, a load of them really impressed me so I'm going to mention some here...

MEEMAW
http://www.myspace.com/pigsinpossumalley (yeah that's their myspace..)

Quite a different band, they produce indie, punk, garage and a lot of their songs sound different as they have two vocalists. I'm not quite sure they're taking this music thing seriously their song 'Smoking In The Sun' contains a very small amount of lyrics but they still manage to talk about milk, bread, diet coke and having a leather face.. it still makes good fun music though.
Recommended: Witch Solo, Smoking In The Sun, Dry Hump.


JEFF The Brotherhood
www.myspace.com/jakeandjamin

Featuring just 2 brothers Jake And Jamin (Jamin being the former drummer of Be Your Own Pet), who are both in quite a few bands on the label, this band is just those two making experimental punk, indie, very alternative rock which is completely fresh and good to hear when you're used to the majority of bands reminding you of something else. They have long intros, a lot of instrumental parts, unexpected change of tempo and beats and catchy lyrics when they do finally appear. It sometimes feels like you're listening to not just one song, but a whole medley of songs with them and it's exciting to hear what the song will develop to next. They definitely deserve to be heard.
Recommended: every one on the myspace.


Cake Bake Betty
http://www.myspace.com/cakebakeb

Saving one of the best till last, Cake Bake Betty, also known as Lindsay Powell (and sometimes a heap of other members including the band above) delivers a load of piano songs, sung with a beautiful voice not too different from Regina Spektor. If you like different female vocalists like her, Florence and the Machine and Kate Nash then Cake Bake Betty should be an instant love. She's one of the only artists I'm playing at the moment.
Recommended: yet again, every song on her myspace. She also has a new album, 'To the Dark Tower' out now.



That should do for now, the next blog should feature some new pop punk, and I'm seeing Be Your Own Pet's final gig ever on the 26th August so that should really be something to write about. See ya!