Apparently Glamorous

HOT CHIP January 26th, the Water-gate, maybe 8pm.

There is a band called The Dirty Sweets. They're based in Galway, in the west of Ireland - oh, a rich musical territory! But, The Dirty Sweets don't sound Irish. They are doing their own thing. It's like how I feel about the Chalets: it's quite rare to have a band like this - never mind that the very Irishy words "pot" and "kettle" are in the title of one of their songs (which i can't stop listening to) - THEY'RE AN IRISH BAND THAT DOES NOT SOUND IRISH. That's deadly.

Download that song, Pot Calling the Kettle Black and more here.

This band makes music that seems to have an old-fashioned, haunting quality. Sort of Fleetwood Mac, Kate Bush, PJ Harvey...and someone else I can't quite place. I'm glad they list early '90s indie pop as an influence, cos when I listen to them, it's like that hazy summer back in 1995 again, when the cassette in my walkman was always playing some scratchy mix of songs i'd recorded off the radio from Menswear, Echobelly, Gene, Elastica or Suede. A bunch of well known (in Ireland..) music industry people - djs, musicians, record industry types - were asked for their tips for 2006 and The Dirty Sweets were tipped by Jenny Huston, one of the cool indie rock djs on the Irish national airwaves. This is quite an endorsement. Swit swoo!

I found out about them because their new synth player, Leon is from my hometown. I don't really know him, but..There's a well established dancing party that happens in Sligo, called the Funk Up. This one time last summer on the dancefloor, i had requested some Arcade Fire, but the dj was reluctant: "Only about 5 people will dance!" he said. "Yeh, but they'll be 5 great people" i replied. Anyway, Rebellion (Lies) came on, and the only people ripping it up were me and my friend and Leon and his friend..so, he must be alright.

In Other News-

The Future Kings of Spain have told us the names of the songs on their new album! Yay. But like, dudes. Some musical accompaniment to the lovely titles would be wonderful. Anyways, here are the exciting NAMES! Oh wait. I've lost them. Another time then. No, wait here they are.

Chemical Burn
Disappear
Guess Again
Kick In The Teeth
Lost And Found
1981
One More Mistake
Syndicate Our Lives
This Is The End
This Song
You Dream In Solid Gold

Future Kings of Spain are similar to Biffy Clyro, I think, in that they can can make these really sweet, catchy songs with infectious melodies and jangly guitars but also loud, shouty songs with infectious melodies and dirty guitars. The new album is called Nervousystem and the first single to be released will be Disappear . I am excited. They are an amazing band to see play live, I wonder if they'll come to Berlin?

They are also AN IRISH BAND THAT DOESNT SOUND IRISH. Actually now that I think about it, Ash are in this strange little group too. So we have Ash, the Chalets, Future Kings of Spain, The Dirty Sweets.

The Chalets were on Morning Becomes Eclectic! Hooray.

Sad News: My Morning Jacket have had to cancel their gig here at the end of the month. Well, the whole tour has been cancelled. Jim James might have pneumonia.

A new Maximo Park song A19 is kind of boring. It's "not about a girl for once" said Paul. Maybe that's why. Maybe cos it was during a live-from-Spain-broadcast-on-the-internet thing that i heard it on. Regardless, definitely looking forward to hearing more new stuff.

I find it kind of wierd reading music blogs. I only started recently. I mean, I've never relied on them for finding out about new music...Anyway, at themodernage there is a fabulous account of the Editors rocking NY, with fabulous photographs aswell. I'm so jealous and also sad. they are not coming back to Berlin in February as Tom told me. There seems to be a ton of dates here there and everywhere. Except here.

i read a crazy thing the other day. the same producer worked on "Silent Alarm", "A Certain Trigger" "the Futureheads" and "Capture/Release".

Hrm.