Friday, May 06, 2011

Submarine

As everyone knows, I am a sucker for everything that Alex Turner touches... Arctic Monkeys, The Last Shadow Puppets, Alexa Chung. So when I heard he was doing the soundtrack for a movie, I was pretty excited. Then I found out that the movie in question was the first outing as director for Richard Ayoade. For those who are not familiar with Mr. Ayoade's work (The Mighty Boosh, The IT Crowd), I'm sad to report that you are missing out. So here's a taste from The IT Crowd.

The movie in question is entitled Submarine and will be released in the US on June 3rd. While the trailer could easily be compared to films I dislike (Wes Anderson movies, most yuppie indie pablum), knowing that Ayoade is involved and that Turner was also involved makes me think that this will rise above its peers and deliver something special. I'll update with a review once I get a chance to see the film.



The music is definitely above it's peers. As usual, Alex Turner, has made another instant classic. Lyrically interesting, the EP is very stripped down and simple but immensely enjoyable. There is a great sense of melancholy mixed with some fear and tons of emotion that just oozes with teenage angst that seems to fit the subject matter of the film perfectly, but yet can stand on it's own as another great entry in Turner's increasingly glowing CV. See what you think...

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Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Pulled Apart By Horses



One of the few bands I caught in Austin during SXSW Interactive that I had to talk about to everyone within earshot was Pulled Apart By Horses. I caught them at the British Embassy space and they played right after Jonquil, who, for the record, were depressingly boring, painfully twee and indie in all the worst ways. After Jonquil, I considered leaving the venue for fear that the entire lineup would be similarly boring and toothless. But I stayed and was handsomely rewarded with a blistering set of punk rock music. With a sound that recalls mostly 90s grunge and "alternative" greats like Helmet, The Refused and The Jesus Lizard, as well as a touch of McClusky, this quartet know those who came before them and are dutifully standard bearing for all things punk, hardcore, and rock and roll.

But it wasn't just the music that impressed me, PABH also brought that sense of urgency that I look for in all of my music, no matter what the genre. Blowing the entire PA before even finishing their first song, then proceeding to a 30 minute barrage of stage diving, jumping off the stacks, playing in the crowd, jumping on the bar and simply expressing all the rage and fun that punk rock is meant to be, Pulled Apart By Horses prove that the reports of the death of rock music may be greatly exaggerated. Horray for angry youth and misdirected anger!

Pulled Apart By Horses MySpace

Download I Punched A Lion In The Throat from Mad Mackerel

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