The State of Indie Rock

With a shout-out to Carrboro, no less. And yes, it took me a few trips into Carrboro to work out exactly where Cat’s Cradle was, as I didn’t believe what the map was telling me…

currently playing: Radiohead – My Iron Lung

ALSO!

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There is so much joy in these two images. I can't wait....

currently playing: The Royal We – All The Rage

Buy Me Things!

THIS IS AWESOME.

BUY ME! BUY ME! BUY ME!

currently playing: Imogen Heap – Clear The Area

Midnight Opening

As Simon rightfully points out, the best part of Radiohead’s release strategy is that it’s brought back a touch of mystique. Normally, we’re assaulted by a barrage of interviews, selective tracks previewed on Pitchfork, followed by a leak of the album’s contents, anywhere from a month to six months away from a physical CD release.

"Our new album is out in ten days."

Today, then, was the great leveller; the media experiencing for the first time as we did, getting our emails at six in the morning and downloading the 160k MP3 tracks from their webserver. And perhaps it shows once again how far the NME are behind the curve, fighting a pointless battle to try and relive 1977:

He added: It wasn't even the music necessarily, it was the thought that went into the Sex Pistols that was important. But buying the single will at least be the first step to realising that for anyone who doesn't know the band's history or legacy.

Is that really what they've come to? I understand that every ex-NME reader has to go through a process of dismissing the paper after they stop buying it (though I do recognise that the period that I bought it was far from a golden age), but really? We have to buy the record to understand their legacy? How punk.

Anyway, In Rainbows. It's still settling in, I have to say. It's sparse where Hail To The Thief is dense, warm where Kid A is cold. Zigs where it should zags. But still Radiohead. Even if they have added some laughter (sampled, obviously).

A full review, however, seems pointless. Go over to the site and download it for yourself.

currently playing: Belle And Sebastian – Expectations

There Is A City In The Distance. And Kylie Is Driving Towards It

Paul Morley talks about In Rainbows. By which, I mean, that Paul Morley talks about In Rainbows.. Meaning, Paul Morley talks about In Rainbows.

currently playing: Radiohead – Weird Fishes/Arpeggi

Join Usssssss…

Buy yourself a turtle-necked sweater at the door!

currently playing: Radiohead – A Wolf At The Door (It Girl. Rag Doll)

Shamelessly Stolen From Kieron

The new single from The Indelicates. How we used to live indeed...

currently playing: Bloc Party – Flux

One of the downsides…

…of a postal strike is that on Wednesday, I may drown in an avalanche of Amazon-related parcels. Still, up the workers and all that ;).

currently playing: Tindersticks – I Know That Loving

Pop Songs Your New Boyfriend Is Too Stupid To Know About

Can’t read a word of it, but possibly the greatest title for an MP3 blog I’ve ever seen.

And look what their choice for today is. YEAH! YEAH!

Standing Down For The Man

I think it’s quite apposite that John Harris’s defence of record companies appeared alongside reports of the RIAA’s victory over Jammie Thomas. It’s rather hard to dredge up any sympathy for a group of companies that have inflicted a $220,000 fine on a person for sharing 24 songs (monetary value from iTunes: $23.76. It’s also worth noting that she got away lightly - if it was determined that she was sharing the files ‘wilfully’, she could have been liable for a fine of $150,000 per song). Especially when, during the course of the trial, they attempted to deny the existence of the space-shifting precedent defined in RIAA vs. Diamond Multimedia.

And really? The Klaxons and Kasabian as art over the marketing department? Sure, they're not exactly Rihanna in sales-stakes, but neither are they Disco Inferno. Kasabian are exactly sort of Britpop-revival-by-numbers band that bumps up a record company's figures, aren't they?

I'm not going to deny that record companies can be very helpful to a band (I'm a Factory fanatic, after all). I just don't think the current giants are good examples of this tradition. When even Kelly Clarkson has trouble getting her album released, there's something wrong in the Big 5 (or is it 3 now? Sony-BMG-Universal, EMI, and…Warners, I guess?)

Anyway, make mine a 99!

KLF – Justified and Ancient (Make mine a '99')