Grand Prix Rejects

I quickly became a fan of the melodic death metal band Once Human, featuring legendary metal guitarist Logan Mader (ex-Machine Head) and the beautiful but demonic sounding Lauren Hart on vocals. Their new album is definitely the most anticipated metal release of 2017.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VHA0H8peZ0 song on their upcoming album Evolution called "Eye of Chaos"

I know we've got a couple of New Order fans on the site here, so thought this may be of interest :

Peter Hook discusses his new book - Substance: Inside New Order

He was with the band on and off for 27 years but in his new no-holds-barred account of life in New Order, bass player Peter Hook reveals the backbiting and debauchery of the famous Manchester foursome.

The 60-year-old, who is currently suing the remaining three members of the band, now tours New Order songs under Peter Hook & The Light with his own son, Jack Bates, on bass.

BBC Arts caught up with the legendary Hooky when he was in Glasgow promoting his new book at a special Aye Write! event.

BBC I-Player link here : http://bbc.in/2dWrW4P (Only 5 minutes long though so probably more a plug for the book than anything else) ...

madmark1974 wrote:I know we've got a couple of New Order fans on the site here, so thought this may be of interest :

I kind of love/hate Hooky These Days (get it?). I've no problem with him touring the albums but I'm bored of him slating Barney all the time, it just makes Hooky look like a dick when he does.

That said, I've bought his previous two books and I'll be buying this one too. Sumners book was good but at the beginning he stated he was writing it because he's never really given much of himself away, he was too closed off sometimes. I didn't feel his book did much to change that, to be honest.

So, how about that Bob Dylan feller, eh?

tommykl wrote:So, how about that Bob Dylan feller, eh?

I for one welcome our new poetic overlord.

I just discovered that there's a recording of the Beatles covering the theme from The Third Man, which, if you haven't heard it, is one of the best and most addictive pieces of music ever composed for a film. Odd way for me to get back into listening to them...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f88pCmSHaxc

Just lovely.

Let's lay down a few recommendations...

Tinariwen dropped their latest album a couple of weeks ago, they're a Tuareg blues-rock band for those curious. (and here's a link...)

For any Tame Impala fans out there, I've had this song on repeat over the last month or so, it's just brilliant. Listen with headphones to feel the full effect of Kevin Parker's genius.

Now, this is a band I saw play about six years ago as a support act for Reel Big Fish (yes, yes, I know), and they were really something. Completely forgot about them until I stumbled across them on a journey through Spotify.

To placate our resident Canadians, I've also been listening to Alanis Morrisette, so yeah.

After Ataxia's excellent reccomendations, here's something from the mid noughties. An absolute classic of a song, the composition is truly second to none.

pasta_maldonado wrote:After Ataxia's excellent reccomendations, here's something from the mid noughties. An absolute classic of a song, the composition is truly second to none.

I have never been more crushingly disappointed in my life.

And if we're doing a recommendations thing, I suggest this folk-punk-jazz song that's been stuck in my head for a good three weeks now.

WaffleCat wrote:

pasta_maldonado wrote:After Ataxia's excellent reccomendations, here's something from the mid noughties. An absolute classic of a song, the composition is truly second to none.

I have never been more crushingly disappointed in my life.

You weren't expecting it to be any good were you? I don't think Villeneuve will be surpassed for awfulness until Hamilton finally dropz sum choons innit.

Even James Hunt and his trumpet was better.

CoopsII wrote:James Hunt and his trumpet

That's an interesting euphemism

CoopsII wrote:

WaffleCat wrote:

pasta_maldonado wrote:After Ataxia's excellent reccomendations, here's something from the mid noughties. An absolute classic of a song, the composition is truly second to none.

I have never been more crushingly disappointed in my life.

You weren't expecting it to be any good were you? I don't think Villeneuve will be surpassed for awfulness until Hamilton finally dropz sum choons innit.

Nah...I was legitimately expecting something alright from Pasta's link. Then JV popped up. Then I thought 'Why not give it a listen? Maybe he's not that bad...'

Yep, he is that bad.

And as a side note, the way you said thatt made me imagine Lewis Hamilton doing some grime rapping. I never realized I wanted that in my life, but now I kinda do...

Recently I've been getting into London Grammar, having somehow managed to miss them during the first album cycle. This is their new song Big Picture, and it's really good.

On Ataxia's recommendation, I've also got into Blossoms, and I'm wondering how I managed to miss them last year. Hey ho, making up for lost time.

The Blossoms album was one that I got in a collection of CDs and vinyl (they were all 2016 releases) when I won a competition at the back-end of last year and it was the only one that I was impressed with.

London Grammar nearly passed me by but I saw them perform on a TV show (either Jonathan Ross or Graham Norton, can't remember which) and I was totally blown away. I enjoyed the album very much, and I had no idea that they were back with new material, so thanks for bringing that to my attention!

https://soundcloud.com/user-643859647/mind-clearance-vol-6-the-best-of-the-beatles
You guys like the Beatles, right?

The Kasabian lads are making a bid for Album of the Year. The bassline is just pure

Eurovision 2017: Epic Sax Guy is back, and made it to the finals!

I was really disappointed that Slavko from Montenegro didn't get through - a completely ludicrous performance of a song that wasn't half bad, and it didn't make it whereas Portugal (no discernable tune, baffling performance by a guy who didn't look like he cared about it whatsoever) did!

When I dish out my top 10 albums of a given year, I'll find something else later on which I think is worthy of a mention. So, here's some select releases I missed last year (I'm TOTALLY not procrastinating rn)

Jagwar Ma - Every Now & Then
There's so much on offer with this album that I can't sit and bullshit my way through a description. Just listen to it. Definitely would've been high up on the top 10 had I listen to it...

Kaleo - A/B
Miguel recommended this album, and it's mighty. "Way Down We Go" might be a familiar track to some of you, and if you're a fan of The Black Keys you'll definitely enjoy the bluesy nature of this album. The best Icelandic export since skyr.

DIIV - Is the Is Are
This album took three years for DIIV to put together, and what's emerged is a dreamy, shoegazey soundscape you can lose yourself in. There's also some reverse guitars and reverb in there, if you like those sorts of things.

The Bohicas - The Making Of
Okay, you got me, this was actually a 2015 release. But hell, I love it so much I HAD to share it. Seriously. Gorgeously-danceable blues-influenced rock with riffs that are catchier than chlamydia.

Barbazza wrote:I was really disappointed that Slavko from Montenegro didn't get through

Agreed! I actually voted for Montenegro, the show was fantastic!

CarloSpace wrote:Agreed! I actually voted for Montenegro, the show was fantastic!

Me too, but we Brits traditionally have zero taste in picking songs, and the novelty factor doesn't really help in the semi-finals with not enough people watching other than hardcore fans. It does often help in the final though, as evidenced by that Polish entry with the milkmaids which was dreadful but all the viewers basically went 'LOOK!, TITS!' and placed it first in the Televoting. Fortunately the panel of experts placed it last, the 2 cancelled out and we gave it no points.

Barbazza wrote:that Polish entry with the milkmaids which was dreadful but all the viewers basically went 'LOOK!, TITS!'

I never noticed, I was totally focused on the performance.

CoopsII wrote:

Barbazza wrote:that Polish entry with the milkmaids which was dreadful but all the viewers basically went 'LOOK!, TITS!'

I never noticed, I was totally focused on the performance.

I'm actually not going to lie. I legitimately like that song. Even minus the breasts. I still rap whatever she says in Polish every now and then. It's straight fire.

Spain's dreadful night had a point where almost all spaniards (including me) were hoping for nul points, what have you done, Portugal? we didn't wanted your televoting points, not this year

Even though I avoid Eurovision like a particularly virulent bubonic plague, I have to say I'm curious about this Spanish entry. Was it the kind of bland pap that's designed to be so inoffensive that it offends everyone because of its inoffensiveness, or was it performed as badly as Ashlee Simpson's Super Bowl disaster (yes, I've seen it, and no, my ears will never forget) - or was it Abruptum levels of horrible?

dinizintheoven wrote:Even though I avoid Eurovision like a particularly virulent bubonic plague, I have to say I'm curious about this Spanish entry. Was it the kind of bland pap that's designed to be so inoffensive that it offends everyone because of its inoffensiveness, or was it performed as badly as Ashlee Simpson's Super Bowl disaster (yes, I've seen it, and no, my ears will never forget) - or was it Abruptum levels of horrible?

He was selected on a really corrupt way, as in the national final there was a person on the jury that previously promoted him, he won against other girl (i don't like her song too, but she's the real winner) after a tie that was solved by the jury, where the common sense says it should be solved by the public, after winning, he gave the middle finger to the audience, which was furious against him

And about the song and the performance... just judge yourself https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAOXHdLdlqQ

I didn't think the Spanish entry was particularly good, but for me the worst of the night was....the eventual winner!

I thought it was more of a rambling dirge than an actual song, the guy singing it had no stage presence whatsoever and looked like he was completely disinterested most of the time. Then he gave a really ungracious winner's 'speech' rambling on about how good it is that 'real music' won out. You're in Eurovision mate, no-one cares about that!

My favourite was the Bulgarian song which was the runner-up.

AdrianBelmonte_ wrote:Spain's dreadful night had a point where almost all spaniards (including me) were hoping for nul points, what have you done, Portugal? we didn't wanted your televoting points, not this year

Well it was also Portugal who ruined our plan of ending last on purpose in 1980...

AdrianBelmonte_ wrote:And about the song and the performance... just judge yourself https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAOXHdLdlqQ

...well, it's certainly not Abruptum. I'd take this over any of those Celine Dion-style ballads any day.

I'd be far more inclined to watch Eurovision if there were rather more wacky acts (like Lithuania in 2006, and I was only watching that because Lordi were involved and I had a bet on it... which I lost.)

From the Netherlands, something that may or may not be about an old blue Scot called Dill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVj2k-SqgXE

From Finland, something to get drunk to (which may help with the rest of the acts): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc0sJvtKrRM (also available in Finnish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia39lwHvPCE - actually, it could have any one of a shedload of Korpiklaani's finest drinking songs...)

Meanwhile, Ireland gets in on the act with a drinking song of their own, but is it the Wild Rover, does it reference Guinness... no! This is a hymn to mead WITH ADDED SKYRIM! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCHq0m6 ... HD&index=5

Ze Churmans haf no sense of humour und vill take der Eurovision very seriously. Wörk! Mach musik! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BATX8W9grn0

In Switzerland, they go back to their traditional musical inspiration and give the audience nightmares: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQmQ_HG6laA - no, really, keep watching this until it gets to the 1:40 mark...

Poland cannot into space, and cannot into real musical instruments either, because of not many zloty. But big brother Niemcy dumped some old floppy disk drives and now Poland can into make many tunes. But Poland also cannot into own composition, so here's Game of Thrones: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2CcK3VdmAA

And finally, this is what lies in wait for Scotland if the SNP ever get their way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd_-Bjt30PU

dinizintheoven wrote:I'd be far more inclined to watch Eurovision if there were rather more wacky acts (like Lithuania in 2006, and I was only watching that because Lordi were involved and I had a bet on it... which I lost.)

Those two particular songs remain on my podium of favourite Eurovision songs of all time! (I like novelty acts...)

This wrote:Well it was also Portugal who ruined our plan of ending last on purpose in 1980...

Was that the year that Telex were the Belgian entry? That song was magnificent.

Barbazza wrote:

This wrote:Well it was also Portugal who ruined our plan of ending last on purpose in 1980...

Was that the year that Telex were the Belgian entry? That song was magnificent.

Yes. It seemed Portugal missed the irony of the song and somehow gave them loads of points (it also has to do with the fact that Telex produced the first album of portuguese-belgian singer Lio, though, which is a lesser known fact)

Chris Cornell, the Soundgarden frontman who was later part of the Audioslave "supergroup" has died suddenly at 52.

Godspeed, Chris.

Ataxia wrote:Chris Cornell, the Soundgarden frontman who was later part of the Audioslave "supergroup" has died suddenly at 52.

Godspeed, Chris.

This is one of the "Black Days" in music history. RIP Chris Cornell

Yeah, definitely unexpected and sad. He's not someone whose passing I thought I'd react heavily to, but I suppose that's the old Joni Mitchell line...

Hey guys, I've just released my latest demo, if you would like to listen to it:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLr7KzfaF8F8yNFRMkzVQqVxahZZqwZ82r

Any listening is appreciated, and I'd be really grateful for any feedback at all if you have it Enjoy!

NEW WOLF ALICE

Meanwhile, I'm seriously enjoying London Grammar's new album. Go out and buy it, it's a treat.

East Londoner wrote:NEW WOLF ALICE

Meanwhile, I'm seriously enjoying London Grammar's new album. Go out and buy it, it's a treat.

...and then I go and spoil it all by doing something stupid like plugging my review...