N°72 BAND OF HORSES - IS THERE A GHOST

Series 30, episode 7 of Later with Jools Holland (Harlem is actually a city in The Netherlands) was filled with Beirut, KT Tunstall, Martin Simpson, The Ting Tings, Mutya Buena, Gabriela Cilmi and .... Band of Horses off course. So there's your link.

Now who are Band of Horses?  They're a five piece (originally four) American indie band originating from Seattle and they started out in 2004 as the warming up band for Iron and Wine. A year later they released their first EP named after the band followed in that same year by a full album called Everything All The Time. This album only contains almost all the songs from the previously released EP and the first song of the album is actually titled The First Song.Some of the EP songs were renamed and re-recorded though. The First Song would not be the first single ever to be released since that would be the single The Funeral. At first I wanted to pick this song but then again they performed Is There a Ghost on Jools' show so I changed my mind about the posted song. I'd check it out on youtube though.

Is There A Ghost is actually their first single from their second album Cease to Begin which was released two years after Everything All The Time. In Belgium I guess this was their biggest hit and thus they were invited to Pukkelpop in 2010. I didn't go and watch them but I can remember we'd be hanging around the Marquee stage while they were playing and they were pretty good. They toured around Europe that year playing a few big festivals and doing the warmups for Snow Patrol and Pearl Jam.

After the release of Infinite Arms, their third album, in 2010 they got nominated for a Grammy award but didn't win it unfortunately. Again they were able to tour Europe on different festivals and that year they'd play Werchter. They love Belgium and Europe I guess and they're also loved for doing wqarm ups for big bands such as Foo Fighters and King of Leon. If that last band doesn't cancel tours that is.

Anyway here's the last song for 2011 but there will be more in 2012. Happy New Year !!!

N°71 BEIRUT - EAST HARLEM

From the South to the East and more specific East Harlem performed by Beirut; a New York, indie folk band.

Zach Condon founded the band in 2006 when using music samples collected on a road trip throug the Balkans in Europe. These samples were the foundations of the first Beirut album called Gulag Orkestar and the complete album was mixed in Zachary's bedroom. Only for the live performances a few of his friend wouls join him on stage to play his music and the soloproject became a real band.

Alos the second album found it's influences in Europe and this time France would be the link for the complete album. For example: on this album you'll find the fantastic song Nantes which I couldn't use yet into my links. His influences would not only be French chansonniers such as Jacques Brel or Gerard Lenormand but also French movies as you can here on that same single called Nantes. The album does not have a French name but is called The Flying Club Cup.

In between their first and second CD a few EP's were released such as Lon Gisland and Elephant Gun but i've chosen the first single of this year's album; which is Beirut's third album called The Rip Tide. This album is released and produced under Zachary Cordon's own private label Pompeii Records.Again influences from France, the Balkans and Mexico were the base for the songs but critics think of this album as a bit more poppy than all previous releases. Another difference from previous albums is that this album is finally recorded by the complete band as a whole instead of being different tracks put together in a studio.

I hope you'll like it.

N°70 TARYN SOUTHERN - COFFEE MAKES ME POO

Yeah I'm serious, THIS SONG EXISTS !!!!!!! Hahahahaha.

First of all the link is Illy because that's a brand of coffee machines. It's as simple as that. Now let's hope Illy will make me rich for this little bit of advertising. Wishfull thinking I know.

Second of all. Who the fuck is Taryn Southern? She's American, she's a singer and actress but also a comedian and a song like this helps for that job for sure. She better known for participating American Idol in season 3 although I'm pretty sure she didn't make it to the finals with songs like this one.

In 2007 Taryn decided to make a song and video clip to support Hillary Clinton in her pursuit to the White House. Again a funny song. Just watch and listen on Youtube. She also made a nine episode documentary called Project My World and particpated smaller roles in different tv-shows of which Rules of Engagement is the best known. At the moment she's hosting the American X-Factor show.

Not much more to write about Taryn. Maybe we'll hear from her again and maybe we won't.  Who knows but anyway if you like a cup of coffee in the morning sure know it makes some people poo !!! Below also a 'cute' picture of her.

N°69 ILLY - CIGARETTES

Camel is a brand of cigarettes so I've been looking on youtube for a song with a title linked to cigarettes. I found a few interesting yet already thinking about the next song I had to choose for a song of less quality. It's supposed to be a rap song with an R&B mix but to me it's just one big mistake song. I'm obviously not an Illy fan. But who is he?

Illy is an Australian hip hopper who too his baby showbizzsteps in Crooked Eye but he went solo in 2009 with a first album called Long Story Short. Long story short: He made a second album this year on which the above song appears. That album is called The Chase. It made number 25 in Australie but if he wants to chase the top flight in the music buisiness he need  to upgrade his songs. Yeah well that was it. Next song will be better. I promise.

N°68 SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE SKIDS - CAMEL WALK

First of all I'd like to say I'm not going to maintain the wednesday-Saturday routine anymore. Apparantly I'm not keeping it up properly and that's why I'm going for the freestyle routine now and post a next track whenever I want. Off course I'll try and update on a regular basis but I'll be more free whenever I don't find the time or do'nt feel like posting anything. Sorry folks.

Anyway. Didn't like the previous song very much and I'd like to howl at it as wolves do to a full moon. That is why the next song is perfect in tie with the Duck Sauce one since there's howling on it. Yeah baby !!! It's a son which I got to know recently on my favourite Belgian music station of Studio Brussel and I incorrectly thought it was a very recent song from a very recent band. NOT !

Southern Culture of the State or shortened to SCOTS are an American band founded in 1983 by Dave Hartman, Mary Huff and Rick Miller and they bring a happy, funny type of rockabilly unique surf sound of music. Their debut album in 1985 was called Voodoo Beach Party and that kind of says it all. Their music is a party. Anywhere, everywhere.The breakthrough came almost fifteen years later in 1998 when releasing the album Dirt Track Date which apparantly sold millions of copies around the world. This album contains the song I'm posting here and my guess is it's their best known song as well. (although I didn't knew before last week ...). In between this period of time they released more albums with titles such as Too Much Pork for Just One Fork and the EP Girlfight.

What catches the eye is that the band kept going back to producing different EP's and full albums at the same time.Eg. In 1995 they released the album with the song Camel Walk as described above but two years later they release an EP called Camel Walk which caught on so the single became a world wide succes. A bit strange but it works for them apparantly. They're last album dates from last year and is called Zombified which again is a rework from an eight track, Australian only released  EP, from 1998. The new album is completed with 5 additional songs and is finally worthy to be called an album.

To finish this blog up I can say SCOTS are tolerant towards filming and taping their music and live performances and they like to have their fans come on stage and dance with them. Also they're known for throwing fried chicken and banana pudding in the audience during live gigs. You'd better not wear your sunday suit when going to on of their concerts.

Enjoy.