2008/10/21

Pretenders new album review. New York times.


The title of “Boots of Chinese Plastic,” which leads off the Pretenders’ new album, “Break Up the Concrete” (Shangri-La), alludes to Bob Dylan’s “Boots of Spanish Leather,” but the song’s propulsive rhythm and surreal lyrics mark it as a close cousin to another Dylan song, “Tombstone Blues.” In just over two and a half minutes, the lead singer and songwriter, Chrissie Hynde, touches on everything from reincarnation to the global marketplace to the difficulties of ethical living. The next song, “The Nothing Maker,” supplies some yin to go with the yang: it’s a ballad about a lover whose greatest asset seems to be his lack of creative ambitions, sung with a dreaminess that may be concealing a deeper venom.

“Break Up the Concrete” is the first album of new material from the Pretenders since “Loose Screw,” in 2002, and while that record found the band going for a seductive reggae vibe, this time the charge is straightforward roots rock. For years, the Pretenders have been a band in name only, consisting of a bunch of young hired hands doing the bidding of Hynde and, usually, the founding drummer, Martin Chambers. This time, Chambers is absent, though his replacement—the session veteran Jim Keltner—is a great deal more than capable. That’s true of the entire band, in fact: the English guitarist James Walbourne, the pedal-steel player Eric Heywood, and the bassist Nick Wilkinson. The punky “Don’t Cut Your Hair” blasts first and asks questions later; “Almost Perfect” steals along with a lovely tiptoe movement.

The band’s enthusiasm is easy to understand; Hynde has written a superb set of songs here. Her persona is largely the same as it was on the band’s 1979 début, which is to say that it is tough and smart and confident and questioning and vulgar and philosophical and energetic and weary all at once. The songs gain immediacy through direct address (“Don’t Cut Your Hair,” “You Didn’t Have To,” “Rosalee”), and the exceptions tend to be irresistible pop songs like “Love’s a Mystery,” in which Hynde employs a slightly elevated class of moon-June-spoon rhymes (morning/warning, mystery/history), but with the added benefit of context, sensibility, wisdom, and her nearly undiminished upper register. The title song, a rough sequel to “My City Was Gone,” is an environmental anthem that doesn’t see conservation as passive, or even particularly nonviolent: Hynde’s idea of caring for the planet involves destroying what’s been built by industry, with impunity (“thwack it, crack it, lineback it / break up the concrete”), and chronicling the assault with a Bo Diddley beat. (New York Times)



2008/10/16

Dr House, a MOD?


"In italian scooters and upper drugs we trust"?

House, season 5, episode 3, talking about three meds:

"It's like a gang of MODS, you CAN'T stop them"... lol.

Mods rule everywhere! :)

2008/10/13

Weller Amsterdamned... Art work by Manu.



Thanx a lot to the taper and original uploader on Dime, to René who made it available too.
It's Flac files.
If you're in trouble to burn flac files, just look "Flac plug in Nero" to find the solution with Nero. If you want to convert it as MP3, look for any converter '"Convert flac to mp3" in Google too. You'll find it. Ask if you need help.

Amsterdam? Just listen and feel the fire. Nothin' to add... Listen the crowd at the end of the gig...
Its not splitted archive, you can unzip every part of the show separately.

Part one
Part two
Part three
Part four



82/08, 26 years ago, the Clash at Shea Stadium...

The Roaring Clash, ready for the battle, were opening that night, 13 rd October 1982, for The Who. The show is amazing and it's a great great live LP. Usually I don't like live LP (greatest hits with a crowd sound, but this one is a great testimony of The Clash Live)...


2008/10/12

Ian S. Loves Tristan Prettyman... Worth a listen...


I've never been one to analyse music so when i talk about Tristan Prettyman it's about how the music makes me feel rather than she's a singer-songwriter from San Diego with folksy/blues leaning mixed with country and that laid back California feeling ( ok now you know ! ).
To me the music intimate and involving. As with the very best songwriter's she is able to articulate feelings and moments which are very clearly her own but become personal to you when you listen. Songs like Madly and Hello are particular favourites of mine which you can hear streamed on her myspace site.She also writes very catchy pop songs and the latest album Hello...x is very accomplished and successful.
If you want to know more go here or here or indeed here Tristan allows taping of her concerts and for those concerts to made available online so if you go to her main website and the music tab you will be able to download some live stuff for free to see if you like it.
As always if you like it buy some music or if you don't pass it on to someone you think might like it.

2008/10/10

The Badge's Tenth anniversary. A gift from the boys!


It's been 10 years since the band (and fellow Splinterites) The Badge broke onto the scene.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the release of the band's first album Digital Retro on October 9th, The Badge are preparing a deluxe version that will include live versions, demos, early versions and mixes and unreleased tracks. But as a special thank you to the Splinters family - which has been so supportive over the years - The Badge have made the original version of Digital Retro available for FREE DOWNLOAD.

Produced by Jeff Slate with Jon Spurney, Christopher Ruth and Alex Alexander.

Engineered by Jeff Slate, Scott Anthony, Jon Spurney and Christopher Ruth.
Additional engineering by Bob Stander and Julian Harris.

Recorded on 4 tracks at ...digital retro... studios (nyc).
Additional recording at Dessau Recording Studio (nyc),
SpurnSound (nyc), Treehouse Recording (nyc), World Studio (nyc),
Avalon (douglaston, ny) and Chris's home studio (new london, ct).

"My Dolly" from tracks originally produced by Simon Townshend.
Executive producer Pete Townshend in association with Kardana
Productions. Additional backing vocals and rhythm guitar by
Simon Townshend. Hammond organ by Josh Phillips-Gorse.

"Watching Rainbows" contains a sample of "Happy Together"
by The Jam. "Love Is Gone" contains a sample of "Dance To
The Music" by Sly & the Family Stone.



And here's the new single:

The Badge - King Without a Country - Single

2008/10/08

Weller and The Floyd...

Thanx for thanking!

Just kiddin', it's actually worst and worst... Got more than 100 downloads a day but no one or just the usual gentlemen thank and I know it's the same for Fredd. Can't really understand it. Okay, I'm doin' this for the sake of being creative and happy but I don't know if we're a community or an illusion of community. Every one here seems to dislike that horrible selfish moneymakers world but act exactly the same way. Rubbish... and unfair. Just became a Self(ish) service... Wasn't my project when I began. Have to deal with...

2008/10/06

Amsterdam / Brussels 1/0


Brussels 20.40...



'Dam 20.34

The Amsterdam's gig was obviously better than the Amsterdam's one, where Paul was really at his best. I saw him three times in Brussels and every time, I felt he was a bit under the usual level of passion he can reach when he's on fire... Check the set list and find the clue... ;) Maybe just a joke...


In Paradiso

You can check yet the youtube channel and find many videos of the saturday's gig.



Thanx a lot to the uploader! (Zeekraii).

Top gig, one of my Weller's favourites.

2008/10/05

Moke? "Fucking smashing tunes!" Paul Weller.



Moke is the support band for Paul... Saw them yesterday in Amsterdam and will make a review but i'm a little bit over tired today to think! :)

Live on Youtube


Audio Samples on their Website

2008/10/02

Friday and Saturday in Wellerland!

Special Dedication to Magic Wigzy who made Bournemouth Happen in May.


Hope we'll meet some Splinterites in Brussels tomorrow! And... Saturday in Amsterdam! :)

Jean-Christophe, Niels Petersen, Simon Cooper, Jon Abnett, Andy K, Jan Noorda...etc. Wear your Splinters' badge! :)

Wizard Jean-Christophe and myself.