February 2012
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Album Review: Born to Die - Lana Del Rey
This is a bit of a disappointment if I’m honest. I was sold on this girl as soon as I read the ‘Gangsta Nancy Sinatra’ tag last year, her image and what she’s trying to create makes Amy Whinehouse look like a parody. All the Old Hollywood stuff and a bottle of Jim Beam made her very, very cool. The self made videos were part of the charm.
Like so many, the more exposure this lassie gets the...
January 2012
2 posts
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The Return of Ferris?
Just came across this on YouTube, I know it’s probably part of an advertising campaign or something, but there’s always hope…
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Favourite Albums of 2011
2011 hasn’t really been anything special in terms of music. The mainstream continues its decline with more boy bands, ghastly rap/r’nb numbers and ongoing story of a transvestite Madonna impersonator. Whinehouse’s death was without a doubt the biggest music story but dint really trouble me either way. Good music never truly goes away, it just getting harder to find, here’s...
November 2011
2 posts
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Album Review: Bad as Me - Tom Waits
When a new Tom Waits album comes around it rarely fails to disappoint. For nearly 25 years now these releases tend to fall into two categories the stand alone and the sound track. The ‘stand alones’ tend to be the real gems and just as the case with 2004’s Real Gone, 1999’s Mule Varaitions and 1994’s Bone Machine, Bad As Me is no exception. Bad as Me croons, it terrifies at points, its reserved at...
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Scotland's 'Greatest Album'
Here’s some more proof that most folke are idiots. STV’s “Scotland Greatest Album” set out to pick the three best songs from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and 00’s and compile them into what they say would be Scotland’s greatest album. The 12 nominations for each decade would be chosen by a panel of ‘experts’ and the public would have the final say on the three songs to be selected for the final...
October 2011
2 posts
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Cult without a Leader
I don’t like to speak ill of the dead but some of the coverage of the Steve Jobs passing this week portraying him as some sort of godlike genius has been unbearable. Ok he built and created a successful company, but the majority of his products were more exclusive (and expensive) versions of other people’s idea. Bill Gates is cut from the same cloth as Henry Ford, Ford dreamed of a day where...
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Not Happy with We7
I’m completely disgusted with the relaunch of We7. They will tell you it’s to make the site more relevant to the user but don’t believe their lies. The official responses for these changes are as follows:
• First, we believe that a radio with request service is easier for more people to get access to more music without effort - sit back and just enjoy the music. • Secondly, rights holders...
September 2011
2 posts
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Album Review: Last Words: Final Recordings -...
Screaming Trees recorded this in 1998 and is only now just seeing the light of day. Listening to it it’s hard to believe it wasn’t released at the time, even just as just a swansong when the band was coming to an end. Stories of the band failing to find a label might have been something to do with it but these songs are not off cuts, ‘Last Words’ is a completed album.
Mark Lanegan has since gone...
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Album Review: Mirror Traffic - Stephen Malkmus &...
Last years Pavement reunion tour might have been seen as a welcome return by many but in reality it was the same as any other band reunion, making money. There was no new material, not even the slightest mention about reforming officially; it was purely another chance to fleece fans one more time all while pretending they were celebrating some sort of anniversary.
By no surprise this sounds a...
July 2011
3 posts
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Album Review: Several Shades of Why - J Mascis
Dinosaur Jr. front man, J Mascis has released a solo acoustic album and is rather good. Ok this isn’t a massive surprise, Dinosaur Jr. has always been the missing link between Black Sabbath and Neil Young, I suspect he’s always had this album in him.
In this more stripped back setting, Mascis’s voice is really haunting. The usual lyrics of self loathing and despair are given extra force through...
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Remember When They Used to Show Films for People...
Yesterday I had a day off from work and was planning to see a film at the cinema. I didn’t have anything in mind, but hay surely a 16 screen multiplex will have something for everyone? No chance. My choices at the Dunfermline Odeon yesterday were as follows Harry Potter 7 Part 2 (being shown on two screens), Harry Potter 7 Part 2 3D (also being shown on two screens), Tranformers 3,...
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Album Review: With Love from the Men's Room - 50...
50 Foot Wave are a ‘power punk trio’ formed by Throwing Muses lead Kristin Hersh. So far over the period of three EP and an album they’ve managed to produce continuously good rip roaring audio assaults.
First thing to be said is how great a band 50 Foot Wave is. Not because of their top class songs or sound, not even because of their Kristin Hersh legacy. But purely because they give all their...
June 2011
4 posts
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Glastonbury Coverage
So as normal the overly funded BBC has thrown its self styled big names at the 2011 Glastonbury coverage. As the years go on I’ve noticed how hardly any new faces/presenters turn up at these things.
Just to summarise Mark Radcliffe (former Radio1, Radio2 and general bawbag), Zane Lowe (Former Gonzo presenter and Radio 1’s self titled ‘new’ music guru), Jo Whiley (Former booker for the Word,...
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Album Review: Arabia Mountain - The Black Lips
If you’re a fan of bluesy garage rock buy this album. Despite the fact Mark Ronsons’ on production duty, (don’t worry there’s no trumpets or tacky cover versions anywhere in sight) this album is ace. Opener “Family Tree” kicks off perfectly the rip roaring backwoods, guitar fest to come. Spiderman tribute “Spidey’s Curse” is an unexpected gem and the country swagger of “Dumpster Doving”...
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Album Review: Raven in the Grave - The Raveonettes
One of the great things about the Raveonettes is how their style, visual character and identity have stayed the same and if anything will outlive them even when their music dries up. It’s comforting to know that after 10 years the band is still doing what they do. Unlike similar Mary Chain styled band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club the Raveonettes at least still sound like there trying. Raven...
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Album Review: Rolling Blackouts - The Go! Team
The Go! Team are the like the soundtrack to the greatest 70’s TV cop show that was never made. Rolling Black outs might not be in the same league as 2005 masterpiece Thunder, Lightning, Strike but its still a good effort non the less. As always its instrument driven, the influence is all over the place its old school R’n’B, its northern soul, general pop, hell there’s even a bit Sonic Youth...
May 2011
3 posts
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Album Review: Skins - Buffalo Tom
Buffalo Tom might never have been the most fashionable band but their consistent sound and output, make them one of the most enduring bands of the past 20 years. Buffalo Tom was always a bit of a mish-mash of other bands like Dinosaur Jr. and Pavement but has always been capable of producing good songs.
Skins is far more relaxed compared with their early work bad thing. Album highlight for me...
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Job Done! Part 2
Scotland is buzzing from what can only be described as a historic, “emphatic” and sensational SNP victory in the Scottish Parliament election. They are now the first ever party to win a majority in the 12 years of the parliaments existence, managing to beat the system that Labour but in place to ensure they would never be a Nationalist government in place. When I went to bed late on Thursday night...
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Job Done!
After last weeks title deciding Fife Derby it was only a matter of time before we were confirmed as First Division Champions. After last weeks 11,500 sellout crowd watched the Pars beat Raith Rovers 2-1 we only needed a win yesterday to confirm us as champions. So it was we went west to the other side of the country to Greenock where we could be confirmed as Champions.
After last weeks massive...
April 2011
3 posts
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The Best Version of Red Riding Hood
Got to say this Red Riding Hood film looks utter dire. A review I just read in the News of the World seems to confirm it but I’m guessing it will be some sort of commercial success due to its association with the equal dire yet successful Twilight films.
A recommendation though would be to track down the 1996 film Freeway which bases it plot on the Red Riding Hood fairytales only in modern times...
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May 2011 Scottish Parliment Elections
Ok so the Scottish Parliament election is less than a month away and for me there is only one party to vote for, the SNP. When Barrack Obama was elected president, it rightfully was one of the most important events in the history of politics. While not quite on the same level, Scotland electing its first ever Nationalist government four years ago will go down as one of the most important events in...
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Album Review: Dynamite Steps - The Twilight...
This is my first tumblr post for ages, finding time over the past 6 weeks hasn’t been easy with me starting a new job in Edinburgh but I promise to start putting more time aside now that I’m settled in. An album review is an easy way to get back into the swing of things anyway.
The Twilight Singers (nothing to do with the films) is Greg Dulli current band. Much more developed compared to his...
March 2011
2 posts
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Why I Dont Like Elvis
Today we go to Falkirk for the second time this season. We’re not playing well; personally I think we’ve blown any chance of winning the league this season. But leaving that aside today’s game inst about winning the league (although maximum points would help) it’s about beating them. As a Dunfermline fan, I don’t like Falkirk, their manky fans or their dickhead manager. They are by far in a...
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Album Review: Yuck - Yuck
Last year Dinosaur Pile-Up brought out an album clearly born of the 90’s alt-rock scene, Yuck have taken a similar approach with there debut only looking to the more ‘slacker’ elements of this period. Pavement, Buffalo Tom, Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr. are all over this album. Hell the song ‘Operation’ could have been made by Pavement with it chugging guitars and feedback effects. I don’t have a...
February 2011
2 posts
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CSS Zen Garden Submission
This is my submission for the CSS Zen Garden. If you don’t know the drill they provide you with an XHTML page and designers are only allowed to edit the CSS to style the design. The idea is to demonstrate the powerful styling that can be achieved using CSS. I decided to go with an Old Western theme to make thing more interesting. Additional images were created using Adobe Photoshop and...
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Farewell to the White Stripes
Just heard the White Stripes have called it a day. What a great and enduring band they have been, so simple it’s brilliant. No fancy or self indulgent guitar effects just good old fashioned blues. Although the past couple of album have lacked their original magic, they were a band always vital and always worth a listen. And I will be eternally grateful to them for turning me on to the Gun Club...
January 2011
4 posts
1 tag
League Deconstruction
Over the last month the main talking point in Scottish football has been league reconstruction. The SPL bigwigs seem to think the way to go is to reduce the number teams from the already small number of 12 to 10. We have the Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager Terry Butcher to thank for coining the phrase league deconstruction.
Every fan poll shows either 90% or 95% of fans are against the...
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(Pointless) Thunderbirds Remake
They’re supposedly making a new series of Thunderbirds in CGI. Now to start with when I was wee I loved Thunderbirds, even though it was made 30 years before I was born, it didn’t matter I like most kids still enjoyed it. The Gerry Anderson programmes (Thunderbirds, Stingray and Captain Scarlet) along with Aardman (Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run, Creature Comforts and Morph) are unique in both...
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Biffy Clyro Make the 5th Round Draw
Tedious FM rockers Biffy Clyro made the draw for the Scottish Cup 5th round today. As far as I can tell Biffy picked the home teams and Clyro picked the away ones. I’m unsure whether to love them or hate them for this draw. On one hand they gave my team a tricky away tie, on the other they delighted fans of all “diddy” clubs by drawing a Rangers/Celtic tie early in the tournament. I find it...
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The Greatest Albums You've Never Heard
I bought the NME yesterday for the first time in years because they’re doing a New Years special titled the “100 Greatest Albums (You Never Heard Of)”. The criteria for selection seemed to be flexible in terms of the albums included. In general terms the album might come from a lesser known band or by established band that had an album overlooked at the time. So after having a browse through there...
December 2010
9 posts
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Favourite Albums of 2010
No 1. Kristin Hersh – Crooked Another on form album combing the best of Hersh’s acoustic and electric sounds. Lyrically sound and was an inspired move to release the album as a book (a music industry first). Bring on next years Throwing Muses album! No 2. Dan Sartain – Lives I get the feeling that the Rockabilly/Country/Blues sound of Sartain is really starting to mature. Not that his previous...
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Christmas Presents
I got a decent collection of presents for Christmas this year. 1. Creative Zen MP3 Player (Awesome!) 2. Flight of the Concords DVD 3. Web Designers Idea Book: Volume 2 4. Ferrari Aftershave (Also Cool!) 5. Bottle of Grouse 6. A Big Lebowski book
I seem to get the same bad presents every year. Chocolate liqueurs are rank, I don’t know anyone who likes them. Baufing beyond belief! On a similar...
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Favourite Films of 2010
No 1. Hot Tub Time Machine The kind of comedy that could have been made 25 years ago. John Cusack and Co get transported back in time to the 1980’s while using a hot tub. A thoroughly enjoyable and funny film with a great comic cast (the Chevy Chase cameos works really well). It’s just a shame they don’t make more films like this anymore.
No 2. The Crazies Zombie type film where a small band of...
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The Worst Gig Ever?
I got this Hogmanay advert in the post today. Headlining Stirling Castle will be Darius Campbell (Danesh), Wagner from the X-Factor and a Scottish themed Madness tribute band. I’ve thought about it and don’t think I’ll be able to make it!
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A Farewell to Captain Beefheart
Captain Beefheart, one of the most unique performers in the history of music passed away yesterday. The Captain’s music mixed rock, blues and jazz to create some very original stuff. Along with his backing group The Magic Band, they were just as much a forerunner to punk as both the Stooges and the MC5. Although he didn’t record anything new for the last 30 years of his life, his music will live...
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30 Seconds Too Early
Here’s my ticket for the half time draw at the football last night, the winning ticket number was 22469. If only I had arrived 30 seconds later. ARRRRRAAAAHHHHHH!!!! I’ll never come as close to winning it ever again.
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The 12 (Alternative) Days of Christmas
Everybody hates the staples of Christmas music played everywhere this time of year. Here are 12 alternatives to the usual crap, no Slade, Wizard, Shakin’ Stevens or Wham allowed. Enjoy!
1. Run Rudolph Run - Lemmy, Billy Gibbons and Dave Grohl
2. Santa Claus – The Sonics
3. All I want for Christmas is a Dukla Prague Away Kit – Half Man Half Biscuit
4. Santa Claus, Go Straight to the Ghetto -...
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The Funny Side of the Weather & Game On!
I find it really bizarre that in the past week, two of YouTube’s biggest hits are about Fifers being affected by the snow. OK its freak weather that we don’t get that often, but come on!
Meanwhile, our game with Queen of the South is on today after many fans volunteered to clear the pitch over the past two days. Finally we’ll get a game after three weeks of snow and referee strikes....
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Father Jack MSP, Minister for Transport
Still serious weather issues across Scotland for a second week now. The guy in charge of making sure travel continues is the Stewart Stevenson MSP the Scottish Transport Minister. One of the funnier things to come out of the weather nightmare is a great look-alike. It appears motorways, major roads and airports are not being looked after by Stewart Stevenson, but Father Jack Hackett from classic...
November 2010
8 posts
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It's Still November
It’s not even December and we already have way too much snow! Severe weather warnings in place for Fife, Perth & Kinross and the Lothians. Roads blocked, airports shut, football matches canceled and drunken revellers dieing on the street. Plus the usual over-excited parent getting seriously injured while sledging. The beginnings of another shite winter in sunny Scotland.
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Best Special Effect Ever
Christine is based on a Stephen King book about a supernatural car that comes to life to protect and influence its teenage owner. Directed by John Carpenter, it still looks great considering it came out in 1983. It also includes my favourite special effect sequences used on film. It’s even better than Scanner’s “exploding head” and Casino’s “head in a vice” scenes.
No CGI needed, its...
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My Favourite Last.fm Groups
Last.fm is great for music in general. The discussions created in their forums are a must for any music fan. More or less every band has one of their own but what about the more obscure, leftfield ones aimed at music fans. Below are some of my favourite Last.fm groups and taglines.
1. People Against Rap And Similar Crap For those who don’t like rap or similar crap. 2. For Those Who Probably...
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Review: Growing Pains - Dinosaur Pile-Up
This came out a last month but only just got it. On paper Dinosaur Pile-Up is the kind of band I love, garage guitar band inspired by the likes of Nirvana and the Pixies. The similarity in name to another of my favourites Dinosuar Jr. helps as well. Others have tried this sort of revival before like Nine Black Alps, so you have to take each on a case by case basis. Most songs on the album have a...
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The Sound of Jackass
I’m really not a fan of Jackass; the only highlight for me is the theme song. “Corona” by the Minutemen deserves far more credit than it actually gets. As does the Minutemen (who along side Husker Du and the Meat Puppets), probably did more than any other to change the face of both punk and indie music. The Minutemen were one of the great bands on SST Records in the early 80’s. They mix in jazz,...
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A Comedy Legend
Christopher Lloyd is one of the great unsung heroes of comedy. As much as I love “Back to the Future”, “The Adams Family” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”, Lloyd’s best role has got to be Jim Ignatowski in Taxi. Reverend Jim is a 60’s burnout living in his own world; the other cabbies even help him pass a driving test. Lloyd steals nearly every scene, which isn’t easy considering Taxi also starred...
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Will Aberdeen Sack Another Manager?
Mark McGhee is clearly on slide, some of his comments are ludicrous and his temperament is bordering on insane. Results are getting worse; yesterdays 9-0 defeat at Parkhead is the worst in both the history of Aberdeen and the SPL. According to the papers yesterday he has one last shot to save his job, beat Inverness Caledonian Thistle tonight or be sacked. Two years ago, this guy was in line to be...
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Is Due Date a remake?
Just read a review of Due Date and its basic plot outline. From wikipedia it reads as follows.
Peter (Robert Downey, Jr.) discovers he is on the no-fly list and needs to get back home for his child’s birth. Aspiring actor Ethan (Zach Galifianakis) offers to take him there, but along the way, chaos ensues and a simple road trip turns into a nightmare for Peter.
Now forgive me here but this...
October 2010
4 posts
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Leadbelly Covers
I was thinking the other day there’s all these great cover versions of Leadbelly songs, but I don’t really like the original versions. I think the guy’s singing style more than anything puts me off, but I can still admit that he was a genius in song writing terms. So here’s my top five Leadbelly covers. 1. Where Did You Sleep Last Night – Nirvana 2. John Hardy – The Gun Club 3. Ain’t It a...
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The Bored Network?
I don’t care what the reviews say, it doesn’t matter how good the film actually is, “The Social Network” will never be as good as “Hackers” and “The Net”.
Where “The Social Network” is based on true events and the outcome is known. “Hackers” and “The Net” were both released in 1995 and both set up elaborate action thriller style storylines. Now don’t get me wrong the plotlines for both films are...
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Review: Sex with an X – The Vaselines
“Sex with an X” is the Vaselines first album in 20 years and I have to say it’s a surprisingly good effort. If you haven’t heard of the Vaselines they are a Scottish IndiePop/C68 band and probably most famous for being Kurt Cobain’s favourite band (three Vaselines covers at least by Nirvana). The band maintains there melodic and twee pop sounds but have definitely matured as musicians over the...