Showing posts with label The Presets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Presets. Show all posts

Sound Relief Sydney 2009

1 comments Posted by TwoBears at 11:23 AM


Sound Relief at the historical SCG will be remembered for the rain, the good times and the return but most of all it will be tattooed as a proud day in Australian history as a day where the Australian spirit again shone so brightly. This review will focus on the music but Sound Relief was a day, which honoured and remembered the victims & heroes of the Victorian Bushfires and Queensland Floods. If you still haven’t donated please donate just a little, Fires & Floods. 


Coldplay were the first of 14 acts to shake the SCG.  The crowd were slow to arrive typically fashionably late Sydney style, and those inside at kickoff were treated to a stadium sized version of ‘Yellow’ complete with giant yellow balloons which have been seen at every Coldplay concert recently but seemed to add an extra special feel to the day. 

Coldplay would churn out ‘Clocks’ a historical duet with Australian music’s godfather John Farnham ‘You’re the Voice’ before finishing with a remarkable and epic version of ‘Fix You’.  This felt so suitable to a day that to many could have been such a raw experience. 



Wolfmother returned on perhaps no bigger stage then the SCG next. They would roll out each hit ‘Joker & Thief’, ‘Colossal’ & ‘Woman’ but opened with a superb new tune which will hopefully hear a full studio version of very soon.

The mid-afternoon was a mixed bag. We saw the Hoodoo Guru’s showcase classic Aussie rock with a fine greatest hits collection while Little Birdy returned to the spotlight after time away. While I found these guys to be spectacularly boring, the crowd seemed to peeter out of the arena while they were on to. 

Architecture in Helsinki were next to shake and rattle the SCG and I was incredibly impressed with these guys. I had given them a bad wrap for a long time, just ask CB. AIH put on a spectacular show including a choreographed dance, which was nice to see a band going the extra mile to add a touch of joy to their performance. They busted out That Beep, ‘The Whirlwind’ and other staples from the AIH catalogue, a thoroughly enjoyable 30 minutes which will hopefully see them take the next step.

You Am I & Josh Pyke hit the stage mid afternoon but no one seemed to care too much but both delivered solid sets, You Am I maybe a little too rowdy for such a day one might think.

Taylor Swift swaggered on stage and just about every girl 21 and under screamed their hearts out, it’s a surprise the SCG didn’t shatter. I couldn’t tell you one song she played, cause its not really my scene but she seemed to go down a treat.

As the sun went down and the skies darkened over the SCG, Eskimo Joe returned to the stage with some new material and some old favourites, this Bear only really caught ‘Black Fingernails Red Wine’ which was a corker but the rest didn’t seem too interesting. Sorry Joe. Jet was perhaps the most unanticipated return of the day but for me definitely the most interesting. They smashed out every classic in their catalogue, whole two albums, but it made for a truly wild 45 minutes under lights at the SCG. Who would have ever thought you would be in the middle of the SCG surrounded by thousands of people with Jet on stage?

Toni Collete would introduce the minute of silence which for the most part was successful, its such a shame that the lads cant hold their beer and have to be so disrespectful while showing of to their mates. Kylie would step on stage in Melbourne and sing a spine tingling version of ‘I Still Call Australia Home’ which was broadcast to us via giant video screens side of stage, with followed by a video from Prince William & Harry sending their condolences.  Kinda odd I know. The most spectacular and special musical moment of the day belonged to the Presets.  As they stepped on stage mother nature, obviously a huge fan, decided to send down a massive thunder and lighting storm which lit up the SCG, this was followed by torrential rain which made the show even better. You had to experience this to believe how amazing this was, dancing in the middle of the SCG surrounded by lighting, booming thunder, and rain that soaked you to the bone, it was special and simply awesome. The moment the Presets finished myself and CB left, the whole getting home and being dry seemed a little bit more exciting than Barry Gibb (no disrespect Barry if your reading this) . Bravo Sound Relief.

Sound Relief was special, it was a day where the lads & ladettes were present but respectfully (most of the time) they managed to tone their behaviour down and everyone embraced the spirit of the day. It was a day of celebration and relief but also one of respect and mourning, this was done subtly and throughout the whole day there was no suggestions or thoughts of donations (apart from the price of our tickets) and the bands brought their best on a whims notice.

Till next time

VB & CB!

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VB's Top 10 Songs of 2008

0 comments Posted by TwoBears at 4:55 PM

Welcome back, so CB did alright picking some of the top songs of the year, here a are mine. 

I think its safe to say my picks got crushed , anyway , its always a good day hanging out and listening to the countdown.


1.     Booka Shade  - Charlotte – (Didn’t make top 100)

2.     Chemical Brothers  -  Midnight Madness - (Didn’t make top 100)  

3.     Cold War Kids - Something is Not Right With Me  - (38)

4.     Franz Ferdinand - Lucid Dreams  - (Didn’t make top 100)

5.     Kings Of Leon - Sex on Fire  - (1)

6.     Ladyhawke - Paris is Burning – (26)

7.     MGMT - Electric Feel – (2 )

8.     Presets -  Yippyo  - (56)

9.     Sparkadia - Too Much To Do - (Didn’t make top 100)

10.   Ting Tings - Not My Name -  (9)


Feel free to post any comments if you think our choices were totally absurd! .. or if you agree !

VB

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VB's Top 10 Albums of 2008 Part 2

0 comments Posted by TwoBears at 9:29 PM

5: Booka Shade - The Sun & Neon Light

The 3rd album of Booka Shade’s short but prolific career is their best. They have grown and changed into a complete outfit. The Sun & Neon Light is their maturation. Incredibly atmospheric it exists just before sunrise in the pre-dawn light, hazy, moody and relaxed. It lies strongly within the electronic music genre but it has the depth of a folk album. Its beyond a storming dance floor stormer, it has life and actually invokes more then just euphoria.

The Sun & neon Light has been compared by many as Booka’s attempt to be Depeche Mode. I couldn’t disagree more. It has the melancholy, sombre atmosphere I’ve never heard before in any electronic release, while retaining in some tracks a stomping rhythm (‘Charlotte)’. I struggle to describe this album anything more then a complete emotional, album by a duo filled with melody. Whatever it is it filled many nights of mine and I think its worth a real solid listen.

Booka Shade - Control Me
Booka Shade - Dusty Boots


4: The Killers - Day & Age

Only a very recent release from the Americans but this album could almost be a best of. Its as if it combines all the best elements from their first releases, the glittery electropop/rock and then slide off the shoulder their best dress and reveal just a little more- a glimpse into their future. The coolest aspect of this album is The Killers ability to take a chance and for that chance to pay off – aka the Caribbean rhythms scattered amongst this album & opening bars of the album featuring horns!!!. Human was the first single and perhaps the best because it leads the album off with a bang, the energy so lacking from Sam’s Town.

For The Killers it’s a brand new day but there’s still so many more listeners to conquer and win over yet, this is definitely one of my favourite and more most enjoyable albums of the year.

The Killers - Joy Ride
The Killers - A Crippling Blow


3: Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

If you haven’t heard of this album by now, just heard of it, you must have been living under a rock …… or listening to delightful commercial radio. As such pretty there isn’t much left to say about this album except like a Beach Boys, Beatles, Coldplay or any folk album its easy to listen to and easy to get into.

It’s full of lush warm melodies and it’s a pleasure to listen to. Nothing else to say. Go out , get it and thank me later.

Fleet Foxes - Quiet Houses
Fleet Foxes - Your Protector


2: Kings of Leon - Only By The Night

This is the definitive album for the Kings. Within this album are the hallmarks of each previous release. The slow brooding guitar tunes of ‘Because of the Times, the crooning from ‘Aha Shake’ and the youthful brashness of ‘Youth & Youngman Hood’. Only by the Night is a band who has grown and become so confident that they can produce a medium paced album that is still full of life and still grows on the listener after countless hearings.

Unfortunately as mentioned by CB it has copped some criticism for being branded as a sell-out album, but its that those cries were not heard when their previous album was released considering many of the stadium sounds were trialled on ‘Because of the Times’. Regardless this is the must own album of 2008!

Kings of Leon - Closer
Kings of Leon - Crawl


1: The Presets - Apocalypso

Possibly best electronic album ever? Pretty close . This album is wild. Like Booka Shade this album lies somewhere between the chaos of night and day, but it must be turned up after dark it will not let you turn it down. Its messy, its loud, its crazy its fluro, it’s the shizzle!. Its dark, its moody yet its faster and harder then any record I’ve heard all year. Its unrelenting and thank god!.

Kicking & Screaming is an entrée for My People which will pound you into submission with its ultra crunchy synth. Then Apocalypso will turn around and hug you while side stepping to the beats of A New Sky. This Boys in Love is the hands in the air fluro classic that it is, featuring one of the coolest lyrics of the year “We stole the keys to the sky”. Its one of the most euphoric points of the album, and the commercial success it achieved should not be underestimated.
Yippiyo-ay is a 4 and a half minute glimpse into the future of a new genre – electrofunk!. Its got groove and still a dirty beat.

The vampiric opening to Talk Like That is now as well know as the sun rising in the East and setting in the West, you cant turn on a radio without hearing it. Its catchy its got a killer beat which grabs you and refuses to let go and quirky synths scattered throughout -totally irresistible. If I Know You is The Presets in Depeche Mode disguise and my oh my it works it’s the wonky synth combining with Julian’s voice that make this a tale of heartbreak and it still isn’t out of place on such a great dance record. Closing the album is Anywhere. The darkest, moodiest track on the album. The last hoorah, The Presets saying good bye and thank you for your time in their own way.

This is easily my favourite album of the year, perhaps cause of the success it achieved – it was such a surprise . I know that this has won over many of my friends who didn’t really care for The Presets before and that says a lot to me.

The Presets - Yippiyo-ay
Talk Like That


Thanks for reading. Please feel free, we implore you to send us your top 10 of 2008 albums or songs.

In the coming day's myself and Choc will try and post our top 10 song of 2008 also, so check back and please once again send us your top albums and songs of 2008!

Adios!

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