Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree

Seventh Tree is the follow up to "Supernature", Goldfrapp's best selling album to date. Luckily the group haven't made Supernature II - The Revenge, but the critics haven't seen it like that.

Supernature moved Goldfrapp way into the mainstream. Madonna cited it as the principle influence for "Confessions on the Dancefloor". And so we find reviewers confused by this new direction for Goldfrapp. Whereas this album is, in many ways, a return to the place Goldfrapp call normal.

Alison's vocals seem on this album to be a cross between Joan Baez, Joni Mitchel and herself. You're just getting settled into a song when her trademark wail comes on reminding you exactly who you're listening to.

Goldfrapp are a group who suffer badly from press pigeonholing. So this album has been seen as a disappointing thumping dance soundtrack but that's okay because it isn't supposed to be that at all.

The closest I can come is Joni Mitchel does Lemmonjelly. But obviously that's not quite it at all either. Standout tracks like Happiness, A&E and Caravan Girl aren't even like each other.

It deserves to be a classic because this time Goldfrapp have toned down the things that sometimes make them difficult to approach. It seems their most balanced album to date. Certainly worth a listen, even if you've shunned the 'frap before.

Yahoo! Media Player

This looks interesting, given our discussions re: embedding content:

Yahoo! Media Player
Anyone want to give it a go? OK, I will. *puts script in template* Right then, just need an mp3...here's a silly old mashup I did a couple of years ago:

WithoutDoom.mp3

There should be a little clicky PLAY icon...oh, look there is. And what's that down at the bottom left? Yes, it's a nice floaty JavaScript player.

So essentially, if you want to stick some music on here, just link to the .mp3 (which can be hosted anywhere) and the script will do the rest.

You're welcome :)

American Pie (Chart)

Following on from the rap one:

Flickr: The SONG CHART Pool

There are currently 195 in there, but my favourite so far is this, even if it is more 'peach' than I was hoping (and that would never scan...)

All Gondry

One for Alex I feel - a few nice examples of the work of uber-video director (and Be Kind Rewind chap) Michel Gondry:

nialler9: Mirrorball, Michel Gondry

The Reason Music is Good #1

Have you ever seen anything so cute?

Singers that aren't really...

I went to the Forum last night and saw a blast from (my) past The Godfathers. Audience was like a harder version of a Madness concert. Great guitar based music and all that but the front man was never really (and hasn't suddenly become) a singer. Now on the long trek home a couple of bands came on my transportable music cassette pod walkie playman thingy being Ash and, very embarrasingly, Snow Patrol.....now these are also bands with singers who can't really sing. But in the case of Ash and the Godfathers it doesn't stop them being good bands. So I wondered what other bands fit this category. If I was being harsh you could say that Howlin' Pelle Kyssttommmhhhheeeennn from the Hives struggles in the singing department but is a great frontman. Jimmy Pursey, pre-using-the-form-of-dance, was a good shouter.

So do singers need to be able to sing?

C'mon, c'mon.....we're going down the .......etc

Ooh La La

So Girls Aloud are at it again:



I do wonder if they thought of the costumes before they wrote the song, I'm sure I would have done. And I bet the lovely Nadine can 'speak French'...

I'll get my coat.