43

I really should dust this off. But first i need some sleep.

Powderfinger

Powderfinger by Neil Young, by himself on his trusty acoustic. Love how different this feels from band version, feels so much more fragile and heartbreaking. Sure its missing that awesome riff, but this version brings you so much closer to the story Neil's telling, and it feels closer to your heart. And what a story. A story of a young man forced to protect his family, though its not clear from what. A civil war? A police crackdown? But once the 3 minutes are up, you feel like you've been through everything with him, up until he tells you to remember him.

Six to eight

Your fire makes it all worthwhile

From AFI's The Art of Drowning. The 13 year old version of myself used to rock so hard to this. In fact, AFI might have been the first band i was crazy about. Got me (thinking i was) all punk and stuff. Lucky i didn't go down the goth route too. Maybe i should catch up on some AFI.

Sound and Vision

From Bowie's classic record Low. It starts with these three snare shots that sound like your mind being cracked open, and what comes next is pure joy. The shimmery guitar, the unbelievably happy bass, and celestial synths that come in. Its contrasted with the agoraphobic lyrics that are in line with his classic Berlin paranoia. Simply one my favourite songs of all time, one of the best i've ever heard.

Think i'll pack it in

See the lonely boy, out on the weekend, trying to make it pay
Can't relate to joy, he tries to speak and, can't begin to say

Doug Paisley's cover of Neil Young's Out On The Weekend. I was reading an old interview Neil did, and he was talking about how he wrote this song when he was head over heels in love. Its funny, because i've always related the song and specifically the two lines above to a feeling of loneliness.

But after reading what he said, my perspective on the song has changed totally. From my assumption that the "lonely boy" lost the girl he loved and can't imagine being happy again; to a warmer image of him being with her and being so full of joy that he doesn't know how to relate to and can't express it. Funny how words twist.

Straight to video

You are my centre when i spin away

Dubstep-ish remix of Radiohead's 'Videotape' by XxXy. Fuckin delightful.

We are the robots

Kraftwerk when they were in Singapore. Not being there is one of my life's greatest regrets.

God only knows

God only knows what i'd be without you.

Joe Grass's cover of a Beach Boys classic on pedal steel guitar. Amazing.

A lotta love

So if you're out there waiting
I hope you show up soon

A Case of You

James Blake's amazing Joni Mitchell cover. His voice reminds me so much of Antony Hegarty, so rich and beautiful.

A house falling in the sea

Since i've been really stuck in a non-writing and blogging mood for quite awhile, i've decided to just post random videos that i'm feeling at the moment. The wonders of youtube eh.

Radiohead always seem to pull out the best performances for the Jools Holland show. Thom's guitar that comes in midway just kicks me in the teeth everytime. That dissonant punch is kinda missing in other versions, like the Basement one, not that there are any bad versions of this song.

Ps. I do intend to pen my thoughts on the new Radiohead album soon. But as i said, seriously not in the mood to write anything at the moment

Radiohead's new album

So it's finally here. After more than 3 years of waiting and checking Radiohead's Dead Air Space regularly, the initial shock when i saw the words "Thank You For Waiting" was almost too much. I clicked on it, and it led here. This was no false dawn. LP8 was here!!!1!

Just like i'll always remember the feeling when i read the post announcing In Rainbows, i won't forget the moment i saw this. I was alone at a bench in school, just as well so nobody could see me go nuts. I think i even did a double fist pump. Then Gwen called to spaz. And i called HP and made her realise we have a chance to see them tour when we're on exchange!!

They've released it much the same way as they did for 2007's In Rainbows, totally quiet and unexpected and totally causing a worldwide internet meltdown. This time there's no 'pay what you want', but that wasn't the most important thing about the In Rainbows release anyway. The most important thing is that on Saturday (when the mp3s arrive after you pre-order the album), everyone in the world, fans, media, critics, bloggers, torrenters etc, all get to hear the album at the same time. No advance copies, no leaks. Everyone gets to hear it at the same time, and react at the same time. That collective experience online just can't be found anywhere else. And just like 07's Discbox, they're releasing it with a special physical version with unique Stanley Donwood artwork and packaging. This time its called a 'Newspaper' album.

The artwork looks like the darkest its been since, well maybe Hail to the Thief. That combined with the slightly creepy title, and i'm anticipating a foreboding, dark album. Which would be surprising after In Rainbows. About the title, the "King of Limbs" seemed odd initially, but i'm warming to it. It's slightly grotesque and sinister on one hand, and on the other it might be referring to a 1000 year old oak tree in England (scroll down to the middle), which is now kind of obvious, with all the trees and twisted branches in the artwork.

But regardless of everything else, its the music that counts. Unlike previous albums, there haven't been any tours where the band tested the songs live. Although Thom did play new songs on his solo shows, we still don't know how they sound like with the full band behind them. This might be the least "prepared" i've been for a new Radiohead album, and i'm fucking excited about that! There are murmurs going around that the album will be 8 tracks long, and it's killing me thinking about which 8 are going to be on there. New ones like Give Up The Ghost or The Present Tense? Remake of an unreleased classic a la Nude? The long awaited Burn The Witch? I can't fuckin wait for Saturday.

Obviously this is the biggest news for me of the year, maybe since Aphex Twin coming to Singapore. Got me out of my blogs hiatus for abit. Oh i know my top ten 2010 gigs list failed quite miserably, i do intend to get them up in backlog though. But for now, my plan is to abstain from any Radiohead until Saturday. 2011 can't get any better.