The Horrors 'Primary Colours'

Back in 2007, British goth-garage band The Horrors released their first album Strange House. It was great at the time, I was in fact pretty obsessed with them for a while, but I have to admit the album didn't really quench my thirst entirely. The first single 'Sheena is a Parasite' (whose video is directed by nonother than Chris-Fucking-Cunningham) is properly brilliant, opening with what you might think is a hellicopter and just exploding from there. And the rest of the album isn't bad by any means whatsoever.

Their sophmore album Primary Colours is out May 4th, and showcases a new, more refined sound. There's still plenty of flashy drums, vibrating guitar riffs, janky organs, and aching vocals, but there's also the presence of a kind of ambient force. The Horrors wouldn't be the only band this year to start relying more on synths (coughYeahYeahYeahscough), but I have to say it really really works for them. It is very aparent through the first track ('Mirror's Image', which starts out rather dreamlike) to 'Sea Within a Sea', the first single and Seventeen Seconds-esque album finisher.

In short, the garage raucous has been toned down but the instinct to dance like an 80's goth rocker has been doubled. If you're me that's a good thing, but take it as you will.

Listen to Primary Colours in it's entirety at: http://www.nme.com/news/the-horrors/44240

This is a good year

See that? That's a pretty fantastic music video. It's so fantastic that I've decided I'm going to make an end-of-the-year list of '09s most specTACULAR videos, because spectacular music needs a nice visual to pair itself with. I'm trying to open myself up to more artists and music I wouldn't normally bother with in hopes of finding something new to excite me. And seeing as there's plenty of new albums to get into this year there should be plenty to look forward to.

The Adevtureland Soundtrack, don't change a thing

So I had the pleasure of seeing Adventureland recently, and though the movie was pretty good (not amazing, but some moments were just fantastic) the music was altogether great. It was like when you see a movie based in the 80's and you secretly hope you hear that one particular song you can't help but sing along to, well every song in Adventureland is that song.

First off, it should be made known that none other than Yo La Tengo scored the original tunes for this nostalgic flick. And a very good job they did. YLT injected the same sweet sentimentality their music is known for into the backgrounds of a Long Island (where I call home) themepark, and it fit like a sequined glove.

Beginning to end, Adventureland is sprinkled with gemstones of 80's audio. From David Bowie's classic 'Modern Love' to The Cure's romantic-eighties-comedy-staple 'Just Like Heaven', and from INXS's bittersweet credit-roller 'Don't Change' to Falco's never-ending 'Amadeus' which only the likes of me and my fellow LI friend found amusing to the max.

For every song you knew instantaneously there was at least one you didn't know but had to google when you got home. Plenty of songs I knew the minute I heard 'em, but others, like Husker Du's 'Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely' surprised me. Sure, Miss Kristen Fingers-in-my-hair-forever Stewart wore a Husker t-shirt, but for the most part you never hear the ones you want.

J's Bummer Songs are quite possibly this years Boner Jams '03, because who didn't leave the theater thinking of the saddest songs they could piece together for whoever might be riding shotgun with them. And come on, who didn't get the urge to put together a bunch of smut too.

ANYWAYS, other great moments included Lou Reed's fantastical 'Satellite of Love', which, for the obvious love song implemented in every movie of this nature, was very welcome. And I nearly died when I heard The Jesus and Mary Chain's-oddly seductive in this case-acoustic cover of 'Taste of Cindy', which I hold very near and dear to my heart, but of course isn't on the official soundtrack.

I reccomend seeing Adventureland if a) you grew up on the kiddy rides there, b) have a thing for good 80's-based music, or c) need a quirky shot of nostalgia.

Music videos don't get any sweeter.

I WANT TO BE APART OF THIS.