Vampire Weekend-Cousins Video

Vampire Weekend return with a harder edge to their sound and image with their brand new single Cousins. Gone are the chino's and polo shirts that sit nicely with Oxford Comma and Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, to reveal a slightly less polished sound and image.
The video to accompany Cousins is of the usual high quality you would come to expect in a Vampire Weekend video and this quirky number is directed by Garth Jennings (Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy & Son Of Rambow) who also directed A-Punk.

Cousins is taken from the new Vampire Weekend album Contra out on January 9th

Simian Mobile Disco feat. Beth Ditto-Cruel Intentions video

The third track to be released as single from Simian Mobile Disco's latest release Temporary Pleasure is the fabulous Cruel Intentions featuring The Gossip's leading lady Beth Ditto.
Already a favourite on dance floors all around the world it's no wonder this is next choice of release for the SMD lads.
The video itself is weird and a little sinister but I like it. Happy weekend folks.

Talulah Does The Hula, Slurps & Guilty Optics live @ The Twisted Pepper

It's almost the weekend and tomorrow night it kicks off with superb action in the Twisted Pepper on Middle Abbey Street with three kick ass band all taking to the stage.

First up is Slurps. There are six of them in the band and they played their first show back in June for the first Noises In Our Heads gig. Since then they have been travelling on Camel back around the country playing shows to nice people and even supported the mighty Bats last month. They play indie rock and are damn good too so get down there early.

Guilty Optics are a rock trio who play "melodic rock that will melt your face", so if you like the idea of a face melt down then this is the band for you. Having recently played with Elk, Jogging, Alias Empire and Sweet Jane, you shall be hearing a lot more about these lads in the near future.

Headlining tomorrow night proceedings are the uber fantastic Talulah Does The Hula. They are four girls born from the ashes of The Chalets and Neosupervital, combined with drummer supreme Michael and viola, you have a 60's inspired pop group that write 'Wickedly clever and sexy pop tunes". Their current single Bad Boyfriend is as contagious as swine flu and the video to accompany is slick.

So there you have it, tomorrow night is going to be a party and it shall cost you only a €5.

Poster designed by Cian Walker.

Two new songs from The Indecent Cigar Emporium

Dublin newbies The Indecent Cigar Emporium play their first official gig as part of the second Noises In Our Heads gig in the Twisted Pepper next Wednesday November 18th. To celebrate this momentous occasion they have put two new tracks up on their MySpace for all to enjoy. The first is 70's inspired funk driven Hydromedusa while Love Simulator is a four minute funky electronic, psychedelic jam that will have you dancing your toes off. You heard all about it here first!

Also playing the Noises In Our Heads gig is Lumière and The Evening Watch who shall headline the evenings proceedings. For more info go HERE.

Warp Records introduce Nice Nice

Warp Records are yet again on the ball when it comes to signing decent talent and Portland Oregon's Nice Nice are no exception. Duo Jason Buehler and Mark Shirazi have been playing together for about 10 years and their music is all about the loops which they prefer to do rather than use samples and the result is ace.
A wonderful mish mash of hypnotic rhythms and intense, consequential guitars all ready for the listening.

The first track to be released from Nice Nice on Warp is One Hit which shall be available on 7" format from November 20th but, as an introduction to the band you can download the mp3 of One Hit and it's B-side Ark Drum from the Warp website for free. This precedes the bands new album Extra Wow which is released here in April.
Nice Nice are also about to embark on a European tour so head to the Warp site for dates and details.
In the meantime have a listen to both below.

One Hit

Ark Drum

These New Puritans to release new album in 2010.

Southend-On-Sea favourites These New Puritans have just announced details of their brand new studio album Hidden, released here on January 15th 2010. The album is produced by band members Jack Barnett and Graham Sutton and was mixed by the man who has mixed and produced for J Dilla, Madlib and MF DOOM, Dave Cooley. A note posted in the news section on the Domino Records website said 'the album draws equally on on the rhythmic lexicons of dancehall and 20th century post-minimalism, with instrumentation redolent of both the oceanic brass of Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes and the plastic textures of modern U.S. pop. It is sometimes brutal, sometimes melancholy, and sounds like nothing else'.

Instruments used in the recording of Hidden include; six-foot Japanese Taiko drums, a thirteen piece brass and woodwind ensemble and Foley recording techniques (including a melon with cream crackers attached struck by a hammer, used to simulate the sound of a human head being smashed)...lovely!
Angular Records shall be releasing the album in the UK and Ireland while Domino shall release the album worldwide.

The tracklisting is as follows:
1. Time Xone
2. We Want War
3. Three Thousand
4. Hologram
5. Attack Music
6. Fire–Power
7. Orion
8. Canticle
9. Drum Courts–Where Corals Lie
10. White Chords
11. 5

Photo action-Biffy Clyro live at The Olympia, Dublin.

Last night I got to witness the superb Biffy Clyro live @ The Olympia Theatre in Dublin.
Their live show was insane and the crowd were, it has to be said, a fantastic contribution to the whole proceedings. From grand opener Golden Rule to anthems such as Who's Got A Match?, 9/15ths, Mountains and current single The Captain, Biffy Clyro brought it all. Screaming guitars, pounding drums and huge sing-a-long choruses ensured a momentous performance and here are some pics I took at the start of the show.
Only Revolutions is their highly anticipated new album out here in Ireland on Friday November 6th and in the UK Monday November 9th. Thanks to Warner for organising my photo pass.

Simon Neil

Simon Neil

James Johnston

Ben Johnston

Simon Neil

You can view more HERE