how long should a band take to release a new album?

Harvey Goldsmith, THE PROMOTER of the century (..some may say..), writes in his blog that these days there are too few superbands developing and they should be given more time. ( see his entry on June 30th 2008 at http://www.harveygoldsmith.com/harvey-blogs.php )

Then I read about MGMT on CMUdaily, a newsletter everyone interested in the music industry should read http://www.cmumusicnetwork.co.uk/:

MGMT have told BBC 6music that they’re looking forward to getting back into the studio to begin work on a second album. The duo told the station: “We’ve been longing to get in the studio for a while because we got out of it recording our last album about a year ago. So we’re definitely ready to start working on some new stuff but I think in January we’re gonna start recording and hopefully put an album out next summer.”

I think, by next summer there will still be some people discovering and enjoying the current MGMT album. And there will be enough time to let the band breathe and work on a great follow up for longer after that. Fans must also get the chance to recover and then rediscover the new works by a band.

I do understand that we work in a fast changing industry, but if we keep on pushing bands to release more material faster and faster, there will be an overkill.
These days there sometimes are only a few months between the band finishing their touring for their current album and releasing the new one. That’s definetly too short in my opinion.

Feel free to comment and discuss. Maybe I am wrong. Maybe I am right.

review of bbc’s choices for 2008

On January 4th nme.com reported on BBC’s new music talent list for 2008. (see my report and nme.com)

I was aware of the first few on the list. But I neglegted the latter. But suddenly they are all over the place. It is time to review all 10 and they are all certainly worth a listen.

It was:

1. Adele - it happened. and she went big. we’ll see what she’s got to offer in future. the game is on.

2. Duffy – mercy was and still is all over the place. great voice, but a bit to dusty springfield revival for me. but you go girl.

3. The Ting Tings – that’s not my name! what a tune. and they cover many music magazines these days.

4. Glasvegas – i’m over it, but they are slowly sneaking to the top.

5. Foals – i loved them over a year ago when i saw them at korova, liverpool. they have yet to make it big and they already had their feautre on uk’s show skins. time is running out in my opinion. sadly.

6. Vampire Weekend – very impressive melodies from these (rich boys) New Yorkers, and they are buzzing on the island.

7. Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong – mmh. Didn’t do it for me but for many others it seems.

8. Black Kids – these floridians are a huge hit at o2 wireless and a favourite these days.

9. MGMT – you can believe the hype. They opened for Radiohead and have more promising shows coming up around the world.

10. Santogold – she’s so 80’s but so much fun. a domesticated version of M.I.A. with her own edge.

It seems the BBC are doing their job! Or maybe they just are a great media company to have behind you, allowing the bands they touch become the new big thing..

new music 0807

I love.

The New Wine. jaundko also spread the love  here.

The Whitest Boy Alive. you gotta love erlend.

MGMT. they have all been right along the way.. sometimes you can believe the hype.

Younghearts. great british fun.

Boy Crisis. go nyc.

Minus the Bear. an old new discovery.

Kids in Glass Houses. still going very strong.

Vampire Weekend. another hype going around. i like it.

and the girls can be very proud of:

Lykke Li – go Scandinavia!

Martha Wainwright’s latest

Joan as Police Woman

have a listen.

thank you to Liebes and MCK.

The Long-Distance Relationship Guide

This started out as an e-mail. Then it turned into a diary like entry. But because I have no diary it will be memorised in my blog.

SATURDAY evening.

I managed to meet some friends during the day, catch up, talk about life and all its happenings. I got home just in time to watch the European cup match Spain-Sweden. Sadly I am not interested who will win or what is going on. I am saving my energy for Germany’s game. Facebook and Myspace have been checked, important messages replied to. But no news have arrived that would solve my current unknown future. Where will I be in two weeks time? I have an idea but no set future.
So I wander around. No, I do not want to eat anything. Tempting though. I look at my new novel; I am too lazy to continue reading. It is certainly too early start watching my daily episode of 24. I go upstairs. Turn on football. I don’t watch it. I then turn on iTunes. I have 14 hours of new music. I start listening to MGMT. Will I really like it? I’m not a fan of track one and two. But I love track three and four. I’m getting into it. I then grab a book I once bought for fun at Urban Outfitters:

“The Long-Distance Relationships Guide”

A fun read for a lazy saturday evening. And an interesting guide to every day situations it turns out. Let me show you the guide:

“How to Clean Up in Under an Hour”

1. Put on some entertainment. Choose some dance musicthat you can sing along to or a book on tape to keep your mind occupied.
2. Tackle the clutter. Make the rounds of your place holding two bags: one for trash, the other for everything else. Pick a starting point and make your way around the place clockwise, not letting yourself get distracted at any point.
3. Dust. Using an electromagnetic dust cloth (like Swiffer), work your way around again clockwise, dusting every surface you come across from top to bottom.
4. Vacuum. Make sure you get into the corners and along the floorboards. Don’t worry about going beneath and behind furniture – this is only a surface cleaning.
5. Dispose of clutter. Remember the bagof „everything else“ from Step 2? Unless there is something in it you’ll need that weekend/day, throw the whole thing in a closet, to be sorted and organized later.
6. Bathroom/kitchen surface cleaning. Again, focus on the superficial and obvious.
a. Clean the bathroom after a hot bath or shower: the steam will have loosened the dirt.
b. Definitely use a toilet cleaner.
c. Spritz and wipe off surfaces with lemony disinfectant.
d. Empty the sink of dishes.
7. Disguise funky odors: Light strong-smelling candles or incense. Dab perfume or cologne on a light bulb – the heat produced when the light is on will release the perfume.
8. Dim lights for good measure.

The music has now switched to Yeasayer. I’ve listened to it before. I like it even more now. For the mellow ones listen to Joan As Police Woman and Martha Wainwright.

References:
Tiger, C. (2005) The Long-Distance Relationship Guide. Philadelphia: Quirk Books.
MGMT – www.myspace.com/mgmt
Yeasayer – www.myspace.com/yeasayer
Joan As Police Woman – www.joanaspolicewoman.com
Martha Wainwright – www.marthawainwright.com

Tracklisting was provided by 2151.

prince & others

I’m back. Finally. With a new blog.

I heard that Prince was going to play Coachella in California this weekend. Something I never expected! But Prince is full of surprises… I’ve never been to Coachella, nor California to be fair, unless you count a 6 hour stop over at San Francisco airport a California visit… I like their line-up and it seems like a great weekend, allthough I predict the croud to be über indie and wanna-be. But who am I to judge. I may be just as indie as all of them…

Back to Prince. RSS fed me this: “Prince covers Radiohead at Coachella Festival”

He played Roadiohead’s ‘Creep’ and ‘Come Together’, the classic by the beatles. I wish I could’ve seen it, not only is Prince the best performer I have ever seen amongst the many performances I got to experience in my life (thank you dad, and everyone at MLK). but Prince also has an astounding talent to write songs and interpret them. Even though I was not a very big fan of him covering the Foo Fighters at the Super Bowl half time show last year.. (I am trying to find it on youtube, but it is nowhere to be found anymore – I am sure they had to take it down after prince demanded all material of him to be taken down, even by fan websites)

But, can you imagine Prince doing Radiohead??!?!!!! I am intregued.

Moving on. Apparently the same day MGMT played the festival. A new band I have heard from through 2151. He has also suggested Yeasayer (love it!), and while you are at it, have a listen to the German band Benevolent.

And finally, I got to see The Kooks play an intimate radio 1 show at the barfly in Liverpool (400 capacity), introducing their new album. It was a great show, but I can’t say the new songs are as good as their first one- but it is very difficult to follow up their debut (I am a huge fan). They are now on their UK tour, which I got to witness at the extremely beautiful art deco “Apollo” in Manchester. The sound was brilliant, the light show amazing at times and the Kooks spot on, even though the lead singer seemed to be quite drunk – but he managed it well.

I also had the honour to meet and see Dallas Green a.k.a. City and Colour at the Royal Northern College of Music. An intimate classical concert style – 400 capacity room – where his folky acoustic music caught the full attention of all audience members (youtube results). It was an absolutely stunning 80-minute set, with the most amazing voice I have ever witnessed. If you have never listened to him, please do so now. I am awaiting an amazon shipping with all three of his official releases. He will be back in fall for more shows, so have a look out and get your tickets!

For now check his gig in Berlin: you tube results

And this to witness his amazing voice (and new single) here

PS: You may have heard him before with his band Alexisonfire, a great contrast to his solo stuff

On a personal note, I am enjoying my last few weeks of my second year in Liverpool, with some emotional ups and downs, but really there isn’t anything to complain about. Next weekend I am going up to Glasgow to relax and take a few days off with my better half.