From the Telegraph.co.uk

An egg-shaped recording studio suspended from the top of a 600ft luxury apartment block was unveiled as part of the rock band U2′s plans for a skyscraper that will dominate Dublin.

Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen will team up with Lord Foster, who built the “Gherkin” tower in London.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/13/nu2113.xml

Due to be completed in 2011. Nice to see from the picture that it’s illuminated by lights, is it going to be an unnecessary use of electricity? As far as I’m aware, Bono is more involved with human rights and poverty, but to lend your name to something that intends to boost an area (i.e make it more populated; therefore introducing more traffic to the region; hardly the best way to show your commitment to a global cause – fighting global warming).

Lyrically it’s a bit like the songs on “You are the Quarry”: “there’s so much destruction all over the world, and all you can do is sit there and complain about me” and a pretty good refrain; “You don’t like me but you loved me, either way you’re wrong. You’re going to miss me when I’m gone”.

and now to go study all day.

Their album “Wolves” is only available in both the UK and USA as a digital download. It’s on the UK iTunes music store. Their first album “Strange we should meet here” didn’t have much commercial success, but have since toured with the likes of Fall Out Boy and +44, also have a song (Retina & the Sky) featured on the Transformers OST. On their first album they sounded a bit like a Radiohead meets Postal Service screamo band. From the sound of Red Museum they seem to have become a bit more Muse like, without losing the screaming. Which is good!

The new Babyshambles album is quite good, it’s an escape from the 2002 sound of The Libertines and the slightly hapless ‘shams debut ‘Down in Albion’. I really don’t see the point in The Libertine’s Greatest Hits album;buy both albums because they’re sort of an autobiography of a band falling apart (In a good way!).

This is a good song from the new Babyshambles album ‘Shotter’s Nation’

Unstookie Titled

So I’ve spent most of my afternoon doing dissertation research and listening to In Rainbows by Radiohead. It’s a lot more mellow and less claustrophobic than previous albums (Hail to the Thief for example was a bit scary). It’s a lot more soulful, colourful, it flows like a Rainbow(!). The percussion is quite special to, reminiscent of ‘Idioteque’ on songs like “15 Step”, “Reckoner” and the end of “VideoTape”. The reworked version of “Nude” is amazing, Thom Yorke’s voice sounds like the grandpa paedophile from Family Guy, which is slightly off putting when you picture it. It is a really haunting song, but ends on a crescendo that is remarkably resolute and upbeat.

It’s a grower, but I think it might take a few more listens. So now I’m going to go do more work! Bah.

So I just watched the new Boy Kill Boy video for ‘No conversation’. It’s a good song, not really a dramatic departure from their previous sound on album ‘Civilian’. Tracklisting for new album ‘Stars and the Sea’, out on November 5th.

1. Promises
2. No Conversation
3. Be Somebody
4. Loud And Clear
5. Paris
6. A OK
7. Ready To Go
8. Rosie’s On Fire
9. Kidda Kidda
10. Pen & Ink
11. Two Souls

Few of those tracks streaming on myspace;

http://www.myspace.com/boykillboy

The video for ‘No Conversation’ is on the internet but no streaming version via youtube.

Still no sign of the Radiohead album. Argh! I’m listening to it on nme radio. Sounds really good.

Of B-sides and various rarities on Nov 12th. Tracklisting;

The Feast’ (demo) – ‘Winner’/'Plan B’ b-side
‘Kickin’ Back On The Surface Of Your Cheek’ – ‘Anything…’ b-side
‘Keep It On Ice’ – ‘Anything…’ b-side
‘Adieu’ (Routron 500 Remix) – new song
‘Sorry You’re Not A Winner’ – Zane Low BBC Session
‘Mothership’ (demo) – debut download-only single
‘Acid Nation’ – ‘Johnny Sniper’ b-side
‘Enter Shikari’ (demo) – debut download-only single

Loads of bands seem to release b-side albums after only 1 or 2 albums. Is it worth doing so soon? It’s quite good if you’re a fan of the band, to get new fresh material in between albums, but if you’re a hardcore fan you’ve probably got all the tracks anyway. Enter Shikari are a great band, love their debut album. I do wonder that the most promising and different UK bands of the year, Gallows and Enter Shikari, both come out of Hertfordshire, and both are trancecore/hardcore music. Basically angry young men. Is Hertfordshire a cesspool? Possibly as I do live there! The towns are pretty crap: “Come Friendly Bombs” by Gallows is about Watford. Whereas the rural countryside is actually pretty nice; something Gallows fail to point out. lol.

They are two totally different bands doing different things, both make really exciting music though. They are seriously worth checking out even if you’re not a fan of hardcore music. Especially Enter Shikari who have some really euphoric moments.

New Radiohead album released tomorrow! Yaay!

Bloc Party: Flux.

Is it just me or at the start of the verses, Kele has the infamous Cher vocal tones? The most over used auto bendy vocal thing ever.

I saw Stephanie McIntosh (Skye Mangel from Neighbours) at my union at Saturday. Completely lame. Came on at 12, played 2 songs and that was about as exciting as it got. Also Mimed! Someone threw a bottle at her, the wrong person was chucked out by the bouncers and beaten up by them (apparently). Also saw Vanilla Ice last night. That was amusing. Didn’t come on until 2am and the club was totally empty, about 20 people were there and no-one really knew that he was turning up. Still though, it was surprisingly alright, some bits anyway, his first song was good. Played with a live band, had some cool guy on drums. I don’t really remember that much to be honest.

On the subject of Neighbours, what was that band all about on Friday? They come on, start playing and there is a drum beat going on but no drums! Also Keyboards; no keyboards, but quite possibly the best acoustics ever.

Here’s a video that has nothing to do with music; Neighbours deaths!

Song Meanings.

Belly of a Shark;

Orchestra of Wolves:

Link:
Neon Bible Interactive Video