"all I can see - a gold mystic spree"

So, after downloading the new Interpol track Lights it took me some time to fully appreciate those nearly six minutes. But right now, there is not much space left for other music since said song is on heavy rotation for some time now.

I don't know what it is, but these fellows somehow figured it all out. When you play what some might call Post-Punk or New-Wave without being too much of a copy-cat, there's always a slight risk that the music ends up too pathetic. Interpol never had this problem, and this might also be the reason why people tend to speak more about White Lies or Editors. Even on their latest record, which was clearly more "mainstream" pop than the releases earlier on , they managed to walk that thin line between simple-kept Post-Punk and more orchestral (sometimes overthetop) Pop Music.

Now, all of a sudden the band is here with a new finished record and a free song to download in advance. Earlier this year, there were different quotes from different band members concerning the musical direction of the new material. While Singer Paul Banks was heard on the Radio, saying the new songs would have an "elegant, orchestral quality", Drummer Sam Fogarino mentioned a "back to the roots"-move. One should certainly not judge an album by one single track, but listening to Lights as I write these sentences down I have to admit that they're both right somehow. And this might be the reason, I'm still heavily in love with that band. They don't progress too much, but still they keep going.

I have not read of any Release Date, all I know is that Bass Player and Fashionisto Numero Uno Carlos D has recently left the band after the recording sessions.

Anyway, it's getting late and I've got work to do tommorrow (nobody believes it, but yeah!).

Get the mp3 file right here:

watching lucifer wandering through the sweet dew of morning

I reccently found an old Polaroid 600 including films. Value for money, bitches!

triumph and tragedy

"it's the inner beast that keeps pushing on"

interlude

rulers, ruling all things

Personally, I can't stand this whole new "Folk" music. Not that I want to spread some hate or something, but Born Ruffians, The Dodos or - really - Mumford and Sons are all bands I can't listen to for more than a 5 minutes. Yes, exactly 5 minutes, smartass! It's all too obvious and too catchy. I kinda see some similarities to the whole Trip Hop Phenomena some years ago. At the point where some new and innovative music just turned into Lounge Sound. Where (some) musicians all of a sudden seemed to be satisfied just producing Background Music. However, I should not generalize and it's not that it really bothers me that much anyways.

So, maybe I should just get to the point and tell you about my new found love. The band is called Midlake and even though I have heard the name several times, I didn't think there was a reason to really check them out. This all changed a couple weeks ago, when I read a recent review of their third record "The Courage of Others". It's been out a while now on Bella Union. Bands like Pentangle, Fairport Convention or even Changes were mentioned as new found inspiration. Call it Brit-Folk, 70ies Psychedelic Folk or whatever. What really got me interested is the fact that this band at least tried to get back a little further and not just surfed the same folky-artsyfartsy-lifeloving wave like others did/do just to please the masses. So, basically that alone was reason enough for me to get hold of their latest record. I'm glad I did.

What spiritual and almost hunting music this is! Without wanting to sound too cheezy this record basically takes you back in time. "In a foreign land, in a foreign town" like others would sing. This is the perfect soundtrack to this strange Spring weather and these even stranger times in which we're living. For sure, this is nothing new under the sun, but I'm sure that this also was not the intention of this Texas-based group. There's no Uberhit nor a potential Single to be heard on this record, but who needs these anyway? This is an album to listen to as a whole! So, yeah of course the people at Pitchfork won't like it (edit: I just visited their Site to check: 3.6 Points! How obvious...haha) and of course most other peope thinking Folk Music means Bob Dylan and Born Ruffians won't neither. Anyone else might give it a try. At least myself was sceptical in the beginning as well. But I really love it now.

Midlake on Myspace 

In The Nursery - Deux ex Machina

How the Military Snare Drum made it's way into Popular Culture or In The Nursery:

By the way: You wish you had their style, too...

How To Destroy Angels - A Drowning