The Turner Effect

 (Copyright© Frank Turner/XtraMile Records/YouTube)

This fine piece is an amazing little documentary on Frank Turner. A nice well paced 15 minute or so video that gives you a little insight into a man that myself and many others look up to.

To me, Frank Turner is up there with the greats: Springsteen, The Beatles, Dylan, Cash, Bowie, The Who. He may not be that for a lot of other people, but in my heart and, I know, in a hell of a lot of others he is.

Frank Turner is the ultimate game changer. He may not change the face of music itself or even tread ground that hasn’t already been stepped all over. But he writes songs that are incredible in the way they make you sit back and just listen. Nothing else. No focus on "what's for dinner tonight?" or "Oh that's a nice tree I just passed" Just you and his music. He has this grasp on people and music that just totally blows everything else out of the way and lets you just find yourself completely immersed in his music.

I have been following a nice little blog on Tumblr that is all about Frank called "Dear Frank Turner" Some of the things that you find on here are incredible. Not only is it a fan site, but it's also a gateway to finding out how much one person's music can alter the lives of many. Helping various people to find themselves, get out of tough situations or just show a genuine love for the music. This blog is there for the ultimate Frank fan.

Recently Mr. Turner released a New Album entitled "Tape Deck Heart" 

From this he has so far released two singles: "Recovery" and "The Way I Tend To Be"  

Thank You for the music Frank and here's to more in the future!

Ascension Back To Greatness

I may be a bit late to the parade here - namingly because the follow up album "Descension" is on it's way this year - but nonetheless, better late than never. 

Coheed and Cambria made a blasting comeback after their dismal last attempt "Year of the Black Rainbow" and what a stellar comeback it was. After complications and splits from previous members, new members and just a general rough go of it, the band sorted themselves out, put all their troubles aside, re-united themselves with the ever so (single kick drum) talented drummer Josh Eppard, got themselves a brand new bassist in the form of Zach Cooper and made the incredible and slightly reminiscent album "The Afterman: Ascension". 

This album is very nostalgic in the way that it brings forward the old Coheed that we know and love with tracks such as "Key Entity Extraction" being in four different parts to show that there is a strong story like previous projects, which is very much favoured by frontman Claudio Sanchez. 

Their debut release was "Key Entity Extraction I: Domino the Destitute", a song which just encaptures everything that we know and love about this band. If you are a massive fan of Coheed, you will know exactly what I'm on about. If not, it's the heart and soul of having a story told to you in the sheer epicness of prog-rock/metal. These guys take a genre that is very hard to find new talent in and just completely reinvent it. Whenever you hear Claudio's high octane vocals or both he and Travis Stever's guitars shredding away over a smooth bass line and a fucktastic/rocking drum beat, you know the real shit is going down! But with these guys, from the most hard rocking song, to the most mellow elegantly sang song, you get a real sense that something is really going on in these songs/albums and find yourself engrossed in the story and music.

This album is what we have come to expect from Coheed but gives them a whole new lease of life. These guys have just gone to show us that they are nowhere near being done for the day. The stories may be different but the music continues to enlighten us from a completely different spectrum. 

I for one cannot wait for the follow up to this. Until then, I am more than tied over with this incredible spectacle.

With These Shoes I Could Dance On Your Face

I am not familiar with the band that made this song, but the fact that it is absolutely cracking and the video is about a complete psychopath picking off people whilst going about his day-to-day life, I've got to say, I'm in!

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal as the psycho and brought to you by Daniel Wolfe (The man behind the newest Cobra advertisement and Various Plan B videos such as "She Said") The video shows Gyllenhaal going on a mad killing spree whilst the insanely addictive sound of "The Shoes" plays ever so perfectly over it.

The video is for their song "Time To Dance" and it most certainly got me doing that, but only after I had marvelled at the beautiful video first. If you haven't already, I strongly suggest you check it out. 

Old Ghostly Tunes?

I would like to take this second to introduce you all to one of the best bands that you will ever listen to "This Old Ghost". Never heard of them you say? Well, that's maybe because they aren't yet signed. But let me tell you, they should be.

I found these guys (and girl) while browsing through Bandcamp with my guitarist, as we usually do, for new and exciting music. Little did I know was that I would fall in love with this band and their music so hard. Everyone is very familiar by now with the New York indie rock scene, it's not a new thing. It has been around for years and has spawned some amazing bands/singer songwriters. Which is actually quite funny because hailing from New York themselves, their name could almost represent the scene itself with it being a now VERY old ghost, haunting everyone's ears beautifully. The thing I find with these guys though is how they take that indie rock sound and make it completely their own. These are no clones to be found here. With their quintessential American vocals, extremely hypnotic but almost country melodies, haunting yet beautiful flute and very hard hitting drum beats, this band has the most essential sound to hit music in the past 10 years.

Their album "Island of Violent Lovers" is utterly brilliant. Every track with it's own unique quality; it has to be heard to believe how perfect they execute it all. I am actually really surprised that these guys haven't been snapped up a long time ago.

I could sit and talk about these folks all day. But I think what you all need to do now is go and listen for yourselves... and you can! Their album is FREE! Yes Free to download over on Bandcamp. Nip on across now and take hold of one of the best bands of the past decade!

Freerunning and Awesome Beats

When on facebook tonight I was doing the usual browse and one of my best buds (@toshymatt on Twitter. Check him out, he does some sweet design work) pops up on the refresh with a video on freerunning in california.


I am so glad that I clicked this link! Not only did I get an amazing video of a freerunning academy that just opened in california, my ears were then blessed with the sweet sound of some fat sounding drum beats mixed with the soft voice of Ellie Goulding(link to video of song) by someone called "Bassnectar" (not sure who that is, but amazing tunes). Turns out it is a remix of one of her songs. This needs to be seen to be fully appreciated... Enjoy! 

My Music Picks

When taking a walk to my new place of work the other day, I took that time to catch up some new listening.

It was definitely well worth it. Here's the three ones I was listening to:-

First: Rise Against - Endgame

For a good bit of modern day punk... What an album!  "Appeal to Reason" came before that and I liked that album, but the point is, it was only "like". Some of the tracks were amazing and one or two were really terrible.

This is definitely the turnaround album for them. From start to finish I was hooked. The opening track "Architects" is one of the best opening tracks I have heard in a long time and litteraly had me jumping around giving it a dose of the air guitar.

To hear some from the album head to the bands myspace here:

http://www.myspace.com/riseagainst

Second: Radiohead - King of Limbs

If your looking for a really good ambient indie album, then this is straight up your alley. What a great album. Just took that part of my journey to have a sit down and eat some nice and fatty fast food to chill out with. It was honestly like having a massage in my ears. 

I honestly can't say anymore on it, just check it: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A9bMTh9rdQ

Third and Last: Kate Micucci - Songs EP

I saw Kate Micucci on "Scrubs" as Teds first girlfriend. She then opened her mouth and sang with that little ukulele and was in love with what I heard.  

I then  jumped on the computer and found this EP. So so good! 

If you are looking for a little quirky kind of tune and just a tune that is fun, then this is EXACTLY what your looking for.

I also can't these songs out of my head. 

Go here to get them stuck in yours also:

http://www.myspace.com/katemicucci 

Chatroulette Love Song

And my first post is to be about one of the best things I have ever found at almost 3 in the morning whilst browsing facebook.

Now I might be behind the times, this might be a really old video on the net. But this is the first time I have ever seen this, and it has got to be one the sweetest/amazing videos out there. This must have taken so much time and effort to try and arrange this all. Just for about 5 minutes of video.

Worth it!

What do you think? Sweet/Amazing? Or Cheesy and Shit?