SHE WAS WALKING THROUGH THE TABLES IN THE GLASS HOUSE

I know their album came out 1,000 blog years ago (3.5 months in real time), but I am currently falling hard for The Last Shadow Puppets debut album The Age of The Understatement. I don't know why my love for this album didn't sink in until just now, because it seems like an album that would catch you by the collar and immediately win you over. Alex Turner and Miles Kane's voices melt together perfectly. They both have heavily accented vocals that I wouldn't really ever have thought could deal with such heavy harmonies but it works beautifully. The title track is currently my favorite. Turner has got to be one of the most talented lyricists today. Anyone can fit insight into slow acoustic jams, but it takes a lot of talent to put them into faster songs that need to rhyme, goddamnit. My current favorite, the title track, illustrates this perfectly. I love how it maintains that fast paced feeling of running while still managing to sound huge. So kind of like a stampede of elephants I guess :). It really reminds me a lot of the Reverend and the Makers album "The State of Things" (which got hardly ANY press here but I thought it was amazing) which combined the profound lyrics with the quick musical movements. The other track that I love "My Mistakes Were Made For You" sounds like it could have come out of an old movie. With wistful-sounding words and strings abound.

I am SO excited to see them when they play at Manhattan Center with a FULL BACKING ORCHESTRA. Which is why I now know the tix are running like 35 bucks :( but I just might have to spring for it. AND a little birdy told me that yours and my favorite band, CHIEF might be supporting them!!!! Yay! Anyways, here are some lovely Puppets tracks for you to download, courtesy of Hype.

Standing Next To Me
I Dont Like You Anymore


And PS: I am going to be back in NYC tomorrow so hopefully my posts will become more reflective of what Im doing aka going out and losing my shit...hopefully.xxxx

THE FIRST OF THE GANG TO DIE

Gawker. We love it, we hate it, we scorn it, but if you can take the time to slog through all the inane "Gawker Stalkers" and "Snap Judgments" you can find some genuinely interesting and hilarious stories. Like this one I found about intern horror stories. As a former and current intern, I must admit I have never heard of anyone doing anything this outrageous, but maybe interning at Dunder-Mifflin wasn't the most exciting career choice I could have made. Just kidding. Interning at Dunder-Mifflin WOULD be the most exciting career choice I could make right now. The main story they tell though is just kind of weird. How do people get so involved with their bitches? See if you can figure it out

What Not To Do When Anna Wintour Falls On Her Face

TANGERINE AND LIME GREEN, THE SICKLY SWEET COLORS OF THE DEVIL IN MY DREAMS

The big bands are rolling out new music left and right and giving us street urchins a chance to listen in. First up:


The new Franz Ferdinand track that is quote "not a single" is quite catchy. But not as out of the box as I would have hoped for. Its called Lucid Dreams and its only available to stream on their site for a "limited time".


This track, an unreleased song from the recording session of their debut album Hold On Now Youngster! called "How I Taught Myself to Scream". Its a kind of dark and rough. Just the way I like it. It reflects more the live nature of the band that I think was lost in overpolishing some of the LP tracks. Look for their sophomore album due out this year (fast I know!) We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed. Download or stream it on imeem




Lastly but not leastly, Oasis has a new song off their upcoming 35th album, Dig Out Your Soul and its called "Falling Down". Not a huge fan of Oasis' later work, but I am definitely a fan of this song. Very rhythmic and hooky, not all fuzzy and wandering. I only have a youtube non-video but here ya go.

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Now playing: My Bloody Valentine - I Only Said
via FoxyTunes

I RUN FROM THE DUST AND GLOOM WITH ONLY MY SECRETS TO KEEP ME WARM

Its been far too long since I've done a Libertines related post, so here are two lovely surprises to all you libz lovurz (which should be everyone on this good green earth if I had it my way). The first is an interview with Dirty Pretty Things from musicnews.com. Personally I love reading DPT interviews if only because I don't have to translate Carl's often unintelligible mumbling. The downside of course, is that I can't see his godlike visage. But you can't always get what you want. If you were wondering, yes Boyz is a gay lifestyle magazine. However all of the members claim to be straight (We all know, of course, that this is a gross fabrication).



The second goodie is a mix of Libs B-Sides and rarities. Now, usually B-sides are lo-fi and deemed too mediocre to be put on any actual album. The former could certainly be argued for these tracks but in no way are they mediocre. The sources for these tracks are the singles b-sides, an EP or 2, the unreleased demo album (Legs 11), the legendary Babyshambles sessions, and maybe 1 more I am forgetting. I especially recommend listening to the ones I have starred, because they reflect a very different sound than the romantic punk that everyone expects. It is romantic yes, but the sound is much more mod than punk, you'll have to hear it to really understand, but the Legs 11 album is something I listen to more often than their traditionally released ones. Yes, it is that good. And I don't feel too back about uploading these tracks, bc most of them were given away b the band anyways. Here are the tracks included (not necessarily in order). Enjoy! PS I can tell the above pic is an early one, because their leather jackets look all squeaky and new and Pete hasn't got electrical tape on his jeans.


Music When the Lights Go Out (Legs 11 version)
Half-Cocked Boy*
Hooray For the 21st Century
I Got Sweets
Never Never
Love on the Dole*
Bucket Shop*
Dilly Boys
Through the Looking Glass
Sister Sister*(with John Hassall on lead vocals!)
Skag and Bone Man
Anything But Love*
France (Legs 11 version)
Mayday
7 Deadly Sins (instrumental)
Lust of the Libertines*
The Delaney (THIS HAS THE BEST RIFF KNOWN TO MAN)
Back From the Dead
Death on the Stairs (Bernard Butler version)
Lazy Sunday Afternoon* (Small Faces Cover)
Who's Got the Crack (Moldy Peaches cover)
Breck Road Lover*
You're My Waterloo*

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=MYFD2RPF




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Now playing: The Cure - Just Say Yes
via FoxyTunes

I LIKE YOU SO MUCH BETTER WHEN YOU'RE NAKED

HAI INTERNET. ITs me. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you my favorite new blog of the moment. HIPSTER RUNOFF or HRO for cool kids in the know. As HRO says, they are a blog worth blogging about, and that is certainly true. It truly a pioneer of a new frontier in blogging. Post-alt satire. HRO makes fun of "alt bro's and ho's". Which is basically anyone who thinks they are cool by shopping at American Apparel (or Mer Per and my semi alt friend Amanda like to call it) or Urban Outfitters. Or liking a band based on who's blogging about it. He spends mos of the time trying to classify the "alt" as a poser, an entry level alt, or some other classification he pulls from his brain he even makes diagrams like this one.



Not to say that I haven't been guilty of these transgressions from time to time, but sometimes you get the biggest laugh out of laughing at yourself and people you know. My two favorite article so far have been in two very separate arenas. The first has to do with clothing, the second with music. This shows you my versatility. The funny thing about this blog is that you can't quite tell the opinion of the author. Is he really just making fun of "alts" or is he such an "alt himself the only way he can authenticate and legitimize his status is by mocking all the other hipsters.

Here, HRO makes fun of the NME's "coolest USA bands of the moment. As much as I love the NME, I think I take HRO's side on this one. CHECK



And here he ponders what the world would be like if everyone who owned Sambas were required to register for an indoor soccer league. I play indoor soccer. But I don't own Sambas. What does that make me?



Lastly, I would like to introduce you to my favorite song o' da moment, "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked" by Ida Maria. Its fun. Its chanty. You get to shout "NAKED" when you dance to it. What's not to like? DL HERE (Mixtape Maestro) She looks like a feisty chickadee.

EVERYTHING'S IN ORDER IN A BLACK HOLE

Oh Lord. I lol'd my head off when I saw this makeup lesson from Jezebel's Slut Machine. Its a day look with a twist. I can't figure out how to embed it but check it out here.

Speaking of...I finally got around to checking out the new Misshapes.com. It looks really cool. Of course the only legacy I've left there is this extremely flattering picture someone snapped of me at Ruff Club.

I look

1. On drugs (debatable)

2. Confused by the flash (true)

3. Really hot an sweaty (true)

I like the streamers. Nice touch, Samantha. Oh well. I guess I'll have to wait until my return to my redeem myself pictorially.

Lastly, something actually musically related. When I was in London, Paul played me the new Fischerspooner single "The Best Revenge". It is soooo awesome. I know thier last album wasn't the greatest but I think their new album is gonna make them big again. Its like a mix of Cut Copy and Crystal Castles...but better....and with horns. Listen to it here.

THE ADRENALINE IT BURNS A HOLE

If I wrote a linear narrative (thanks punk cinema!) of my trip to London, this post would be a novel, so I'll give you bullet points of things I learned.

#1. THERE ARE NICE PEOPLE OUT THERE.
I flew off to London by the seat of my pants. I didnt really have a place to stay, but help came in the form of two lovely people sent from above. The first was Lee Laborde who is a promoter for LiveNation and helped Chief book a couple of their gigs. One of the nicest guys I've ever met and kindly offered the spare room of his house in Clapham to me and the rest of the band. He is the dashing chap on the right.

However London is very large and some people don't like to take night buses by themselves for fear of being stabbed(wow I sure am glad my Mom didnt read the world news), so luckily I met a friend of Paul's named Alicia who let me crash with her a few nights at her flat in Kentish Town. Here is one of the 10,000 pics i have of her. Elle mag online picked this outfit out of the crowd @ wireless for a festival style article.

She actually became probably the best friend I had in London! So fate worked out nicely in that way.

#2. TRY NOT TO GET DRUNK ON TWO HOURS OF SLEEP AND GO SEE THE NATIONAL
Otherwise, you will end up getting overexcited about a band you don't really care that much about and end up taking approx. ONE MILLION blurry pictures of the stage and make a general fool out of yourself. Exhibit A:


#3.ALL OF THE MAJOR RECORD COMPANIES ARE ON THE SAME STREET.
High Street Kensington to be exact. Well, Sony BMG wasnt there when I was but it will be by now. And I got to go visit all of them as Paul (my favorite Englishman as you all know....well of the ones I know personally) let me tag along to all of his business meetings. Thank you so much Paul!

#4. LAUGHING GAS IS REALLY FUN
Can we get it in the US? This is what you look like shortly after you take it. The other girl in the pic is the gorgeous Tijan who is very cool and hopefully visiting me in NYC!


#5. DOING GUESTLIST AT DURAN DURAN's BIGGEST SHOW IS VERY STRESSFULL
Seriously. It was fun, but NO ONE knows what list they are on and there are like 35 lists and six girls working at the same time, and people show up like 5 mins before the band are due on and expect you to find their tickets for them and then get upset that they don't have aftershow passes. On the plus side, I did get to hang out backstage, meet most of the band, and roam around basically wherever I wanted. Since guestlist took so long, I only got to catch the last 2/3rds of the band's show. I was specifically impressed at the band's cover of The Normal's "Warm Leatherette" which is an awesome sort of new/no wave/post punk hidden gem. Good job guys. Here is me @ the show, obviously stoked



#5 I REALLY FUCKING LOVE CHIEF.
This band is so developed and tight for a new band its scary. They nailed almost all of their shows. Their sound is not something I'd usually go for, but the style they have which is kind of Verve meets like Americana type Neil Young, is done flawlessly. They all sing vocals so there is that really full harmony element. Plus their lyrics are amazing. My current fav is "You Tell Me", which Danny wrote. Basically if you see them live, you become a fan of the band and thats pretty much it. The amount of industry people who showed up to their Hoxton gig was shocking, esp considering that it was raining and the place was damn near impossible to find. Drew and Adam from Babyshambles (!) and Joe Lean was also there with his Jing Jang Jong (Or as Paul would refer to them later in the night as the Jing Fooking Faggots. They got in a bit of a tiff.) Here is a photo that I love that Paul took of all of us outside the 100 Club, where they did their first London gig.


I was also especially proud of them when they played @ wireless on Sunday in front of like, 800 people, which is a huge amount considering their stage and time slot. Ben Harper was scheduled to do a secret early set right before them, so I think a part of the crowd turned up for that. But there was a miscommunication and Ben ended up not playing, and Chief took advantage of the gathered crowd. But then NOBODY left. It was so amazing. I was in front of the barricade filming the whole thing and I just got this overwhelming feeling of happiness for them. They sounded amazing. After they finished the crowd totally dissipated (sad for the next band coming on though). Keeping a festival crowd is a tough job, considering they are not captive, they (probably) didnt pay just to see you, and they could just as easily walk over and get a drink or a bite. This is an really cool pic that Paul or took over Evan's shoulder. Note the Denmark Loves You sign. They've already conquered Europe. Clearly.


I also must share this totally amazing random pic that Paul took. Its fate really.


SO if you havent checked them out yet GO DO IT RIGHT NOW.

#6. A LOT OF SEMI-FAMOUS PEOPLE HANG OUT/STAY AT THE K WEST
We went there on a night the band had off after we had seen Band of Horses at Shepard's Bush Empire. The people that I remember being there were Liam Fray and the rest of the Courteeners (i think, I only really know what Liam looks like), Basshunter, Damon Marley, and Paolo Nutini (I talked to him outside for like 5 minutes before I realized who he was). And this was just like, a random Tuesday night. The drinks were super expensive though. The trick was to get someone to buy them for you :). We took many photo here but these are my favorites.





#7. THE BEDS AT K WEST ARE VERY COMFORTABLE.
Hee hee. Just sayin.

#8. WHEN ON TOUR, BRING A SHITLOAD OF STUFF WITH YOU, OR GET USED TO WEARING THE SAME CLOTHES FOR DAYS.
UGH, this was a very valuable lesson I learned, for my clothes never seemed to be residing in the same place as me when I woke up in the mornings, and I guess I thought it a waste of time to go back to wherever they were. One thing that made it better though, was on Sunday of wireless I got an artist pass, which let me go backstage and have access to pretty much everything the artists did. Including the free Bed Head Salon, where you could book a haircut and style fo freeee. I got one, and it felt so good, I can;t even describe it to you. I felt 100% better. Then I thought I was a hair model. Decidedly untrue, but one can dream.


#9. I FOUND TWO NEW FAVORITE DRINKS.
The first was Gaymer's Pear Cider. It is delicious. Its like apple cider, but with alcohol. Like the original mike's hard. So you don't feel like such a pussy drinking it. The second was Jameson's on the rocks. It may sound a bit...alcoholic, but after waaaaay too much free beer/cider, sometimes all you want is a little concentrated liquid courage. And this was the perfect remedy.

#10. MINGE MEANS LADYBERRY AREA.
You learn something new everyday.


#11 I CAME THISCLOSE TO GETTING TO MEET PETE DOHERTY. THEN CRUEL FATE SHAT ON MY HEAD.
In the cab over to Wireless on Friday me, Paul, and some of Chief shared a cab with Matt Bates from Primark, a booking agency. After impressing everyone with my encyclopedic knowledge of The LIbertines, Matt told me that he was Pete's agent. Keeping my cool, I asked, "so when can I meet him?", Matt said I could accompany him to Pete's Royal Albert Hall gig, complete with box seats. This filled me with boundless joy, but unfortunately I was due to leave on the tenth and his gig was on the twelfth. whyyyyy oh whyyyyyy. its ok. it will happen someday. im sure of it. I told Matt I was coming back to London in January and maybe there would be some gigs then, to which Matt responded with a lighthearted laugh, "Oh, he'll be dead by then". Some people have no faith.

#12. I LOVE LONDON AND CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK.
That needs no explanation.