37 posts tagged “thedharmablues”
I am aware there are a lot of Radiohead fans on W♥M, so I thought I'd mention a recent release by Radiohead called 'Harry Patch (In Memory Of)'.
♥ ryan (
) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ myspace.com Once upon a time there was a British Citizen named Gary McKinnon. He had a great talent for hacking into computers; he also believed that the US Government was keeping secrets. He believed that the US Government had information about UFOs and he wanted it. Instead of switching on the television and watching the X-Files, he switched on his computer and hacked into various US agencies. In doing so, he has earned himself a place in the unofficial record books, by "committing the biggest military computer hack of all time". I do not seek to excuse his actions; hacking is wrong and he shouldn't have done it. Did he endanger lives? No. Did he highlight vulnerabilities in the US Government's computer systems? Yes. We can only be grateful that it was Gary McKinnon and not a terrorist or unfriendly government.
Don't worry though, if you are a US Citizen then the British Government still needs to make a case against you, with evidence, before you win your free trip. Apparently, you are protected by your government and constitution...
Now Gary McKinnon isn't just a UFO-obsessed computer hacker, he also suffers from a form of autism known as 'Asperger's Syndrome'. This goes some way to explain his obsessive behaviour. It also means he is a vulnerable person; if he is extradited, tried, convicted and imprisoned in the US, his mental health may decline and be permanently damaged. The extradition alone could trigger psychosis or suicide.
There are two serious injustices in this case. The Extradition Treaty is flawed. It was entered into after September 11, without any real Parliamentary debate, on the pretext of assisting with the extradition of terrorists to the USA. Gary McKinnon is not a terrorist. Moreover there is no reason why Gary McKinnon couldn't be tried and imprisoned in the UK. In terms of his mental health, it means his family will be close to him. His mum should be credited for organising the campaign against his extradition.
Why am I posting this on a musical review website? There is a protest song! Well, to be more precise, there is a cover of a protest song ('Chicago - We can change the world' by Grahman Nash). And it isn't the greatest protest song in the world. We are not talking Bob Dylan's Hurricane, but then I cannot remember the last time I heard a decent protest song. It features David Gilmour, Bob Geldof, Chrissie Hynde & Gary McKinnon. You can buy it at Free Gary McKinnon. The song is 'a plea to Barack Obama to come from Chicago, to help Change the World and to allow Gary McKinnon to have his life back'. You decide how much you are willing to pay for the song and the money is then donated to the Free Gary Campaign.
I know most of the readers of W♥M are based in the USA and by now you be thinking either 'Vu stop Ryan from posting on this site' or 'What can I do?'. Well, there is something you can do! Complain to Vu (about me) or complain to Obama (about Gary's extradition).
Gary McKinnon has lost of all hope of the British Government stopping this and now needs your help. He needs you to write to your President, your congressman or your senator. He needs you to campaign for the extradition proceedings to be halted and for him to be tried in the UK. If you are minded to take such an action then check out his website.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Ryan
August 1, 2009 14:00
Ryan
my♥posts
freegary.org.uk
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Tour
20 Jan Mac Arts - Birmingham, UK 25 Jan London Roundhouse - London, UK 27 Jan The Cabaret Voltaire - Edinburgh 28 Jan Night & Day - Manchester, UK 29 Jan Brudenell Social Club - Leeds, UK 30 Jan Bodega - Nottingham, UK 01 Feb Soundhaus - Northampton 03 Feb The Cellars - Portsmouth 04 Feb Phoenix - Exeter, UK 05 Feb Louisiana - Bristol, UK Albums
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In keeping with this tradition of releasing Christmas music, Jacob put a wonderful tune called 'Feeling Like Christmas (Again)' on his myspace as a free download. As a special treat, I have included it in this post (Apologies for my lame attempt at album art) but it is definitely worth heading over to his myspace page and grabbing a copy for yourself.
December 23, 2007 21:00
Ryan
my♥posts
jacobgolden.com
I hate jumping on to bandwagons (or should I say bandsleighs?) but we live in dire times. Lapland is on the brink of civil war, terrorists are disguised as children's toys and another factory-line squeaky clean vomit-inducing single is about to make it to number one in the UK charts. Where's President Bush when there is a real crisis? Why he is training his babies to be junior park rangers...of course (If you follow the link there is some free Christmas tunes courtesy of the Whitehouse website).
Malcolm Middleton's odds on winning the 'Christmas Number One' have risen faster than Father Christmas' sleigh in the winter skies. But now is not the time to be complacent! The result of the nationwide musical talent contest, the X Factor, was announced last night. Almost instantly winner Leon Jackson's single appeared on the front page of the iTunes store.
Having never paid any intention to the Christmas Charts, I was shocked to discover that the X Factor winner has seized the 'Christmas Number One' chart position too many times. Leon Jackson is evil. He is charming, he is dashing, he is Scottish, he is pretty much everything I am not. He must be stopped.
On the other hand, Middleton has produced the musical equivalent of Bad Santa, a working man's 'Do You Realize?'. He has captured spirit of the microwave meal for one Christmas. A track to unite all of those people who have ever enjoyed a Christmas glass of Gin and Tonic without the Tonic. A tune for those folks who find themselves taking advantage of themselves under the mistletoe. A ballad of such proportion...oh you get it, I hate Christmas.
Actually I am not too fussed about who gets the 'Christmas Number One' but I needed to pad out this writeup in order to share the Middleton video with you.
Another lovely little video is Sufjan Stevens's Put The Lights On The Tree. This is included as a bonus feature in his Songs For Christmas boxset along with a comic book and other little goodies. I offer this video as Sufjan's Christmas spirit is the yin to Middleton's yan.
Finally in the spirit of Christmas, Okkervil River are offering a free Christmas Mixtape EP on their website. Check it out. It's quite good and it's free. If you see any more free Christmas goodies on offer, let me know!
Merry Christmas!!
December 16, 2007 16:20
Ryan
my posts
wereallgoingtodie.co.uk
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Tour
23 Nov Concorde 2 - Brighton, UK 24 Nov New Trinity Centre - Bristol, UK 26 Nov Everyman Palace - Cork, Ire 27 Nov Everyman Palace - Cork, Ire 29 Nov Dolans Warehouse - Limerick, Ire 30 Nov Rugby Club - Tullamore, Ire 01 Dec Black Box - Galway, Ire 02 Dec Glor - Ennis, Ire 04 Dec The Classic Grand - Glasgow, UK 05 Dec The Empire - Belfast, Ire 06 Dec Olympia Theatre - Dublin, Ire 07 Dec Watergate Theatre - Kilkenny, Ire 08 Dec Forum - Waterford, Ire 11 Dec Club Passim (7pm) - Boston, MA 11 Dec Club Passim (10pm) - Boston, MA 14 Dec Grand Ballroom - New York, NY Links Albums
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And the award for the happiest man alive goes to...Josh Ritter. From the moment he walked on the stage of Hall Two at the Sage Gateshead, to the moment he told his final bow, Josh Ritter wore on his face the most dashing smile I've ever seen.
Now I know Cristina (Ritter's future wife) has already mentioned the Josh Ritter tour, but W♥M is an international site and I loved the gig in Newcastle so much that I couldn't resist mentioning it again.
I never truly understood how being compared to Bob Dylan can used as a criticism, however I've read a few reviews making similar comparisons as if it were a bad thing. In my eyes, Ritter has always stood apart from Dylan, as part of the vanguard of the modern Americana.
I expected a good performance from a seasoned singer-songwriter such as Ritter. What I actually witnessed in the intimate setting of the Sage was an astonishing show from a musician at the peak of his game.
His personal serenade to a bearded man in the balcony was a priceless moment, as was his theory that David Attenborough makes most of the animal sounds on the documentary 'Planet Earth'. There was a moment during the show were he plunged the entire hall into darkness, although the lighting crew were quite reluctant. In the pitch black, he led the audience in making the sound of the giant carnivorous rabbit. Ritter had a lot of fun.
Supported by a band for most of the show, he was rarely off the stage during his two hour set. In total, he left for five minute break before returning for an encore of classics. The sole disappointment of the evening was 'A Girl in the War'. I have become so accustomed to hearing his acoustic demo version, that hearing it plugged in and amplified seemed alien to me. But all sins were forgotten when he started his encore with a soulful cover of 'Chelsea Hotel No 2', which is probably the closest I'll get to Leonard Cohen himself.
Josh was clearly playing to a crowd of fans. He seized the opportunity to rehash classic such as 'Monster Ballads', 'Lillian, Egypt', 'Good Man' and 'The Snow is Gone'. He even threw in an old Dylan song. Throughout though, there remained a healthy dose of new material taken from his latest album, 'The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter'.
One of the highlights of the night was 'The Temptation Of Adam'. A ballad about a romantic affair in a nuclear bunker located underground and out of sight, which managed to be hysterical and sentimental all in one as the couple ponder whether WWIII is the only way to make their love flourish.
Supporting Ritter was the surprisingly delightful Katie Walsh, who has just returned from her US tour. Her brand of soft-spoken, sensual ballads was a fitting introduction to the more well-rounded sound of Ritter, and at times a little more heart-felt and personal.
At the end of it all, I felt like a born-again Ritter fan and fully justified in my decision to join the Josh Ritter Appreciation Group on facebook. Talking of facebook, there is an awesome W♥M fan page...Ok, so it ain't awesome but it is pretty good.
Check out Ritter's website for more free tracks available to download (spread across his entire discography).
Josh Ritter's Fall Tour continues on in the UK and Ireland before finishing in Boston and New York. A lot of the venues are already sold out.
Most importantly Ritter managed to convince my younger brother, Tim, that I am still cool. I am still cool. I am still cool. I was never cool. All in all, it was another wonderful night at the Sage Gateshead.
November 22, 2007 21:05
Ryan
my♥posts
joshritter.com
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Influences
"Think Sigur Ros stealing Keanes vocals underpinned by glitched up Groove Armada style electronics, and seriously talented live instrumentalists." |
They came together just over a year ago when Hayworth started to combine his solo work with some mates who were just messing around with instruments. A few gigs later and suddenly they realised they may just have something a little special here and that's when things turned serious.
A world way from their old pub gigs, This Morning Call found themselves performing at Manchester PRIDE this year. From the feedback on their blog, they went down a treat with a party-loving crowd of 2000 people. To follow this up, they will be the supporting act on the launch of a brand new television station.
For your listening pleasure, I thought I'd share Clockwise. This is one of my favourite tracks from their musical portfolio. It is a very reflective number about love and all the naked emotions connected to love. This is the same track that has forced the UK indie labels to flock around the group, give them long drawn out limo rides and make comments such as "there is a lot of great detail in the music, Clockworks is obviously a great song" (Fierce Panda Records).
This is a band that is making sure their sound is getting out to the masses with a wonderful blog on myspace and a sister blog on Vox.
Whatever your opinion regarding their music, I am fairly certain that This Morning Call are here to stay and will be appearing on a radio station near you in the future.
Free music fans should head over to their myspace for some downloadable tracks. Better to get them while they are still free.
November 15, 2007 23:30
Ryan
my♥posts
thismorningcall.co.uk
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Tour
16 Nov Ear X-tacy - Louisville, KY 16 Nov 4th Street Live - Louisville, KY 14 Dec WFPK - Live Lunch - Louisville, KY 15 Dec Headliner's Hall - Louisville, KY Albums
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Time for a little bit of rock and roll. US country rockers, Digby, fit easily into my stereotypical perception of an all-American saloon bar; Light beer, whisky, Hell's Angels, bar fights and a run-down yet beautiful waitress who is trapped in a loveless marriage to the former quarterback of the high school football team. OK so that's my imagination working over time.
'What's Not Plastic' is the first part in a trilogy of EPs entitled 'The Wake In The Street' and is the end product of a three year journey from Digby's first album. They certainly won't be winning any prizes for being the luckiest band in the industry as they have suffered divorce, the death and other similar demons. It has definitely been a period of 'Self-Evaluation' for the group and in light of all this they have still mentioned to pull off a half decent EP.
If I wasn't reviewing for W♥M, I'd probably never have consider listening to their EP. It feels like a commercial brand of americana in the vein of the Counting Crows et all. However I'd have been missing out on one or two hidden treats.
Digby don't put a foot wrong in terms of crafting their songs. The songwriting is solid and I loved the lines such 'I can't wait to sin again, sinning is more fun with friends'.
Ultimately however, where they fail in this reviewer's mind, is they offer nothing unique to an already saturated market. As such this EP may not contribute much to your music library. Now this all sounds a little bit too critically for my liking so I have to confess over the course of a few listens I did grow fond of a few of their songs. The hooks and lines from 'Self-Evaluation' are catchy. I cannot promise they will last the month in my iTunes library as it is a competitive marketplace in there due to limited space on my hard drive but for the time being if one of their tracks pops up on a random shuffle, it won't be skipped.
Where I cannot fault the group is their use of technology. I feel nothing but joy when I discover a group is actually taking full advantage of the internet and all its potential. Digby are on myspace, iLike and youtube. They also maintain a fairly active blog. Searching through it, I found this rather decent cover of Radiohead's 'High and Dry'.
Oh yeah and the EP is part of the new wave of 'pay what you want' releases. That's right, if you are so inclined you can pick up a free copy from the band;s website. Although I am sure they'd appreciate a few pennies in the bank.
Talking of use of modern technology, apparently there is a crazy new
website called Facebook. Now if you are a fan of W♥M
and a part of the
facebook crowd then feel free to add us by following this link. It won't change your life but it will change your profile by adding a
'I am a fan of' section. Modern technology at its most pointless. Digby also have a Facebook profile so feel free to give them a poke. Join
the revolution.
November 14, 2007 12:54
Ryan
my♥posts
digbyonline.com
As it is World Mental Health Day (10th October), I thought I'd reflect on three of my favourite artists whose lives, if not music, have been marked by mental health problems.
Townes Van Zandt once said: "There are only two kinds of songs; there's the blues, and there's zip-a-dee-doo-dah."
Judge for yourself the type of music he played but heed my warning, these songs will not cure any form of depression. Townes Van Zandt rarely fails to satisfy those occasional country craving. He is considered by some to be one of the founding fathers of alternative country music.
Like many musical greats, Townes Van Zandt suffered from bi-polar disorder.
Unfortunately, he suffered from it at a time when modern medicine was less effective and electro shock was very trendy.
When I originally mention this on my personal blog somebody was quick to point out that electro shock therapy still has its place in certain treatments and can be effective.
The film Control directed by Anton Corbijn, a former photographer for NME, recently won the main prize at Scotland's Mental Health Arts and Film Festival (Amongst other film prizes). It is on my list of films to see once I escape from the cultural backwater known as Cumbria.
On the subject of his death, his daughter Nancy Curtis said:
People constantly ask, "Why did he kill himself?" To me it seems obvious - because he was really depressed.
If you get the chance, check out her full article about her father on The Guardian website.
Joy Division were responsible for one of my all-time favourite tracks, 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'. While doing a bit of background research I discovered this post over at My Old Kentucky. It is a comprehensive collection of Love Will Tear Us Apart covers. Definitely worth checking it out.
Finally, another man with bi-polar and an inspiration to many contemporary artists, Daniel Johnston. I don't know if the Marmite debate exists in the USA. Daniel Johnson is the musically equivalent of Marmite. You either love him or hate him.
When I think of music by troubled minds, Daniel Johnston is the
ultimate example. His songs take the listener on a tour around his own personal universe and
back again.
Not to be out done by Ian Curits, there is an amazing independent film about Johnston. Again, I haven't seen it (Cultural backwater and all) but I have heard amazing things about it and the trailer below has sold it to me. Enjoy this cover of the Beach Boys classic, God Only Knows.
I'll conclude my mini-tour of music and mental health by plagiarizing a quotation and pointing out that one in four people will suffering from some sort of mental health problem during their lifetime, there are currently 24 people writing for We♥Music...
(Mind)World Mental Health Day has been celebrated annually on 10 October since 1992. Every year a different theme is set by the World Federation for World Mental Health Day. The theme for 2007 is 'Mental health in a changing world: the impact of culture and diversity'.
October 10, 2007 16:34
Ryan
my♥posts
BBC Mental Health
| Vu wrote: Oct 10, 2007 6:32 PM |
I just wanted to add this link - you can watch the Control trailer (it was previously pulled from bootube).
There are some bands this boy is fated never to see. It saddens me to add The Decemberists to that list. Another tour, another missed opportunity.
Having discovered that The Decemberist concert I was supposed to attend in Newcastle clashed with a vegan wedding in Germany, I clambered to get tickets for the Liverpool concert on 10th October 2007. Oh joy, oh joy! The tickets were available! Unfortunately, the band is not!
According to their website:
With much regret The Decemberists have cancelled the remainder of our European tour. One of our band members is ill and needs to return immediately home to mend.
Our deepest apologies to all of our fans whom have purchased tickets to our forthcoming European shows. Unfortunately our calendar doesn't allow us to return to Europe at any point soon so please refund tickets at point of purchase.
It saddens us to disappoint our fans. We hope everybody understands that it is because of an extreme situation that we had to make such an abrupt change in plans.
Obviously, the We♥Music team hopes the sickly band member gets well soon...and I am not bitter in the slightest. Never one to let the bad news win, I thought I'd use this as an excuse to post two covers by The Decemberists.
The first track appeared in The Believer (June 2005 Music Issue) magazine. It is a cover of Joanna Newsom's Bridges And Balloons. The rest of the cover CD contains similar covers by a variety of artists.
If anybody has a copy of that The Believer CD, please feel free to contact me on the email address below.
The second track is taken from an album entitled 'Interpreting Bjork' and is exactly that, an interpretation of Bjork's Human Behaviour from her album Debut.
Anyway, to the best of my knowledge the Decemberists will honour their US tour with Laura Veirs. If you check out their tour page, you'll notice an option by each date to add it to your gcal or ical. I may not be getting to see The Decemberists but the geek in me loves calendar options so I am happy now.
October 8, 2007 03:55
Ryan
my♥posts
www.decemberists.com
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Tracklist
01. 15 Step 02. Bodysnatchers 03. Nude 04. Weird Fishes/Arpegii 05. All I Need 06. Faust Arp 07. Reckoner 08. House of Cards 09. Jigsaw Falling Into Place 10. Videotape
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I just read over on The Guardian Music blog that a new Radiohead album, 'In Rainbows', will be released in 10 days.
Interestingly, there are two purchasing options for the album. If you are flush with cash and love collectables then you can splash out £40 for the boxset. This includes the CD, 2 x 12 inch vinyl records, enhanced CD containing more songs, digital photographs, artwork & lyrics booklets and the right to digitally download the tracks.
Alternatively, you can opt to buy the downloadable album only. The best bit is you get to pick the price you will pay for the album.
As people in the North of England are famed for being tight with money, I have just purchased 'In Rainbows' for £1.50 with a 45p transaction charge on top.
If you are looking to preview the tracks on the album then check out the Guardian article which contains links to youtube videos.
If paying for music is just too great a burden for your wallet then you may be interested to know that The Charlatans will be releasing their 10th album for free via XFM. It'll be available online on 22th October 2007.
October 1, 2007 20:25
Ryan
my♥posts
www.inrainbows.com
As an aside, I thought I'd highlight this campaign:
'International Bloggers' Day for Burma on the 4th of October 2007'
International bloggers are preparing an action to support the peaceful revolution in Burma. We want to set a sign for freedom and show our sympathy for these people who are fighting their cruel regime without weapons. These Bloggers are planning to refrain from posting to their blogs on October 4 and just put up one Banner then, underlined with the words Free Burma!“.
I know blogging can be addictive but I think supporting this campaign be an amazing statement of unity with the oppressed bloggers of Burma. While this will not free the people of Burma, it is a clear indication of the importance of blogging in fighting against repressive regimes.
For information on other countries that repress bloggers, check out the Amnesty International Irrepressible Campaign.My Groups
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