4Play: Good Reads 2010

Since it’s part of the Blogger Terms of Service that, if you have a blog, you have to post lists in the last three weeks of every year, I’m legally obliged to write about some of the things I’ve enjoyed since the clock turned 2010. To do so, I’m bringing back the long-dormant feature 4Play to Are You Gene Hackman? Lists of four, you see, are easier than lists of ten, or fifty, or whatever. Let’s get started!

4Play: Books I liked.
(I wish I could think of a better title than that. I'm not creative.)

I’m not as well-read as I’d like to be. What with jobs, families, planning a wedding (oh, I got engaged), Angry Birds and comedy podcasts, who has the time? But I did read and enjoy these worthy tomes. They all came out in 2010, although Mark Watson’s only came out in the UK, and won’t be available in the States ‘til the Spring. Oh, and please excuse my formatting with the pictures. Blogger is not an easy mistress at times.

Mark Watson – Eleven

Watson is a British stand-up, TV personality and Bristol City supporter. Once, I was watching ‘Have I Got News For You’ with my parents, and he was on it, and my mum said “Hey, he looks like you and is funny like you.” He also wears sweaters and glasses, so I took that as a compliment. His novel is about a group of people who don’t know each other, but become connected as a result of each other’s actions. What a horrible description I just gave it. It’s a great novel – not “brilliantly hilarious and hilariously brilliant” as Stephen Fry’s blurb suggests – but well-observed, occasionally poignant, and very fun. Look out for it next year.

D.C. Pierson – The Boy Who Couldn’t Sleep and Never Had To
I just finished this one today, which was awfully convenient as regards making this list. D.C. Pierson is a Napoleon Dynamite-lookin’ dude whose comedy troupe Derrick Comedy made last year’s terrific movie Mystery Team. He’s younger than me and I hate him for that. His debut novel showed a great understanding of both high-school outsiders, and giant monsters that smash things. I liked it a lot.

Julie Klausner – I Don’t Care About Your Band

In which Julie Klausner hilariously illustrates that type-A jock/frat apes don’t have a monopoly on being insensitive, oblivious, horrendous boyfriends. That’s right, even turtleneck-wearing The Sea and Cake fans can be awful. Klausner’s compilation of bad partners is impressive as well as troubling, and her narratives are a joy to behold. I wrote about this book months ago – what are you waiting for?

Nathan Rabin – My Year of Flops

I love minutiae, and Rabin’s second book is packed with details about films both bad and awful, plus a few diamonds in the rough. As with Klausner, I really dig Rabin’s voice in the book, it’s funny and pop-cultured just to the degree that’s not over the top. And I appreciated that he gave every movie in the book a chance, keeping an open mind and never just dumping on a film. Even the ones that deserved it. Here’s a more full review I wrote of the book for another site.

4play: So Long, Astoria

The London Astoria is closing its doors tomorrow, to make way for Crossrail, some sort of bullshit train station. This is incredibly sad news, because it has been one of London's best venues for decades. I've been to many, many, many gigs there, and have struggled to narrow it down to four unforgettable highlights.

This selection is so good that NONE OF THESE EVEN MAKE THE CUT: seeing the sixth gig that Gomez ever played, or watching Lo-Fidelity Allstars (still with Wrekked Train!) brandish firecrackers, or Soundtrack of our Lives playing second on the bill and blowing away headliners Ash and Hundred Reasons, or interviewing MoHoBishOPi in the tiny, tiny, dressing room upstairs there, or, at the same gig, The Vines underwhelming despite a mountain of hype, The Music being amazing, and Doves unveiling 'The Last Broadcast'.

But here are the four strongest abiding memories I have of the soon-to-be-demolished music cathedral.

The White Stripes, November 2001: The NME was all like "They're the best thing to ever happen to recorded sound" but all I heard was hypehypehypehype. So I wasn't particularly fussed when they announced a couple of shows at the Astoria. Day of, I get a call from the woman at their PR company who said "Just come and see them" and I did, and you know what? They were really rather good. I'm not too fussed about any of their records, nor have I ever seen them again, but they definitely killed it that night.

The Flaming Lips, July 2002: The best concert I have ever seen. But I've written about that before.

Asian Dub Foundation, January 2000: Supported by short-time heroes the Regular Fries, the mighty ADF took to the stage and previewed forthcoming classic 'Community Music' in all its kaleidoscopic glory. Before 'Collective Mode', someone ripped off their t-shirt and threw it onstage. And Deedar was still in the band. Unforgettable.

Super Furry Animals, June 1999: This was an afternoon gig, a recording for Japanese TV. The day after GCSEs finished. It would be the first time I'd see SFA, and I'd go on to see them another six times in the next twelve months, the closest I've ever been to being obsessed. It being early, Guto managed to fall asleep. The era when they began with 'Wherever I Lay My Phone, That's My Home' and rocked like bastards. That last video link is actually from the gig in question, so watch it!

[download The White Stripes - I Think I Smell a Rat (live)]
[download The Flaming Lips - The Spark that Bled]
[download Asian Dub Foundation - Collective Mode]
[download Super Furry Animals - Ice Hockey Hair]

4play: 'Be My Baby' drums

Say it ain't so! It's the welcome return of this feature, depending on how you define "welcome" and "feature". In my last post, I made reference to the trademarked 'Be My Baby' drum intro, without giving it a moment's thought that you may not have known what the fudge I'm talking about. So here are four songs that are united by that signature boom boom-boom thud sound. Three of the songs are from London, and one from Liverpool.

That Johnny Boy song is unimpeachably incredible, making it a shame that the band's album sank without a trace and they were never heard from again. Elsewhere, there's the first we ever heard of Clinic, back in their still-wearing-surgical-masks days; something heartfelt from the Hef's 'Fidelity Wars' album; and one that you may already have, from Radiohead's European tour support BFL.

Expect another 4Play in seven months' time.

[download Johnny Boy - You Are The Generation That Bought More Shoes and You Get What You Deserve]
[download Clinic - I.P.C. Subeditors Dictate Our Youth]
[download Hefner - The Weight of the Stars]
[download Bat for Lashes - What's A Girl To Do?]

4play: Bottom of the Barrel

What with the proliferation of streaming video sites, and a summer where I didn't have anything to do after 5pm for three whole months, I managed to see a whole lot of shitty movies this year. Here's a recap of the four worst. They're all blockbusters, which in a way seem like an easy target, but to be honest, I didn't see any truly horrendous indies this year (though Eagle Vs. Shark was a bit pants). Also, if you're looking for more of a laugh, the AV Club did a piece about the year's worst films which is way funnier than mine.

Evan Almighty - I wrote about this one pretty extensively at the time. I guess it wasn't completely abhorrent, unlike some of those below, but it was just a whole lot of not good.

300 - Hoo boy. The non-fighting parts were boring enough, but when you're waiting for the fighting parts to stop because those are boring, something's wrong. Here's what I wrote at the time.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - I didn't hate it as much as the Good Doctor seemed to but that doesn't mean I liked this overwrought, soulless, plotless, senseless waste of my three hours. Why they didn't just call it "Pirates : Fuck you, audience!" is beyond me. (Original review)

Epic Movie - Easily the worst film of the year, possibly the worst film I've ever seen. When I saw it, I couldn't even write the words to convey the hatred, so I opted for an Alan Partridge clip instead. Apparently, watching two episodes of 'Best Week Ever' was enough research for these guys to base a film around. Who needs a joke when there's FOUR musical breakdowns. With 'Meet the Spartans' due to drop soon, I'm gonna have a whole lot more hate where this came from. You know I'm going to watch it. Take it away, Hater.

4play: The future's bright

Best bands that will release albums in early 2008

1. British Sea Power

BSP's third album is called 'Do You Like Rock Music?' and it's a huge leap forward from their also-great older material. As you may expect from the title, it's heavier than they've ever been, the guitars chime like the Bunnymen, there's a nod to the Hitler Youth ('No Lucifer') and plenty more that I haven't yet had time to fully absorb. Having been straight-up blown away when I saw them way back in 2001 at the Dublin Castle (!) in Camden, co-headlining with National Prayer Breakfast (!!). Check out first single, 'Waving Flags' in the embed:



2. A Silver Mt. Zion

They toured for most of the year, and then didn't put out an album! But since I've slowly become fully immersed in the world of all these Constellation bands, and since 'God Bless Our Dead Marines' is one of my new favourite songs, I'm now very eager to check out '13 Blues for Thirteen Moons', which is due in March. Here's a live recording of the first song.

[download A Silver Mt. Zion - One Million Died to Make this Sound (live)]

3. dEUS

It's no secret that I'm kind of in love with the grandaddies of Belgian music (that description makes them sound crap, though). The good news is that unlike the seven years it took them to make 2005's 'Pocket Revolution', this time it was only three years. The new one is coming soon, says Tom Barman on their website and I'm sure I'll love it. Not a lot of details yet, everything that's known is here. And to tide you over, here's a nice live video.



4. The Notwist

Please? It's about time. We still remember.

4play: The Sporting Life

Slow Down Ronnie - Mark E. babbles about snooker champ Ronnie O'Sullivan in a manner that is comprehensible only to Mark E.

Jamie Thomas - Camden's favourite son sings about a skateboarder. Good tune for a quick spaz out.

Tony Adams - One legend's tribute to another legend.

Mr. Carbohydrate - "Have you heard of Matthew Maynard? He's my favourite cricketer. I'd rather watch him play, than pick up my guitar".

Bonus: Post Match Analysis - A nice companion piece to 'Tony Adams'. Alas, there are no songs I can think of about Dixon, Winterburn or Bould.

[download Von Sudenfed - Slow Down Ronnie]
[download Graham Coxon - Jamie Thomas]
[download Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros - Tony Adams]
[download Manic Street Preachers - Mr. Carbohydrate]
[download Blak Twang - Post Match Analysis]

4play: Back 2 Skool

For some reason, there isn't really a wealth of songs celebrating that sensation that I've just experienced, and I'm sure many of you guys have too/will be soon. Yep, it's time to return to school/college/university and put the summer behind you. I mean, there's this, but I've never really cared for the Deftones. If only Alice Cooper would write some sort of flip-side response to his own 'School's Out', that'd make my life a whole lot easier. So, for the most part, here are four songs about the end of summer.

Walking Barefoot - One of Ash's greatest songs, sad but lively, and there's a great bit toward the end where all the instruments cut out and Tim says that the rain just won't go, and then all the noise comes back in that always gives me goosebumps.

Autumn's Here - Someone once played me this song and said he's "Canada's Rufus Wainwright". Well, it's the only song I know to use the word "kindling" so fair play to him. Also it has lovely strings.

The Laws Have Changed - Second year of law school is already more intense than anything I've done before (see image). No more mid-week crack binges, I guess.

Summer Falls - Always got love for the 'Food here, and this song is about a world gone mad, which is probably this one. "As if by magic, summer ends" and a really sweet drum fill around the 3.40 mark. Yep!

[download Ash - Walking Barefoot]
[download Hawksley Workman - Autumn's Here]
[download The New Pornographers - The Laws Have Changed]
[download Seafood - Summer Falls]

4play: Heads of State

Rumours that I didn't think this feature through and that I'm already running out of ideas may or may not be entirely accurate. Anyway, here's the second installment. Songs about leaders of government.

Didn't quite make it: SFA's 'Presidential Suite', about "Monica and Naughty Billy", because it's too slow-but-pretty; iLiKETRAiN's recent 'Spencer Perceval' (wrote about that here), or anything about the Garfield assassin, Charles J. Guiteau, my new favourite historical figure.

But enough about those losers, here's today's four:

Revol: Could've gone with 'The Love of Richard Nixon', but that song is rubbish, and Revol namechecks at least ten figures. Raus Raus!

The Day That Thatcher Dies: Any possible feeling of moral uncertainty about this song's sentiment is washed over by the fact that it has a kid's choir.

Teddy Roosevelt's Guns: I'm new on the Godspeed/Mt Zion bandwagon, but I'm head-over-heels with all that stuff now.

El President: The subject of this song, Gen. Pinochet, was kept at the Priory in North London for a while, about five minutes from where I lived. I remember protesters and hearing our town in the news.

[download Manic Street Preachers - Revol]
[download Hefner - That Day That Thatcher Dies]
[download A Silver Mt. Zion - Teddy Roosevelt's Guns]
[download Drugstore - El President ft. Thom Yorke]

4play: Roots Manuva guest spots

New feature! New feature! Ring the bells and flash some lights! For trivia fans, rejected titles for this feature were "4real", "4pack", "4songs", "4way" and "Gimme 5". I decided that, if I wanted to sustain this, though, I should limit it to four and not five tunes. The premise is: four songs that I like, united by some arbitrary theme. Questions?

To begin with, four songs that feature London's Rodney Smith, better known as Roots Manuva in a cameo. He's had a variable career - a handful of genius moments (if you've never seen the video for 'Witness', go go go go) but lots and lots of mediocre output. When I saw him live at Reading 2001, it was a weak show and he cut off 'Witness' after one verse. He may proclaim to be a vision of splendid splendidness, but he's frustratingly uneven.

But these guest appearances are all ace. The Cinematic Orchestra track is long and brooding and has some reference to a Tardis, and the line about his best friend dying always gets me. Meanwhile, 'Dusted' was a great taster for the disappointing 'Rhythm and Stealth'. Get up!

He only drops a verse on the other two tracks. Exodus 77 is a huge dude who you may have heard on 'Won' by the Beta Band, and the Bhangra mix of the TY track is ace. Enjoy! The tune with Exodus isn't even listed on Wikipedia, so consider that an exclusive?

[download The Cinematic Orchestra - All Things To All Men]
[download TY - So You Want More (Refix)]
[download Leftfield - Dusted]
[download Exodus 77 - 3D Reconstruction]