This Past Week

Monday: The Drums are one of my favourite new bands. These guys look like they just stepped out of a Swedish porn flick, and sound like pure teenage yearning.

  

"You used to be so pretty, now you're just tragic" becomes lhnA's favourite new sing-along line.

The Drums - Don't be a Jerk, Jonny

  

Tuesday: Soon to be reunited Pavement are the first (and so far only) band to be announced for Primavera Sound 2010. I immediately grabbed my credit card and bought tickets for both Primavera Sound and Primavera Club (held in December - look out for a LHNA  preview over the next couple of days), which they will headline. I also updated the Primavera Sound Wikipedia page; which, if you haven't yet done (editing a Wikipedia entry), I highly recommend doing; it's strangely satisfying. 


Pet Ghost Project - Box Elder (Pavement Cover)

Wednesday: Jonathan Richman visits our fine city. Tiny venue, packed. Hotter than a pre-heated oven in Hell. Jonathan starts off by apologising for the heat, saying not to blame the venue; he just doesn't like the sound of air conditioning (he later stops playing when the AC is switched on, only returning once it's been turned off). Several smokers grumble about the new no-smoking law, making little trips outside to inhale some smoke during his set.   

 

Jonathan Richman - Our dog is getting older now

Thursday: I come across a Lou Barlow cover of La Roux. Google Music is announced, which won't be available in Europe. What else is new... At least we have Spotify!


 Lou Barlow - Bulletproof (La Roux cover)

Friday: My robot outfit is complete.It required a paper Lidl bag, lots of aluminium foil, two cans of silver spray paint, lots of very strong tape, Daft Punk's Robot Rock and two CDs for my eyes.

 Royksopp - The Girl and the Robot

 

Saturday: Halloween!

 

 Mclusky - Dave, Stop Killing Prostitutes

  

***

and finally, a new feature, titled:

Blindfold - Falleg Depurd 

 If Coldplay met Sigur Ros in the clearing of a magical forest on a freezing winter's day (with Keane gently emanating from a nearby old people's home) , it might sound something like this.

Pavement for Dummies

Unless you've been in a cave somewhere recording video messages to the great Satan on your webcam, trapped inside a large bear outfit, abusing Kurt's avatar (now those are three words I never thought I'd write), under a table somewhere hiding from swine flu, too busy following Terminal Man, worrying about your missile shield, or watching Dirty Dancing on repeat this week, it probably won't have escaped you that Kanye We... no, not that news... I am of course talking about: Pavement getting back together for a reunion next year!!!

  

 

 Statement on Matador's blog:

  

[After years of speculation, the most important American band of the 1990’s is returning to the stage, with the lineup of Mark Ibold, Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg, Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich and Steve West reuniting for dates around the world in 2010.  Please be advised this tour is not a prelude to additional jaunts and/or a permanent reunion.]

 

Over the past 48 hours the news has gone from '"a reliable source tells us"...', to them doing 'a show', to a full tour, though, as you can read on the statement above, they've also made it clear that this is a one-time thing, so don't expect any legacy-torpedoing new albums, or indefinite big money tours (nope, it'll just be the one).
 
Pavement, let it be clear, do not intend to piss all over their legacy.

So, having heard the news, what's an 18 year old indie kid, who had to Google 'pavement' when reading the news, and gets his/her music from the Gossip Girl soundtrack, to do??!! Pavement? Right, isn't that the band who has supposedly influenced EVERYONE? The band that got those 10 out of 10 album reviews on Pitchfork?

Yep, that's the one.
 
Letters have no Arms hereby proudly presents Pavement for Dummies. A brief introduction, a beginner's kit if you will. Start off with these ten songs (and perhaps the Pavement article on allmusic), then work your way through their rather majestic back-catalogue. You've got till next year to memorise all the lyrics and start getting VERY F**KING EXCITED ABOUT NEXT YEAR!!!

The early lo-fi one: Box Elder
The 'hit': Stereo
The quiet one: Strings of Nashville
The bouncy one: Cut your Hair
The wistful one: Here

The quirky one: Carrot Rope
The old favourite: Range Life

The it-doesn't-get-much-better-than-this one: Gold Soundz
The epic one: Fight this Generation

The amazing B-side: Secret Knowledge Of Backroads

 

the band

 

haha pavement, get it?

The news does of course leave us with a number of questions:

- At what point during their upcoming shows will it be polite for the band to exclaim/tell Stephen to (just) stop jamming!!! ?

- Stephen Malkmus famously chained handcuffs to his mic stand during their last ever gig at the Brixton Academy in London, stating 'this is what it's like being in a band'. What will he chain to it at their first gig back? Keys? A cheque?

- And finally, will Stephen be sporting a moustache?

 

 magazine bearing their name 
   
You've been humming and I think it's forever
Praying for pavement to get back together
Nobody knows where you are living
Nobody knows where you are

You're so far around the bend
 

The National - So far around the bend 

Other People's Songs

So we haven't done a covers post in quite a long time and were feeling quite guilty so we're gonna make up for it. And our timing is perfect because...

The Sarcastic Dharma Society
...happen to have a new covers album out. I have good news and even better news and amazing news about it, which one do you want to hear first? The good news is that we're talking covers of such artists as Julie Doiron, Why?, Mount Eerie, and Pedro the Lion. Even better news is the fact that you can download the whole thing over at cllct.com. How about I tell you the best news about the album then? Here goes: It's good.

Bad Bad Things (Andrew Jackson Jihad Cover)
"And then I grabbed the knife and I let the blood out of your throat
And I smashed those tiny mirrors inside of your skull
And I got to thinking: if I don't go to hell when I die I might go to heaven"

Simeon's Dilemma (Why? Cover)
"But I still hear your name in wedding bells
Will I look better or will I look the same rotting in hell?
You're the only proper noun I need; hurry."

First Day of My Life (Bright Eyes Cover)
"This is the first day of my life
Glad I didn't die before I met you
Now I don't care, I could go anywhere with you and I'd probably be happy"

Other cool covers that either are or will soon be embarking on a 'round the blog in 80 days mission:


Little Pictures - Buddy Holly (Weezer Cover)

We Are Scientists - Hoppipolla (Sigur Ros Cover)

Dawn Landes - Young Folks (Peter, Bjorn and John Cover)

Zooey - Father to a Sister of Thought (Pavement Cover)

The Twilight Sad - Half a Person (The Smiths Cover)

Emiliana Torrini - Sound of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel)

Ian McGlynn - Mistaken for Strangers (The National Cover)

First Aid Kit - Tiger Mountain Peasant Song (Fleet Foxes)

Winter Gloves - Someone Great (LCD Soundsystem Cover)



*illustrations on the left by Maxwell Loren Holyoke Hirsch (yes, I know, with that name how can you not be talented?)

30 Reasons To Vote on November 4th!

October 5

Oct 6

Oct 7

Oct 8

Oct 9

Oct 10

Oct 11

Oct 12

October 13

October 14

October 15

October 16

October 17

October 18

October 19

October 20

October 21

October 22

October 23

October 24

October 25

October 26

October 27

October 28

October 29

October 30

October 31

All the images above are from the rather brilliant 30 Reasons website, which, over the past month has created 30 reasons why anyone who can vote, should vote. Each poster was designed by a different artist, and released on a daily basis. 4 more still remain (which I'll add to this post over these next few days, so keep checking back), as there are of course but 4 days left before this historic election. If you've already decided who you are going to vote for, make sure you indeed GO OUT AND VOTE on Tuesday. Also call up, email, text message and generally just harass all your friends into voting as well. If you are still undecided, why don't you take this weekend to think about it. Read up on the issues; come to a decision. Think about what's not only good for you, now, but for your country, your future, and the future of the entire world.

The world surely cannot survive a continuation of the past 8 years...

The Futureheads - Yes/No

Go home, brick yourself in

Think about it properly

YES!!!!!!! NO!!!!!!!

Joy Division - Leaders of Men

A nightmare situation

Infiltrate imagination
Smacks of past holy wars

By the wall with broken laws
The leaders of men
Born out of your frustration

Jay Reatard - Don't let him come back

The Smiths - Stop me if you think you've heard this one before

Oh, who said I'd lied because I never? I never!
Who said I'd lied because I never?

Klaxons - It's not over yet

Don't throw it all away.

It's not over, not over, not over, not over yet.

Pavement - From now on

Cut Copy - Future

Future.

It's the a time to think.

Future.

It's a time to think.

Justin Timberlake - Sexy Back

I’m bringing sexy back;

them motherf**kers don’t know how to act.

Eagles of Death Metal - I Only Want You

Guided by Voices - If we wait

Cause you know that if we wait

For our time

We'll all be dead

The Horrors - Excellent Choice

Well I'm not trying to alter your opinion

I'm so happy that you've finally found your voice.

I don't want to put the doubt in your mind

In my head you're just fine.

Excellent Choice.

Well done sir.

The Hidden Cameras - The day is dawning

There's a new day dawning

The Books - The future, wouldn't that be nice?

Some relevant links:

Official Barack Obama site

Barack Obama on Wikipedia

Summer Here Kids! (part 1)

"It can't be just me
That's working it out
These songs that we've chosen
And what they're about
 

Are we after the same thing?
Am I crossing a line?
I'm checking the lyrics
I'm pressing rewind

All through the night
They begin to take shape
From the crack of the vinyl
To the hiss of the tape!

Play and record
Held down together
Tabs pushed off
So you can't tape over it ever

A couple of friends
Hanging out with each other
Just swapping songs
To soundtrack our summer"  

Art Brut - Sound of Summer

 

Grandaddy - Summer Here Kids

   

    "Ice baby,
I saw your girlfriend and she was
Eating her fingers like they’re just another meal
But she waits there
In the levee washes
Mixin’ cocktails with a plastic-tipped cigar"

Pavement - Summer Babe (Winter version)

   

    "That summer feeling is gonna haunt you the rest of your life"

Jonathan Richman - That Summer Feeling

    

 "On an island in the sun
We'll be playing and having fun
And it makes me feel so fine
I can't control my brain"

Weezer - Island in the Sun

Don't judge a song by its cover

Of Montreal – Make Out, Fall Out, Make Up (Love is all)

CSS – Knife (Grizzly Bear)

British Sea Power – Caribou (Pixies)

Ladytron – Open your heart (Human League)

Pavement – Something (Beatles)

Final fantasy – Peach, Plum, Pear (Joanna Newsom)

The Postal Service – Against all odds (Phil Collins)

Lou Barlow - Cold as Ice - (Foreigner)

Write it on a postcard: Dad, they broke me

I’m on a train. It’s the first ever Thalys high-speed train to Paris and it’s just started moving. I'm waving goodbye to my mom outside the window. This is the first time I’ve ever truly left home. The first time I’ve ever travelled alone, and I’m terrified. This is it. I’ve left home, and I won’t be coming back. I’m 18 and the world is there to be discovered. I have this song in my head and on my Walkman:

Stop breathin'
Stop breathin'
Breathin' for me now
Write it on a postcard
Dad, they broke me
Dad, they broke me

Over the next four weeks my trip will take me to Belgium, France, Spain, Italy and Greece. I’ll be robbed in Spain, I’ll cross Italy in the hallway of a fully booked train, sleep on the deck of an overnight ferry to Greece, hang out with some American college girls in Venice. I’ll visit the Prado, San Marco square, the Coliseum and the Louvre. I’ll stay at a hostel in Monaco, in a tiny room in Paris, dine at McDonalds, eat a pizza on my birthday. I’m alone. I’m moving.

And the ‘terrified’?

It disappeared the minute the train pulled out of the station.

Here are some tracks from Pavement's Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994):
Pavement - Stop Breathin'
Pavement - Range Life