Fort Lean, look terrible. They make LMAFO look like Tom Ford. Yes I’m shallow, yes I judge band’s by their looks, I don’t care. They look awful. However their music is pretty damn good, though I have to admit I wish I had heard their music before I saw their photo. According to the NME they were the 5th best band at CMJ last year. Yeah.

 
Fort Lean – Perfect

You can get the band’s debut EP for free from their Bandcamp page HERE. It’s really good, but please can someone get them a stylist.

Monday

Outfit @ The Barfly
Dry The River @ XOYO

Dry The River – Lions Den

Tuesday

Fever Fever @ Hoxton B&K
Fever Fever – Pins

Warm Brains / Grasshouse / Novella @ Madame Jo Jo’s
Novella – Santiago

Emeli Sande / Michael Kiwanuka @ XOYO
The Maccabess / Lana Del Rey @ Koko
Lianne La Havas @ The Social

Wednesday

To Kill A King @ XOYO
James Newman @ The Bowery
Toy @ The Shacklewell Arms

Thursday

Mirel Wagner @ The Lexington
Mirel Wagner – No Death

The Cast of Cheers @ Hoxton B&K
Worship / Big Deal / Bos Angeles @ The Barfly
The Do @ Shepherds Bush Hall
Howler / Zulu Winter @ XOYO

Friday

Lower Than Atlantis @ The Garage
Fanzine / Old Forest @ The Lexington

Saturday

Pulled Apart By Horses / Theme Park / Weird Dreams / Cymbals / Peace / David’s Lyre / Real Fur / Tall Ships
XFM all Dayer @ The Barfly

Sunday

It’s my birthday. If you fancy getting me something here’s a little list.

French people are mostly cooler than you. FACT. People in bands are mostly cooler than you. FACT. French people in bands are definately cooler than you and La Femme are cooler than any other French people in bands. This makes them cooler than pretty much anyone. Including you. Especially you. FACT.

Il suffit d’écouter la musique. BE COOL.

La Femme play Upstairs at The Garage on 1st February. I’ll be there, stood at the back trying to look cool.

I have discovered Fidlar, an LA surf/skate/garage/punk band who make me wish I was 17 again, could skateboard and still smoked weed. For a cynical old git like me that’s quite an achievment. Obviously I’m not the first person to discover them, seems likes loads of people already have so I cannae claim no credit for that.

From what I can tell their Facebook page their main influence seems to be crap Amercian beer, but we’ll let them off for that, they don’t know any better…

Check their bandcamp for more tunes and download a track for free below:

FIDLAR – Max Can’t Surf

Oh yeah, make sure you head to the band’s blog page and check out their brilliantly lo-fi cover of Common People by Pulp. I love this band. http://fidlar.tumblr.com/

It can be really hard to think of a good band name. Sometimes its harder than actually writing the songs. Most band names are pretty lame. The Cast Of Cheers is either brilliant or fucking terrible. I cant decide. To be honest, seeing as I used to be in a band called Meanwhile, Back In Communist Russia… (yes the punctuation was important) I probably ain’t one to cast judgement.

The band are from Dublin and are about to drop their debut single*, play their first London shows and head out on their first UK tour. I hope that none of them are virgins otherwise that’s a hell of a lot of firsts to cram into one month…

Family is the first single and has already been picking up some nice spins on t’wireless, go on have a listen:

And here’s another one:

The Cast Of Cheers – Goose

I’m off to start a new band. We’re going to be called Bouncer The Dog What Used To Be On Neighbours. We’re going to be big on the post-internet-dubstep-afro-beat scene. Our first gig was at the Shacklewell Arms last week, you missed it. There were loads of A&Rs there. We’re probably already signed. Sound Of 2k13 here we come.

*well, according to the band’s management it’s their debut single. Though some people may beg to differ…

Otillia has just spent some time over in London tearing it up round town and also working with some very excting people. Her music is sounding very special and already people are throwing around comparisons to early Laura Marling and Ellie Goulding. I guess she probably sits somewhere between the two. She’s not as annoying as Ellie but definately more pop than Laura. For arguements sake I’m going to say her music reminds me of mid-period Slayer, if Slayer were made up of one 17 year old girl from Sweden playing guitar and writing completely different sounding music.

I guess you better just have a listen for yourself. There is a reason why I’m not paid to write for the NME…

What ya think people?

Sam Sure & Giacomo are doing some very cool stuff right now, they’ve just annouced a brand new free mixtape of some cracking re-edits of a load of artists in particular Lana Del Rey and Michael Kiwanuka.

I’m sure some people will prefer the originals, but fuck that, I love a cheeky remix. Check out the tracks below and then head HERE to grab the full mixtape for free!

Michael Kiwanuka – Tell Me A Tale (Sam Sure & Giacomo Remix)

Lana Del Rey – Video Games (Sam Sure & Giacomo Remix)

Sam Sure & Giacomo’s single ‘Dark Inside’ is set for release in Feb so keep your eyes peeled for it!

Towards the end of last year I heard Alby Daniels debut EP release and it hasnt left my stereo since. There is something very special about this young Londoner who’s already started getting bigged up by the likes of Radio 1, XFM, The Boileroom and Abeano, it’s not going to be long until every more people pick up on his brilliant talent so if you haven’t checked him out yet you really better pull your finger out!

Alby Daniels -Her About Somthing

Alby Daniels – This Dawn (Mini Mix)

His debut ‘This Dawn EP’ is set to drop on February 20th release via Black Acre, I’d seriosly reccommend you go buy a copy, even if you don’t like it I’m sure by this time next year it’ll go for a pretty penny on ebay

ps. There aint any good gigs on this week so I cant be assed doing the listings!

First up lets start with Evian Christ. Now don’t get confused, Evian Christ is not a type of water for hardcore Catholics. He is in fact a mysterious producer. Yup another one of them, being all mysterious, teasing us all like the cheap sluts we wish we were. For all we know he could be a spotty Harry Potter fan freash out of Lower Sixth living in Tunbridge Wells. I doubt it though, ‘Fuck It  None Of Y’all Don’t Rap is a tune, albeit somewhat grammatically incorrect:

Next up is a chap called Left Boy.

He ain’t afraid if no haters, no way man, he doesn’t need to be mysterious, he’s from Austria the most GHETTOTASTIC of all of the smaller European countries. According to his Facebook page is Ferdinand Sarnitz and he’s a singer/songwriter and producer ‘who currently makes dope music worldwide’. So there you go. FUCK Y’ALL.

Left Boy – Outro

Left Boy – I Want To

That’s your lot. I’m off to buy half priced Xmas selection boxes for Tesco.

Tuesday Jan 3rd see’s the first My Band’s Better Presents: of 2012 at The Bull And Gate in Kentish Town. In conjunction with Fierce Panda as part of their Pandamonium ’12 we have a bloody great line up to drag you out of that post NYE hangover. Get off your arse and come see some bands!

FOE

I’ve been slightly in love with FOE’s music since her early demos appeared online back in 2009, since then she’s signed to Mercury and is set to release her debut album in 2012. I’ve heard it and it’s bloody fantastic. If you miss this you’re an idiot.

FOE – Make It Rain (Tom Waits Cover)

Whales In Cubicles 

So many people over the last year have been raving to me about this band and somehow I still havent managed to catch them live, I’ve heard great things and now is the time to put things right.

Whales In Cubicles – Golden Metal

Wildswim

Finally first on the bill is the debut London show for hot new things Wildswim. Hailing from Oxford I’m expecting some big things from this impossibly young band. Hell, I even trekked up to Oxford November to catch them suppporting Trophy Wife, they didn’t disappoint. This is not to be missed. Trust me.

Wildswim – Face The Music

Fancy coming along? If so drop me an email to get on the cheap guestlist, only £4, bargains. Ollierussian@gmail.com