this week's post ...

Amy Studt
Nice Boys new single
Yay what a comeback, Amy is 21 now. She hit the big time aged 15 when I was at Red Dragon in 02/03 where we frequently playlisted her three big hit singles - interesting to note her debut album sold 200,000. It seems this early success rather than make her a bling headed monstrosity she was rather un-nerved by it all, walked away from stardom to 'get a grip' and re-located to a coffee shop in Cornwall. Slowly her desire to write songs returned, she felt she needed to test them as an unknown in order to overcome 'terrible stage fright'. So if you saw Razorlight live and you remember a support called Jane Wails you'll be somewhat surprised to learn Jane Wails is Amy Studt. 'Nice Boys' is a fine comeback, it's the concept of the song, "it always takes a bad boy to get a girls heart beating faster" is the normal fayre, it's a little less clear what Amy's line is but "nice boys" should feel honoured to get a mention! Managed by former Spice Girls mentor Simon Fuller it's hard to see Amy missing out a second time. Strong hit maybe

Filthy Dukes
DJ Mix promo only
Filthy Dukes are a quality remixing squad who really get to the knub of the groove and maximise it so their hour-long funky electro mix cd of fave tunes is well received here.

Ida Maria
Oh My God Remixes new single 26 January
Manhattan Clique contribute their considerable talents here with a super 126bpm remix. Ida has struck gold with top twenty hit 'I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked' which audiences enjoy singing along with and it's fair to say teasing eachother with. 'Oh My God' is a fine tune but probably set for life in the
shade of it's predecessor. Hit potential

InnerPartySystem
Don't Stop new single 9 February
IPS have played the toilet circuit for much of 2008 honeing their act and fine tuning their material. These guys provide a top notch blend of indie/electro beats, a thumping sound with a very strong vocal. With a little luck and some profile TV it could be that 'Don't Stop' will become their first Top 40 hit. Deserves a hit

Voluntary Butler Scheme
Multiplayer new single
Well, intriguing name ... Voluntary Butler Scheme ... VBS ... hmmm .. a fine record, a choppy 3mins 18secs, old style 60s pastiche a la Maisonettes 'Heartache Avenue' but with edgy lyric - excellent production

 

Great Stuff ...

Dubya Trouble ya
As 2009 looms we can all look forward to the 'new era of wealth' promised by our great leader. Just where such utopia will come from is rather harder to imagine, anyway ring out the old, ring in the new - the sooner the better

As Rory Bremner pointed out, the President elect is "one letter away from being a fully fledged international terrorist". So we enter this new era with Barack Obama as leader of the free world and our unelected Prime Minister Mr Brown as our political masters it seems an apt time to once again to reflect on earlier worldly woes.

In 1971 an American DJ, Tom Clay had a quite amazing idea of joining to classic songs together and adding 'political' audio to create a tapestry of sound which although nearly seven minutes long is quite thought provokingly addictive. Clay combined Jackie's De Shannon's 'What The World Needs Now Is Love' with Dick Holler's 'Abraham, Martin & John' adding audio from JFK, Martin Luthor King, Robert Kennedy and the voice of an innocent young child blissfully unaware of "bigotry" and "prejudice". Some may think it sugary, not me. The subject matter is deeply disturbing, set against syrypy vocals and strings it is both poinant and thought provoking and so sad.

The climax to this unique record features the voice of Edward Kennedy in excerpt's from his June 1968 eulogy to his second assasinated brother Bobby, his voice breaking with emotion "My brother saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it". Click to view it on YouTube here. Forty years on, another Kennedy, Robert Kennedy Junior is gravely concerned in an '07 address on 'Corporatism' here

Interesting that the record's creator Tom Clay was well known for his dubious business deals. He readily admitted taking bribes to play records and at the height of Beatlemania he launched a Beatle Bonus Club whereby listeners were invited to join by sending Clay $1. When Clay had received 85,000 applications he quit and lived the life of luxury, for a short time anyway.

Shameless man but a great record

Hear the Attic show again with Tom Clay's masterpiece along with Michael Franti & many more hand picked classics In The Attic on Radio 2xs from 10.15pm Sunday 4th January 2009

New year cometh
We're just getting ready for our New Year's party at Ten Feet Tall, we'll be going with the flow for six hours of the greatest party and alternative hits ever so if you've yet to decide and you're quick - we can promise a unique night for a tenner ... Roll on 2009