Jape

Take a moment.

Jape - Floating

Not heard this in ages.

Lovely.

The Delgados

As the seasons change. On the cusp of one another. It can be the point you notice it most.

I adore the autumn. The days that have an empty, cold breeze in the air telling you that it is going to bring something much colder after it, so get prepared. The sunsets of wicked orange, purple and teal blue. The tepid nights that make you wish you'd worn a hat and scarf. The deep, familiar smell of someone burning something far away.

At this time of year I can't help but be reminded of the past. Things that happen at this time of year and the way it made me feel.

Waking this morning I thought of this song. Of what it symbolised to me. How the song made me feel back then and how it makes me taste that feeling now.

I cried.

But I reckon The Delgados just do that to you.

The Delgados - American Trilogy [via YouSendIt for 7 days]

Kaiser Chiefs

My favourite lyric this year.

Kaiser Chiefs - Never Miss A Beat

"Want do you want for tea?
I want crisps."

This song alone is possibly the best sociological snap-shot of adolescent life in 2008.

I love it!

Makes me giggle every time.

The Joy Formidable

The Joy Formidable are somewhat new on the scene. Or they at least feel it. I have plunged into some of their work and it definately sounds like the they'll be a band I keep an eye on to see if their sound blossoms with the potential that I think it harbours already.

Tweaking here and there on a couple of songs. They've got a load of live dates, so have a look. I reckon they translate differently live. And that is always exciting and interesting.

Creating vast sounds that appear to be careering towards you at great speed, volume and energy. The Joy Formidable bring songs and lyrics right into the centre of your focus, leaving nothing for the peripheral and with this song especially who needs anything in their peripheral!

The Joy Formidable - The Greatest Light is the Greatest Shade [via zShare]

James Yuill

I've seen James Yuill be described as 'folktronica', which while I can appreciate may give some sort of relevant likening to his music, I just don't think is suitable. Especially for his current single No Pins Allowed. This track has much more of a hard edge than 'folktronica' would have you believe. And the 'folk' part I can accept. I really can. That term and I get along. I believe its accurate to show what the lovely Mr Yuill is doing. But alluding to 'electronica'. I don't agree with. I'd probably push so far to say that 'electro' would be more appropriate.

With influences that are nearly as diverse as this humble blog, expect magical musical musings from this young man. And check out his MySpace top friends! Its like every electro t-shirt I've been unable get my hands on.

So may I introduce to you the folktro single by James Yuill.

James Yuill - No Pins Allowed

Data

Opening with some side-tracked thoughts. Now I couldn't really write what I wanted to write about Sebastian Grainger. It could get me into quite a lot of trouble. But basically it was about giving him some 'new material' to sing about. Seeing as he tends to sing lots of very sexually fraught lyrics all the time.

I've definately not penned any of the said potential lyrics in my head.

"I can't stop those camera flashes,
Tied to this chair, she's got me right where she wants me..."

You know. I've not thought about it really.

Moving swiftly on. As we all know Pop Cultureddd is trying to frantically catch up with all the bits and pieces missed out on over the past few months. Basically if it hasn't made it to the Radio 1 playlist then it is unlikely that I will have come into contact with it.

But working for a certain high-street fashion store means my ears get filled with sounds to make people buy. This can, in fact, be highly annoying. Although something magical happened recently when I found myself being sung to in my ear with the highly exciting lyrics 'I want you with your back up against the wall, I want you in the hallways of the shopping mall'. Its enough to put you off fitting shoes on mens rancid feet!

Data has teamed up with the aforementioned casanova of sexual tension to produce a rather splendid track. To hear the original and PT II of the original pop over to MySpace. Our concern is a couple of the remixes.

This is the remix I can be found shaking my bits to in a high street fashion store. Its incredibly pleasing on the ear. Definately my favourite of the ones I heard. Check out Pacific!.

Data - Rapture (Pacific! remix) [via YouSendIt for 7 days]

This I also like a lot. Its fun and quite camp. Surprisingly The Boyfriend didn't like it.

Data - Rapture (The Skywriters remix) [via YouSendIt for 7 days]

Twisted Wheel

I used to be known for my almost blinkered adoration of indie music. Around 2003-05 I could be found at nearly every indie club night I could get to and often a lot of mediocre gigs that coincided with that. But as of late that indie scene has done very little for me. Even the indie nights that used to play strictly scenester jangly guitar music have let it all slip and now mix it up with pop, dance, electro and even a little bit of folk thrown in for good measure.

But this song has really captured me. Taken me back to when I was 18 and could happily spend hours on the dancefloor, flinging myself around and sweating out every liquid ingested that week. I think Twisted Wheel have an urgency to their sound that keeps them relentless, exciting and massively exhilerating.

Twisted Wheel have managed to wrestle back that certain divine spark that disappeared when the Artic Mokeys came along and ruined indie music.

Raw, aggresive, youthful, all the things you could wish for.

Get yourself to one of their many gigs. It'd be messy, I reckon. And messy is good.

Look! Ha.