Thursday, August 11, 2011

Pete and the Pirates - Half Moon Street

In the Pete and the Pirates video for their new single, Half Moon Street, lead singer Tommy Sanders appears to be creating his own version of "The Bachelor" TV series. So many ladies to choose from, so little time, and not enough money (note the expression when he gets bill at the restaurant). Love the mischievous yet endearing sense of humor in their videos. Half Moon Street has an irresistible melody and a ridiculously catchy chorus in which you can't help singing along. Definitely worthy of repeat listens :). Speaking of money, Pete and the Pirates are one of many bands affected by the London riots. Their record label, Stolen Recordings, was one of numerous indie labels who lost a significant amount of their physical stock in the SonyDADC warehouse fire. CDs and albums can still be purchased from Stolen Recordings although orders may take a little longer than usual since the post office they used was also destroyed by fire during the riots. Digital downloads are available from their online shop. A full list of the labels affected can be found here : http://www.pias.com/uk/pias-distributed-labels-list/ If you couldn't already tell, I absolutely adore this band. They worked on their latest album, One Thousand Pictures, for 3 years. Show your support if you can for one of the nicest, hardest working bands I've had the pleasure of seeing and knowing.

Monday, August 8, 2011

How I l Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Sour Notes

I can't exactly remember when I first saw The Sour Notes. I vaguely recall not being an instant fan but thought that they had potential. Another way to explain it is I liked the songs enough to see and hear them again but I needed more convincing. It's easy to dismiss bands if their music doesn't instantly win you over. It's almost like a courtship. Sometimes you need to take the time for you and the music to get to know each other, be attentive, and listen closely. And it has developed into a serious music crush. With 4 albums plus 2 7 inch singles in 3 years, an active performing schedule, and always working on new material, they show no signs of stopping anytime soon. They check all the boxes for me : hook filled, ambitious pop songs, occasional dramatic flair with horns and strings, lyrics and melodies that range from sweet to sinister.