Urban Outfitters LSTN

Urban Outfitters have just released the second edition of their music player ltsn. To accompany the 20 track streaming album, featuring Slow Club, Bat For Lashes, Au Revoir Simone and Datarock the designers have created a specific piece for each track consisting of some really nice photo montage. Well worth checking out.

http://www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/Projects/LSTN/page/lstn

Jay Reatard - Watch Me Fall

Jay Reatard is a name that has been bounding about in the music world for quite some time now and so it should be, this man has been involved in so many different bands, projects, collaborations, etc and at this point in time you will find his name in 23 different album releases ranging from garage rock legends The Lost Sounds and The Reatards to side projects Deconstruction Unit and Angry Alves, he has released 7” splits with Sonic Youth and Deerhunter and averages around 150 gigs a year(despite some only lasting 10 minutes.) So even though ‘Watch Me Fall’ being only his second studio album if you haven’t heard his name before, why the hell not?
Watch me fall combines his original punk and garage ethics but pushes his own boundaries further by adding a few well produced pop hooks into the mix, which makes his music certainly more accessible but in doing so does not lose any of the Reatard charm and the lyrics themselves are as dark and forcefull as ever.
The album was recorded entirely in his home studio With each instrument played and recorded by Reatard. It feels a lot cleaner production wise than some of his earlier work which has advantages and disadvantages, yes it certainly shows his sound in a new light but it does seem to lose a bit of that raw energy and impact that his live shows are well known for.
Either way this is still a very good album and as it develops you seem to be let more and more into the wonderful world of Jay Reatard, with tracks such as ‘My Reality’ and the proper old school punk, ‘Hang Them All.’ His music is very reminiscent of early Ramones and Clash, with simple, catchy songs that pack a punch. He has taken these influences and developed a real style, to the point where his songs are very recognizable.
It is certainly onwards and upwards for a man who is doing things the hard way and succeeding.

Of Montreal - Shepherd's Bush 14/07/09

Of Montreal are a band that have really progressed ad over the last few years bigger and bigger, developing a pretty large and dedicated fanbase, so with this being their biggest show in London to date there is no surprise that the venue is packed full of the weird and the wonderful all waiting for their opportunity to see one of Of Montreal's very special shows.
Before they got under way though, Shepherd's Bush was graced with the presence of a very special support act going by the name of Local Natives. Neither myself or colleague had ever heard these guys before and after their first few songs I couldn't believe his excitement (being a hard man to please) stating "These guys are really, really good." He was right they were. Playing the sort of alt country that brought people like Fleet Foxes into the limelight last year with their mix of ridiculously tight musicianship and intricate vocal harmonies which sounds so refreshing from the usual below par support acts, it is rare to see a supporting band with so much to offer, I mean Local Natives really know how to right a good song and to top that they are great guys who just seem to love what they are doing.
Of Montreal came onto stage in their usual eccentric fashion, with band members being led onto stage by dancers in various colourful costumes and a guy in a fox mask, exploding straight into 'Nonpareil Of Favor,' the opener from recent album Skeletal Lamping. By the end of the song they were joined on stage by dancers in gas masks and pyjamas who appeared to by killing someone for a reason possibly only known to the band. The set continued in this crazy fashion with lots of visuals, dancers acting out surreal routines on stage involving masks, feathers and a lot of glitter. It really made for a unique show and showed that as they have gotten bigger they have really made the most of what they now have access to. Their more recent songs fitted in well with the older classics but my highlight was the 11.53 minute 'The Past Is A Grotesque Animal' which sent the crowd into a frenzy of dancing.
This was a great show from two bands who certainly have bright futures ahead.
Not only was this Of Montreal's biggest London gig, it was also the biggest show that Middle Boop have designed a print for, which went down pretty well. The print is also being given away as part of a competition in conjunction with Rough Trade stores.

Engineers - Three Fact Fader Launch Night, Bush Hall, 10/07/09

This event marked Engineers first gig in over two years and despite such a long absence they pulled off an unforgettable show. The venue was absolutely rammed, with many people struggling to find a decent spot as so many people were , you can tell this was a gig fans had been waiting (very patiently) for. The band themselves seemed quite humbled by the fact that so many people had given their time out to check out Engineers and they certainly didn't disappoint and loved every second of the gig, with lead singer Dan Macbean bounding onto stage with a huge grin on his face.
This was the launch night for their new album 'Three Fact Fader' they did showcase a lot of new material which the crowd seemed to love, despite a majority not having heard them before, tracks like their most recent single 'Clean Coloured Wine' and the droney 'Does It Feel Right' went down really well.
The sound quality was amazing with each corner of the venue drenched in their blend of Synth laden Prog. This is most certainly a 'live' band, with new tracks 'Three Fact Fader,' 'Emergency Room' and the showstopper 'The Fear Has Gone' taking on a whole new life on stage.
The looks on people's faces after the show said it all. The two year gap was well worth the wait.

Middle Boop at Rough Trade

To go with the Of Montreal gig tomorrow night at Shepherd's Bush Empire, Rough Trade will be giving away five of Middle Boop's prints in a competition on their news letter. Good times.

Fatcat and One Little Indian night, ICA, 09/07/09

After really enjoying a lot of music Fatcat and One Little Indian are producing recently I jumped at the chance to check a number of their latest bands showcasing material all under one roof.
The event was part of a week of gigs at the ICA hosted by a different label each night in order to celebrate Independent labels with Bella Union, and Ninja Tune also hosting nights. The ICA has put on some great gigs of late, (Mogwai's week long residency a few years ago and more recently Errors) and this was no exception.
The first band to grace the stage were the hotly tipped 'We Were Promised Jetpacks' this was a great time for me to see them as their recent debut album has really grown on me and their live show proved exactly why these guys look set to have a sterling year. Their live sound was immense, coming on with the eight minute 'Keeping Warm' which built up to a catastrophically epic few minutes of delayed guitar, pounding drums, catchy vocals, hazes of dry ice and lights, this is how their set continued. After literally blowing the crowd away for the best part of an hour the the lead singer asked 'it's really quiet, have we done something wrong,' obviously modestly unaware of how much the crowd were in awe of them. A hard act to follow but tonight's headliners 'Twilight Sad' who produce their brand of post rock absolutely drenched in effect laden guitars, emotive vocals and synths, showcasing material from their upcoming album they proceeded to spend their time on stage similarly blowing the crowd away with bone crunching intensity.
I needed a breather after the set had finished, still trying to get my head around what I had just witnessed, both bands had completely outdone any expectations.
All is certainly looking good for Fatcat and One Little Indian.

De Rosa Split

Scottish band De Rosa announced a little while ago that they were to split. Signed to amazing indie label Chemikal Underground, De Rosa created a wonderful blend of Post Rock and Folk. Their latest album Prevention was released only a few months ago and was applauded by critics including us.
These guys will be missed.

Prefuse 73 print

As with a lot of my favourite gigs at the moment Middle Boop has created a print to go with it. Here is the print from the Prefuse 73 gig in Brighton on Sunday.

Photo credit - Edward Bishop www.edwardbishop.me

Prefuse 73, Dimlite. Sun 5th July. Audio, Brighton.

Prefuse and Dimlite. At Audio. Perfect so far, but maybe the fact its a Sunday night after a typically action packed Brighton weekend resulting in a slightly sparse crowd. Whatever, the people that have showed were in for a very special night. The low ceiling and the attentive sound Engineers helped make this an excellent showcase for the prodigious talents of Guillermo Scott Herren and Dimitri Grimm, Prefuse 73 and Dimlite respectively.First on display was the energetic and all-encompassing Bass-heavy Glitch of Dimlite. Incorporating ingredients from Glitch king Terminal 11, the Techy sounds of Aphex Twin, Burial-esque atmospherics and the warmer moments of Prefuse, stirred up in a highly individual and distinctive sound pot.
The variety of sounds and emotions created with a varied amount of Tech kit, Voice and Keys leaving most of the crowd in awe by its depth and inventiveness.
Setting the scene nicely for Mr Prefuse, one of the most progressive and inventive producers of the last 10 years. The charismatic Brooklyn based left-field Hiphop pioneer played a stunning set. Mixing in and sampling such greats as 'Gum' by Cornelius and lifting classics "Choking you" and "Perverted undertone" from the "One word extinguisher" Album and slightly more chilled and atmospheric latter Albums "Preparations" and "Everything she touched...", creating a multi-layered and engrossing performance. The dazzling abilities of Guillermo, Ryan and Dimitri resulted in a performance that was Organic and as deep as the Ocean as well as technically amazing was simply stunning.

Photography credits - Edward Bishop www.edwardbishop.me

Vienna Mann

London based illustrator sent me some work recently and I thought I would share it. The London based Mann has worked for clients such as Adidas and The Fly magazine. Her style blends Vector graphics with illustration.

autoKratz - Animal

After the huge success of their mini album last year Autokratz debut album has been hotly anticipated by many an electro lover. Released through French label Kitsune which is a pretty big namecheck, producing some of the finest electro music to date. With the likes of Klaxons, Simian Mobile Disco and Digitalism already having great success through Kitsune, the future looks good for autoKratz. The London duo fill their sound with fuzzy electronic clicks and beeps, high octane bass lines and drum beats.
As the album develops the beats get heavier and you begin to see their Krautrock and electro influences. There are a few killer tracks, notably 'Gone Gone Gone' and 'Past Your Heart' which are heavy as hell.
With a hugely energetic live show to go with them, this music will be filling many a dancefloor this summer.

Deerhunter - Rainwater Cassette Exchange

Just in case you couldn't wait any longer, the wonderful Deerhunter have released a five track Ep.
After last year's stunning split double Microcastle and Wierd Era Continued which was featured in the top ten albums of the year of pretty much everyone that mattered they have built up a huge reputation and 'Rainwater Cassette Exchange' continues to solidify that reputation for creating truly inventive, genre defining indie. With Bradford Cox's as melodramatic as ever (No one ever talked to me, now I've forgotten how to spea, etc) and more of a concentration on the psychedelic side of their music, with swirling vocals and if you listen closely the occasional sample, this is already a classic and continues to exemplify how important a band like Deerhunter are.

Graham Coxon and Wave Machines competition

Awesome band The Wave Machines have 100 pairs of tickets to give away for their Itunes festival gig up for grabs.

The show takes place on July 23rd at Freedm Studios, The Roundhouse, London. A winning entry gets you not only into their gig at 6.15pm but also a show by Graham Coxon, later that day, in the Roundhouse main space.

Just answer the following question to be in with a chance:

What stage did we play on Sunday at Glastonbury this year?

a: John Peel Stage
b: Queen's Head Stage
c: Park Stage

Please send an email with your answer to: wavetickets@googlemail.com

The competition closes on July 17th. The winners will be contacted by iTunes with details of how to get their tickets.

Please note that the gig is exclusive to competition winners - you won't find tickets on sale anywhere, so be sure to enter!

Good luck if you do,

Wavves - Wavvves

After having probably their biggest year yet with the amazing and well deserved success of Fleet Foxes, Bella Union have a bit of money to play around with and invest in music that's a little bit harder to reach. Wavves are one of the bands they picked up on and I would say it was a wise decision. There has been a lot of fuss residing over Nathan Daniel Williams (otherwise known as Wavves) recently, just Google the name and you will find it residing over pretty much every music website, blog etc. Wavves are one of a few bands to seemingly rebel against the computer and record his album with an extremely hands on touch creating a very unique Lo-Fi sound. The lyrics are generally no different from what any other 22 year old suburban American skater kid would be writing, no job, no girlfriend, with songs like 'Weed Demon,' 'Going Nowhere,' and 'No Hope Kids' you get the idea... But it's the way in which those lyrics are transformed by the screaming, crackling guitars, beating drums and the pop hooks that are in there somewhere creating an album that is as challenging as it is charming and a sign of the times.

Au poster for sale.

Just thought I would let everyone know that the few signed and numbered copies we have from the awesome Au gig in London a month or so back are now also being sold via the New York based 'Aagoo' record label's site. Check it out.

http://aagoo.bigcartel.com/

Wave Machines - Wave If You're Really There

After gaining a lot of hype last year with great feedback from playing the BBC introducing stage at festivals such as Latitude there has been a fair amount of speculation about their debut 'Wave If You're Really There,' and so there should be. Wave Machines have a lot to offer with a variation of old synths and guitars with unorthodox lyrics and production that gives them a very analogue sound which adds to their charm as any sort of over production could really kill off a band like Wave Machines.
The album soars between the spaced out dreamy pop such as 'Carry Me Back To My Home' and 'Wave If You're Really There' to the eighties inspired synthy funk of 'I Go I Go I Go' etc. Although Wave Machines have the problem of getting lost in between god knows how many other synth pop bands around at the moment, I feel they add something quite refreshing to the mix and with the festival circuit in full flow they are bound to gain a huge fanbase.

MWM “Parallel Universe” Brazil Exhibition.

New Exhibition looking freeesh! check it:

KDU

Middle Boop favourite; The KDU (keystone design union) launches their new website. The site showcases the many, many design driven projects and collaborations ranging from apparel design, to editorial work, to illustration, and identity design to full on brand campaigns. Its all about the collaborations with the KDU ranging from over 70 different countries including MB friends & heroes; Brand Nu, MWM, HelloVon & Spaceknuckle!

Wavves - New video

Director Peter Ohs who has previousley worked with bands such as Arcade Fire and The Unicorns has released the first official music video from Lo FI sensation Wavves shot mostly on his first European tour.
If you haven't heard Wavves yet, check the links below.

Video:
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/06/26/wavves-go-diy-for-debauchery-in-no-hope-kids-video-premiere/

Song:
http://www.forcefieldpr.com/wavvessobored.mp3

Black Sabbath re releases

Today marks the re release of two seminal albums, Black Sabbath's self titled debut and their 'Master Of Reality' both deluxe editions featuring loads of cool goodies, alternative lyrics, demos, etc, I thought I would mention this as without their amazingly influential rock spanning 30 years the music business would certainly be a different place.

Amazing Baby - Rewild

Wesleyan University in Conneticut has produced some pretty talented people of late, MGMT and Chairlift to name but a few and now we have them to thank for Amazing Baby.
They take the extremely tired and worn out genre of indie pop and add a refreshing psychedelic, rock twist. Blend Pulp with Floyd and somewhere in there you would find Amazing Baby, its quite pleasant music and when they do experiment you do hear some interesting stuff, tracks such as Dead Light and Old Tricks In Hell, which have a much more synthy psychedelic feel do stand out and actually sound pretty good but they have neither the genius lyrics of Jarvis Cocker nor the musicianship of Floyd and despite the addition of a 15 piece orchestra I felt a little let down

Field Day announce more bands

There are some new additions added to the already stellar lineup for this years Field Day event.

The great Wild Beasts who are already having a great year and are tipped for success, King Charles who has met a heap of applause from the likes of Rob Da Bank, Zane Lowe and Huw Stephens, 80s soul influenced, punk funkers The Invisible who combine members of Hot Chip, Polar Bear, Acoustic Ladyland, Gramme and Jade Fox, electro maestro Jon Hopkins, NME coollisted The Devil Made Me Do It and the Bowie endorsed Fanfarlo.

As well as the awesome new acts the lineup so far consists of:

Mogwai (only English festival show), The Horrors, Little Boots (live), Santigold, Mystery Jets, Juana Molina, Toumani Diabate,

Mumford and Sons, Micachu & The Shapes, The Big Pink, Audion, The XX, The Temper Trap, Rusko, Plugs, (UK festival exclusive), Fake Blood, Four Tet, Erol Alkan, James Yorkston, Apes And Androids, Final Fantasy, Malcolm Middleton, Aeroplane, Fennesz, Errors, Skream, S.C.U.M, First Aid Kit.

Need I say more?

If that's not enough there are also Sack and Egg and Spoon races, Tug of War, a Watermelon Relay Race and Splat The Rat. Alternatively, just sit on some hay bales and stuff your face with homemade cake.

I can't wait.

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

Veckatimest is the most hotly anticipated Grizzly Bear album to date, and in fact one of the most anticipated alternative albums of the month. Does it live up to the vast amounts of hype that has been circling around? In a word. Yes.
It's an ambitious album, starting with the inviting 5 minute slow burner 'Southen Point' which with such subtle production and nothing ranging above a midtone could be enough to turn the untrained listener away but a little bit of patience and you will find some brilliant tracks. For a start, since receiving Veckatimest I have listened to the first single 'Two Weeks' a couple of times a day at least, it is such a charming happy song full of life, in fact the song has been in my head since I saw them at ATP a few months ago.
The album is full of beautifully melodic pop that will see you through the summer nicely.
Veckatimest, although it drags a little in the middle it is worth the wait to get to the end, the aptly named track 'While You Wait For The Others' is one of the highlights of an album with quite a few and then 'I Live With You' a hectic frenzy of loud drums and horns only to leave you with the peaceful outtro 'Foreground.'
With bands like Fleet Foxes blowing the alt folk scene pretty much into the mainstream, bands like Grizzly Bear will certainly be reaping the rewards and although they may well never get to the heights Foxes are seeing at the moment I doubt Grizzly bear mind that much as they are, and will continue to make great music

This Design Is Mine

This Design Is Mine Is run by freelance Graphic Designer Jamie Gregory. Specializing in Identity, Print, Publication, Editorial, Illustration and Exhibition Design. In the short time he has been freelancing he has already gained recognition from the D&AD and on various blogs including Type Neu, Dirty Mouse and Graphic Cache. His site is already a hub for quirky, creative design.

ATP Film Premiere Tonight.

The All Tomorrows Parties film is premiering tonight at the Edinborough Picture House, featuring guest appearances from a little known Scottish band (3 guesses who) I wish I could be there it will be an awesome night.

Engineers - Three Fact Fader

Four years after their debut, Engineers are back. The hotly anticipated Three Fact Fader is just about here after record company restructuring the album nearly wasn't made at all. Produced by Ken Thomas, who has worked with the like of Sigur Ros and M83, Three Fact Fader a much more atmospheric approach than their debut and needs to be played loud to fully appreciate the intricacies of the multi effected guitar work and their special walls of sound. There is a lot of talk relating them to the shoegaze genre, which seems to be an almost fashionable genre to label a band with these days and although they have some of the aesthetics I wouldn't necessarily lumber Engineers in with the Shoegaze lot.
The album eases you in slowly with the first single 'Clean Coloured Wine' with the droney vocals mixing well with the rest of the sound. There are certainly some highlights on this album, I can listen to 'Sometimes I Realise' all day and the six minute 'Brighter As We Fall' builds up slowly to an epic end, after a few listens you will find yourself liking Engineers more and more.
The artwork is also great.
Here is a video for their first single 'Clean Coloured Wine'

Women print

Middle Boop were lucky enough to work with the band Women on their last tour. Here is one of the prints we created for the awesome band.

Vision 2 Visual

Middle Boop has recently developed the corporate identity for the film production company Vision 2 Visual, here are a few images from that project.

Paul Ryding

Awesome Illustrator Paul Ryding sent me some of his work recently and I feel it more than qualifies for a Boop blog. His very intricate style has catered for many different clients including London Underground, The Guardian and KesselsKramer, he has even done a piece featuring Dan Deacon, who Boop also recently worked with.
Here is his mission statement
"My work focuses on the concepts of modern mainstream media and representation: how the overwhelming amount of signified icons thrown at us on a daily basis are equally unremarkable but vital. Media such as photos, songs and television programmes can be considered throwaway and disposable, and yet it this same media that becomes part of how we identify ourselves in our subconscious through nostalgia. Yeah, this sound convincing.".

Autokratz - Audio, Brighton

The oh-so-cool Kitsune bandwagon rolls into town, no doubt followed by a gaggle of fasionistas towards Audio, a perfect intimate club setting for this party. The record label and former Fashion House responsible for bringing the likes of Digitalism and the now massive Hot Chip to our ears now houses many more exciting, sleek young acts such as Chew Lips, Crystal Fighters and AutoKratz.
The hotly tipped Chew Lips smoothly run through their collection of Indy infused, Synth led pop tunes. Front Women and focal point Tigs displaying the qualitys that have led to her being compared to vocalists such as Karen O and label mate La Roux. Giving an energetic performance (aborted attempt to get in amongst the first row not included) whilst the band put down their Crystal Castles meets French Disco backdrop. Providing a nice build-up to headliners tonight, autoKratz. The British pair arrive with a bang, bursting through the material from their recently released album "Animal" with exuberant energy. With David (the bald bloke) especially, leaping from Bass, Drum machine, keys and vocal duties with unwavering intensity. The pounding beats drawing influences from German Electro, past and present, Depeche Mode and french masters Daft Punk get the crowd proper moving for the duration.
As this show case gig displays they also have a fun side, showing off early 90's Rave influences and tempo. A brilliant live band.

All Tomorrows Parties film

That's right! Brought to you by Warp Films, the film uses material collected by fans and musicians themselves spanning the entire 10 years of the festival and will feature all the favourites such as Shellac, Mogwai, Grizzly Bear, Nick Cave, etc. It premiers at the Edinborough Picture House on June the 24th. I can't wait.

Explosions In The Sky - ATP 2008

Just came across this video and wanted to share it, the pinnacle point of an absolutely breathtaking song.

Don't Panic Design

Thanks to everyone who voted for my piece, it's now up to the judges to decide who goes through etc.

THE VICTORIAN ENGLISH GENTLEMENS CLUB / 'PARROT' VIDEO

Check out surreal new video by Cardiff band Victorian English Gentelmens Club. This will be the first single off of their upcoming new album 'Love On An Oil Rig' out in September.

Yo La Tengo - Meltdown Festival, The Queen Elizabeth Hall

Being one of the most inspirational and important bands is a bold statement, but to me these Yo La Tengo really opened doors for cult music. They are known for never playing the same show twice so it was no surprise that their appearance as part of legendary Avant Garde jazz musician Ornette Coleman was a special one. Yo La Tengo mixed things up by playing more of an acoustic set with a question and answer session as a way of interacting more with the crowd which is a pretty cool idea and even though the crowd was made up of the moody Londoners and music nerds (myself included) the crowd warmed to the idea quite quickly and even though some of the questions were rubbish (what's your favourite super power?, have you seen any good films?, you get the idea) it did make for a very unique and intimate show. The band generally warmed to the questions and, although they have probably been asked these sorts of questions hundreds of times answered most in jest.
Their set was breathtaking, opening with one of my all time favourites 'Tom Courtenay' (sang by Georgia Hubley) it couldn't have been any better. That was until they played the song again after a crowd member asked them to, this time it was song by guitarist Ira Kaplan it was simply amazing.
The showcase of their new material sounds like classic Yo La Tengo and will be well worth a listen upon release later in the year and they also played some tracks from the little known side project Condo Fucks.
Despite being an acoustic set, Kaplan still managed to whip the fuzzbox out for a few numbers which really aided as some of the classics such as Sugercube which just wouldn't sound the same without the messy feedback from the guitars.
This was a special gig and part of a very special festival, Ornette Coleman has picked some absolute delights, if you haven't checked anything out yet be sure to check it out.