When I first found out that Saint Etienne was coming to L.A., I could barely contain myself. I purchased tickets as soon as they went on sale via Ticketmaster online. I've missed out on seeing Cocteau Twins, Lush, and the Cure (mainly because too many kinderbats will be screaming "JUST LIKE HEAVEN!" as I scream for "M"), so I couldn't pass up this chance.

Will, Daniel, and I got to the Avalon somewhat early because we wanted a good place to see the band. I insisted on sitting down because of my bum ankle and I really wanted to enjoy the show without having to worry about some arse in front of me blocking my view. We got choice balcony seats and waited patiently for Saint Etienne to perform. This meant suffering through Silver Sunshine, a crappy San Diego band who ruined Bowie's "Andy Warhol."

The show opened with "Lightning Strikes Twice," off the new album Tales from the Turnpike House. They filled the set with some older tracks like "Sylvie," "Spring," "Split Screen," and "Who Do You Think You Are?" (which featured Debsey on backing vocals as she was on tour with them). The show was amazing and you could see the crowd on the floor grooving along to the indie stylings fused with acid beats.

Here's the complete set list:

• Lightning Strikes Twice


• Sylvie


• Who Do You Think You Are


• Don't Back Down


• Oh My


• Good Thing


• Split Screen


• Side Streets


• Last Orders For Gary Stead


• Spring


• Stars Above Us


• Teenage Winter


• Action

Encore:

• Like A Motorway


• Nothing Can Stop Us

When I read this story, I thought it was a joke. Honestly, I'm still not sure if it's for real. I mean, really, what harm could Morrissey potentially cause outside of accidentally smacking someone upside the head with a bouquet of gladioli or inadvertently inciting a riot at the Hot Topic in Montebello Town Center.

There is this guy John in Long Beach. I don't know him, but I wish I did because he maintains the best damned music blog I have ever read.
Do you ever catch repeats of VH1's I Love the 80s series and stare blankly at the tv thinking, um, should I be laughing right now? Well, those awkward moments will not resurface when you read Lost in the 80s because it is genuinely funny and poignant and features all of the best music of that decade. Think Echo and the Bunnymen b-sides mixed with Naked Eyes and Kommunity FK. Then he will throw in something from his "When New Wave Happens to Old Artists" series. It's almost enough to make me want to go out and buy a teasing hairbrush and some Rave hairspray. Almost.

The Score, the debut full length from The Tender Box, is now onsale. You can get it at CD Baby if you so desire.

Has everyone gone out and picked up a copy of Belle and Sebastian's latest album, The Life Pursuit? If not, I would like to encourage you to do so. At this point, after listening to the album some twenty-plus times since purchasing it two weeks ago, I am convinced that it is the band's best album yet.
A few months back, I read Belle and Sebastian: Just a Modern Rock Story by Paul Whitelaw, which, as one might expect, is pretty much scandal-free. However, that book formed a basis of sorts for listening to this album. Reading about Stuart's early love of hard rock bands like AC/DC and Thin Lizzy helps explain the heavier elements of this album. This, of course, isn't to say that Belle and Sebastian abandoned its tenderly orchestrated pop sound. It means that there are stomping beats herein ("White Collar Boy," my personal favorite, reminds me of T. Rex), just as there are some serious 1970s funk sounds ("Song for Sunshine").
Listening to this album, I was reminded of statements Stuart made, either in the book or in recent interviews, that he disliked the lack of polish on the band's earlier albums. Thinking about that as I listen to the album, I can't help but think that the band must be particularly proud of this effort. All of the elements that have endeared B&S songs to fans over the years are hear, but in a tidier package.

Unfortunately, Diskoteka will not be taking place this Friday, as the Airliner will be closed for a private event.

The club will reopen on March 3 with a new DJ line up.

The NME is reporting that London's Test Icicles have broken up.

"The band have just come off a European tour and are exhausted from the constant pressures of touring, subsequently they have cancelled their show at the NME Awards and US tour."

Please excuse me while I drown in a river of my own tears.

*cuts self*

You can watch the new one from Man in Gray over here. You'll enjoy it.

This is a short list of things that I have been listening to over the past month, posted a week early on account of the fact that I might forget later. Most are new releases, but some are old. Check them out and enjoy.

V/A Take Action! Volume 5
This is a double-disc benefiting the Kristin Brooks Hope Center, a suicide prevention good. Naturally, with forty-something tracks, it can be hit or miss, but there are some really cool tunes on here. Inspired by P3dro in the UK, I paid close attention to Panic! At the Disco when I first gave this a spin and "The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide is Press Coverage" is one of my favorites herein. Also worth a shout: The Briefs "Getting Hit on at the Bank" (this is played on Indie 103.1 fairly often), The Horrorpops "Where You Can't Follow" and Broken Spindles "Burn My Body."

Swayzak Route de la Slack: Remixes and Rarities
The first disc features Swayzak remixes of other artists. My personal favorite is the Swayzak Darkfarmer mix of Tahiti 80's "Changes," but Swayzak also does a good job with work from Slam, Bergheim 34, Senor Coconut and local electronic guy George Sarah. The second disc contains a collections of rarities dating back to 1994.

Ellen Allien & Apparat Orchestra of Bubbles
This collaboration really bridges together dance floor energy of Ellen Allien with the headtrip vibe of Apparat. "Leave Me Alone" is the dance jam on this album. Maybe I will play it for you soon.

Indochine Generation
This is a collection of music released by French pop group Indochine between1982 and 1996. My pal Tim gave this to me for my birthday a few years ago and I revisited it this past month. It's a definite must for anyone with more than a passing interest in new wave sounds.

V/A Uncut Presents: John Peel's Festive 15
This is a compilation that came with a recent issue of Uncut. The magazine features the Smiths on the cover. The cd itself is loaded with good stuff, including my all time favorite Felt song ("Primitive Painters"), The Field Mice, House of Love, the Sugarcubes, the Wedding Present and the Fall.

ABBA Voulez-Vous
Inspired by Madonna's latest album, I have taken to listening to "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" on repeat.

Soft Cell Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
Non-stop classic synthpop and some of the most wicked lyrics you will ever hear.

Rock Kills Kid
I just got this yesterday and it's quickly becoming a favorite of mine. Good, solid rock that isn't dance-punk, but will make you move.

The Subways Young for Eternity
Short, dirty rock songs. I've heard about Nirvana comparisons, but haven't exactly heard the Nirvana aspect myself. I was thinking Ash, which is quite fine indeed.

The Playwrights English Self Storage
I really cannot tell you how much I love this album. It won't be out in the States until April, but I think there are tracks available on the band's website.

Shannon Let the Music Play
The title speaks for itself.

V/A (Very, Very Late) '05 Holiday Mix
D. sent me this hand crafted mix chock full of goodies like The Dirtbombs very Detroit rock sounding cover of Soft Cell's "Insecure, Me?" and Franz Ferdinand's rendition of "What You Waiting For?"

V/A A mix with no name
Speaking of hand crafted mixes, Carlos made me an awesome cassette mixed directly off his turntables and featuring some of my absolute favorites, like Laurent Garnier and Black Strobe. It's the mainstay in my car right now.

There are days, and these days have grown in frequency over the past year, where I start humming "Ship of Fools" by World Party and wondering what the heck Karl Wallinger is doing these days.
As it turns out, World Party is playing South by Southwest next month with no less a cult group at the Plimsouls. If you are from LA, you will probably recall hearing "A Million Miles Away" no less than a million times on KROQ. These days, you can probably hear it smashed between Blue Oyster Cult and Prince on Jack FM. If you aren't from LA, you might still know of the Plimsouls from Valley Girl. If you never saw Valley Girl, you have a problem and need to get to your local video store now. Rent Earth Girls Are Easy as well while you are at it.
Both bands are on the same bill as The Go! Team. Personally, if I were to attend South By Southwest this year (which, for the record, I am not unfortunately), I would hit this show.

The Shortwave Set are from London and sound like a cross between The Avalanches, Beta Band and, at least on "Is It Any Wonder," Saint Etienne. They are touring the UK soon and are looking for folks in the area to help spread the word. As for the rest of us, who are a very long, expensive plane trip from the dates, we must settle for listening to The Shortwave Set online.

Yesterday, I went to the LMU v. Gonzaga game with Carlos and my brother, where we met up with Estelle (who really needs to post some of her club stories soon, hint hint) and her sister. We're basketball fans but, more than that, we're LMU Lions fans. This is not simply because we're alumni, but because the Lions are a really good, although sorely underrated team. If you want proof, read the write up in today's LA Times Sport Section and notice how much Morrison/Gonzaga ass is kissed.
Estelle's sister said that she hadn't seen a crowd that big since they were little kids, i.e. the Golden Years of Hank Gathers and Bo Kimball. I think that just the fact that a team that hasn't done much of anything since Gathers died on the basketball court (we always said it was cursed when we were students) well over a decade ago could actually give the #5 team in the nation a run for its money says something.
And then there is Morrison, who seems to make everyone drool because he makes really good shots, never mind the fact that the refs never seem to call his fouls. I heard from my brother that his moustache is supposed to be a tribute to Che Guevara (like Guevara-worship is so original on the campus of a Jesuit university), but he looks more like Matt Stone in Orgasmo. To help illustrate this statement, click here and here. The moustache, though, helped spawn some of the most disgusting, yet creative and insanely funny chants I have heard from the LMU student section ever.
But, this is a music blog and you probably want to read more about the music, so let's take this time to mention the jock jam. You know what I mean. Hell, I think there are entire cds dedicated to this genre. Stemming from the sports arena standard of Queen's "We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions," the jock jam is the song that is not only wildly popular, but is fitting enough in sound and lyrical content (sort of) to appropriately motivate the crowd. Back in high school and the beginning of college, the jock jam of choice was 2 Unlimited's "Get Ready for This." If you say you don't know it, it's only because you are trying to block it from your mind. Later on in the 1990s, songs like Chumbawumba's "Tubthumping" (appropriate lyric: "I get knocked down/But I get up again") and Blur's "Song 2" (appropriate lyric: "Woo-hoo!") rocked through sporting events. Over the past few years, the choice has been Zombie Nation's "Kernkraft 400," an instrumental number that runs in somewhere in the high 130s as far as beats per minute are considered, which makes it completely jock-appropriate.
Now, there is a new jock jam invading basketball courts near you-- "Club Foot" by Kasabian. Musically, it has the feel of a race car taking off across the speedway or, even, a basketball player dribbling and dashing towards the basket for a three-point throw. Lyrically, it bears the line "You want to take control of me/You're messing with the enemy," which was particularly appropriate in terms of last night's game. I declared my love for "Club Foot" quite some time ago, but after hearing that song accompany aerial footage of LMU's campus, I loved the song even more.