Sigur Rós to appear on The Simpsons

Sigur Rós are to star in an episode of The Simpsons on May 19th. Entitled 'The Saga of Carl', Homer heads to Iceland in pursuit of Carl and the band feature, provide new music for a score and have a go at the classic theme song.

Read more on Eighteen Seconds Before Sunrise.

Muppet Show theme (rare extended version) - for Jim Henson

Made by Maid live by Laura Marling for Jools Holland

Later... with Jools Holland - Series 36 Episode 5.

There are usually two things that lure me to watch Later… with Jools Holland: A band I love showcasing new material and the show’s tendency to throw in a few ‘unadvertised’ surprises. This week was the turn of LCD Soundsystem who release a new album This Is Happening, out on Monday. Also appearing are The National, a band I have been following for a while but I’ve never been a fan. Until now. Turns out the Brooklyn five piece are easily the best of a really bad show. More and more I seem to be going into a Later review with a heavy heart and this is no exception.

The line-up:

• Kelis - Acapella
• Crowded House - Saturday Sun
• The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio
• Sam Taylor Wood and Aaron Johnson (Chat with Jools)
• LCD Soundsystem - Drunk Girls
• Tracey Thorn - Oh, The Divorces!
• Crowded House - Don’t Dream It’s Over
• Kelis (Chat with Jools and Sweet Dreams duet)
• The National - Anyone’s Ghost
• Pete Molinari - Streetcar Named Desire
• LCD Soundsystem - I Can Change
• Crowded House - Amsterdam
• Kelis - 4th of July (Fireworks)
• The National - Terrible Love

I’m not going to dwell on this too much but the main problem with Later this week was how uninspired and dull it is. The good music was downbeat (mainly thanks to The National) and the upbeat music was bad (thanks to the direction taken by LCD Soundsystem and the awful Kelis). Even Jools looked (even by his standards) unenergised and almost bored with the chore of hosting what is the BBC’s flagship music performance show. Maybe this has something to do with the fact that it has now been pushed so far down the Friday night schedule that it is now on Saturday morning (something he points out with hints of bitterness).

Starting with James Murphy and crew, I’m liking the new direction LCD Soundsystem is taking less and less the more I hear of the new album. Drunk Girls is reworked Blur and I Can Change is like a lost discarded album track from one of many unknown 80s electro-pop bands that were lost in the mire of other more successful 80s electro-pop bands. And that is all we get. Hardly a great advert for a great band. Crowded House (now just one Finn, Neil minus Tim - but with the core founder members of Nick Seymour and Mark Hart) is a shadow of the great band Neil Finn formed nearly 30 years ago. With a new album Intriguer out, we were treated to two new songs: Saturday Sun and Amsterdam - the former better than the latter, plus a spirited but clumsy rendition of Don’t Dream It’s Over.

The shining light here (or maybe the least dark) is The National. The band is proficient, talented and focused, pushing the new album High Violet with three new songs: Bloodbuzz Ohio, Anyone’s Ghost and Terrible Love. Each song is a dour miserablist guitar-fest from the likes of Editors but with melodic elements of Midlake. Great stuff and a wonderful frenetic end to Terrible Love closing the show.

Elsewhere, ex-Everything But The Girl Tracey Thorn trudges through the piano ballad Oh, The Divorces! Even with the string section, the lack of melody and structure was a big surprise from a great talent. Kelis, back with yet another image change opened the show with the Goldfrapp-esque Acapella [sic] complete with over-produced vocals, a rubbish ‘impromptu’ vocal on Sweet Dreams in duet with Jools, and the dull 4th of July (Fireworks). Doesn’t inspire me to go anywhere near her new album Flesh Tones. The interview with Jools is equally dull - she grew up listening to jazz and gospel (there’s a surprise). Jools showed a VT of her last performance of that god-awful ‘I hate you so much right now’ song and I remembered how painful that show was…

The surprise this week was another pointless (tenuous) interview with director Sam Taylor Wood and actor Aaron Johnson taking about the DVD release of the John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy. I wanted to hear from The National and James Murphy. And Pete Molinari’s Streetcar Named Desire with Jools and his band is truly horrible. Flat 50s throwback vocals and disjointed music.

Later… with Jools Holland is always a melting pot of musical styles, tastes and textures and so as everything that tries to be ‘everything to all people’, it sometimes ends up being a show that is relegated to selective viewing. It is becoming more miss than hit and I fear the only great music show on UK television is heading into irreversible decline. And now with the late running time, I never watch it at the scheduled time but instead catch it on BBC iPlayer - not something everyone can do but at least you can (reluctantly) skip through the dross. In anticipation of next week, my heart is still heavy…

-- CS

Later…with Jools Holland - Series 36 Show 4

The show that promised so much and delivered...well it didn't deliver what it promised...

The line-up:

• Gorillaz (featuring Bobby Womack & Mos Def) - Stylo
• Drive-by Truckers - Birthday Boy
• Laura Marling - Devil’s Spoke
• Bobby Womack (Chat and ‘jam’ with Jools)
• Diane Birch - Valentino
• Gorillaz - On Melancholy Hill
• Bobby McFerrin - Smile
• Damon Albarn & Jamie Hewlett (Chat with Jools)
• Mos Def - Quiet Dog Bite Hard
• Laura Marling - Goodbye England (Covered In Snow)
• Gorillaz (featuring Little Dragon) - To Binge
• Diane Birch - Fools
• Bobby McFerrin (Chat and ‘scat’ with Jools)
• Laura Marling - Rambling Man
• Drive-by Truckers - Drag The Lake Charlie
• Gorillaz (featuring De La Soul & Gruff Rhys - Superfast Jellyfish)

As I said in my review of last week’s Later Live, the full Friday show promised to be one of the best in recent series. Sadly, and maybe due to my own elevated expectations, the Tuesday Live show proves to be a manageable main course rather than an air-filled starter. That said, there are some exceptional moments and the final result is more quality than over-stuffed quantity.

Any show featuring Damon Albarn’s post-Blur ensemble Gorillaz is bound to be interesting. Featuring Bobby Womack and Mos Def, the show kicks off with Stylo, complete with the Bruce Willis, gun-fest, car-chase video playing in the background. But what is clear from the four songs performed, this latest offering from Gorillaz entitled Plastic Beach, is a lot more mellow than before. The oddly dull Albarn solo effort On Melancholy Hill and the Little Dragon duet To Binge fail to impress but the finale Superfast Jellyfish with the wondrous combination of De La Soul and Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals is a piece of magic. It’s what I have come to expect from Albarn who, after fighting his band mates in Blur, is now liberated to make interesting collaborative music, even if it is hit, miss, miss, hit.

For me, Laura Marling was direct, no nonsense and gimmick free, cold and functional but injecting even more focus and power into songs already fuelled by both. Devil’s Spoke was a copy of the Live show, but the gorgeous glass-eyed Goodbye England (Covered In Snow) and the dramatic folk of Rambling Man are both excellent. Likewise Diane Birch, who sadly only gets two songs, is confident and precise. The piano-led singer drifts from jazz to soul into 70s swagger with Valentino then Fools, looking like Kate Nash but sounding like a modern day Carly Simon.

The disappointing ‘band’ is Drive-by Truckers who promised a lot with the Tom Petty-esque Birthday Boy then lapsed into country-drone with the odd Drag The Lake Charlie. Again only two songs and not enough to judge. Bobby McFerrin gets only one song, Smile, and that is a perfect example of vocal poise and control. He even adds his own fade-out. A different song from Tuesday but still, one more from his new Vocabularies album would have been great. The only other performance is from a solo Mos Def. He raps and drums (yes drums) through the messy Quiet Dog Bite Hard until the idea runs thin and he attempts to sing. Pointless and self-indulgent.

The rest of the show is filled with a short chat with Bobby Womack (featuring a ‘jam’ with Jools), another short chat with Albarn and Jamie Hewlett (Tank Girl creator) in which Jools points out that Gorillaz is a music and cartoon collaboration as much as it is a series of music ones, implying that something is lost without the pictures (in which the band appears to be from a different world), and an even shorter chat with McFerrin with an ‘impromptu’ scat session. At least Jools is now talking to the musicians and not other celebrities with books and films to plug.

As always I will be tuning in next week but probably won’t write about it again for a while. This week has again reminded me of why Later…with Jools Holland is so important, why the BBC should keep showing it (even it the Friday show is on at midnight), and why it frustrates the hell out of me.

Later Live... with Jools Holland - Series 36 Episode 4.

I have been having a break from writing about the Jools Holland shows for a number of reasons, which I won’t go into right now, but this week a few artists caught my eye/ear. One of these is the wonderful Laura Marling and I was interested to hear how her new songs from the brilliant I Speak Because I Can would be performed live. We were treated to a taster on the live Tuesday show when Laura and her band delivered a perfect Devil’s Spoke. I will certainly be tuning in, or more accurately catching up on BBC iPlayer, based on this performance.

But there is plenty more to shout about this week which will make Friday one of the best Jools Holland Laters in many years. ‘Headliners’ Gorillaz enlisted Mos Def and legend Bobby Womack, who also ’jams’ with Jools and talks briefly about his music and life, but as with most shows it is the variety and talent across all the guests rather than the big names who do much more than just make up the numbers. Yet another band from Athens, Georgia, Drive-By Truckers are great, as is another US-export Diane Birch. The big surprise is Bobby McFerrin who stole the show with his unique a cappella style. There is more to the man than the 80s hit ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’.

So it promises to be a good show on Friday after a couple of lukewarm starts.

Later…with Jools Holland (Series 34, Show 7 - Friday 22nd May 2009)

Ok so time for a review of Friday’s (full) show featuring Kasabian, The Pretenders, Regina Spektor and Paul Jones. Sadly Jones and Spektor only perform once and that just repeats Tuesday. News flash: Golden Silvers are still crap. Last of the series. Boo.

Friday line-up

Kasabian - Fire
The Pretenders - Don’t Cut Your Hair
Baaba Maal - International
Chrissie Hynde (Chat with JH)
Golden Silvers - Magic Touch
Regina Spektor - Blue Lips
The Pretenders - The Nothing Maker
Kasabian - Fast Fuse
Paul Jones (Chat with JH)
Baaba Maal - Tindo
Paul Jones - Philosopher’s Stone
The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble - War
Golden Silvers - Another Universe
The Pretenders - Brass In Pocket
Kasabian - Underdog

In a preview of the new (and third) album, Kasabian has definitely gone a bit low-fi and downbeat with the new songs. Fire is growing on me but the ‘live’ arrangement is a real mess. It is more a problem with the over-enthusiastic backing vocalists than the band itself. Fast Fuse has much more energy but a more shouty vocal - some great guitar work becomes a bit predictable. At least this shows that the band still has passion and drive. Some neat vocal interplay between Serge and Tom give a lift. Much better. A good advert for the album. They close with Underdog

The Pretenders kick off their set with the unbelievably bad Don’t Cut Your Hair. Second song The Nothing Maker is wonderful - a celebration of ‘lack of ambition’. A brilliant vocal from Hynde and a slight Pearl Jam vibe from the band. Great example of why the band are still relevant. And then they treat us to the classic Brass In Pocket. Still great.

Jools chats with Chrissie Hynde (why don’t we ever hear from the rest of the band? She seems to be The Pretenders these days). Jools asks about the Break Up The Concrete album and she suggests that it encourages people to destroy motorways. After the debacle with the ‘firebombing’ incident, she should probably be more careful with her words. She has had a country epiphany and says she is nothing without her band. Nice sentiment but I don’t believe it for a minute. She is always a good interviewee and Jools drops in a ‘what do you look for in a man?’. Warm and breathing apparently. Easily pleased.

Baaba Maal is an interesting character and the brass enhanced (courtesy of The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble - more on them later) International, while not much of a song, was compelling in a chaotic kind of way. Not sure about his voice though. Tindo is a light acoustic number, strangely dark and thoughtful. He shares vocal duty with his female ‘companion’. The Pulaar vocals are haunting and beautiful.

Golden Silvers are doing nothing for me. Magic Touch is a weird blend of Richard Hawley (a bad impersonation) and MGMT. The result is horrible. I don’t deny for a minute they have talent for writing great songs and the guitarist is ok…but the execution is truly awful. Another Universe starts really well, then Gwilym Gold starts singing and all falls flat. Is this just a bad performance or does it always sound like this? Honestly his voice is terrible.

Regina Spektor shone again with Blue Lips. She is a wonderful performer. So WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY???!???? does she only get one bloody song!!!????!!! At the expense of Golden Silvers? This could have been a great show if it wasn’t for them.

Paul Jones is basically on to plug his new solo album but talks about Leadbelly and getting into blues music. He is still a really great character and is fiercely dedicated to music. The footage is in black and white which shows his age. He hints that he isn’t comfortable with the direction that Manfred Mann took, when they broke America, and went pop. He describes it as being motivated by the need to eat, in other words it paid the bills and then some. Her eventually treats us to Philosopher’s Stone, predictably with Jools tinkling along in the background. It works but Jools has to show off, before Jones wades in with a harmonica and it becomes a musical duel. Good stuff.

This week, the special guest is The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, a bunch of guys who look like they should break into hip-hop at any minute, but instead have trumpets, trombones and horns. And in one case a tuba. They also have a drummer. War is strange and wonderful, which is exactly the point. I think an entire album of this would quickly get very annoying. But you have to admire their approach - and talent.

A ghastly end to a lacklustre series. Kasabian and The Pretenders held it together and a good turn from Paul Jones and Baaba Maal. Regina Spektor was not heard enough at the expense of the woeful Golden Silvers. Please someone tell me, why they were on the show and what is their appeal? Maybe it’s a Hot Chip thing.

Come on Jools...get it together for the Autumn...please...

Later…with Jools Holland (Series 34, Show 7 - Tuesday 19th May 2009)

With a strange set-up for the last two shows of the series, with the Friday show delayed (for some reason) until a week on Friday, I thought I would put up two posts starting with the live Tuesday preview.

Two bands I was really looking forward to: Kasabian showing off new material, and a turn from The Pretenders. Only Regina Spektor caught the rest of my interest which is no bad thing as I like being introduced to new bands I have never heard before. Unfortunately this brought mixed results from Golden Silvers and Baaba Maal.

Tuesday (live)

Kasabian - Fire
The Pretenders - Don’t Cut Your Hair
Golden Silvers - True No. 9 Blues (True Romance)
Paul Jones (Chat with JH)
Baaba Maal - Dakar Moon
Regina Spektor - Blue Lips
The Pretenders - Don’t Lose Faith In Me
Kasabian - Underdog

First up this week, band I was really looking forward to: Kasabian. I really don’t like the new single Fire and was hoping the band would inject some live energy into the song for the show. It is a horrible mess of laboured uninteresting vocals, static guitars, truly awful backing singers and disjointed arrangement. What the hell has happened to this great band. Such early promise has now disintegrated. Even the last vocal segment fails to give things a lift. At least the show closer Underdog has the usual confident swagger, even though musically the song really needs some sharper edges and big keyboards. It is all going-through-the-motions even with some great guitar work at the end.

Last year something happened to The Pretenders. Never one of my favourite bands, they have one incredible asset: Chrissie Hynde. She is a revelation but who knows what she was thinking when she wrote Don’t Cut Your Hair. Last year’s country influenced Break Up The Concrete album was well received but this single is horrible. Given the classics that the band has produced over the years, this isn’t even in the same league. And Hynde is a fantastic song writer. But not this time. Don’t Lose Faith In Me is much better - a slower bluesy number with a trademark soaring chorus and Hynde much more comfortable. No big ending though.

Regina Spektor is a bit of Martha Wainwright and a bit of Laura Veirs. Blue Lips is engaging with Spektor singing at the piano, followed by a string quartet. Simple yet powerful, this is easily the highlight of the week. The song is a typical singer-songwriter ramble with loose structure and lots of starts and stops. But it is wonderfully performed and arranged. Very reminiscent of Annie Lennox last week.

New band Golden Silvers sound and look like an 80s tribute act performing at a bad wedding. Singer Gwilym Gold has such an apathetic vocal, it constantly distracts from the great music - a combination of guitars, keyboards, drums and bass. The three piece all share vocal duty and True No. 9 Blues (True Romance) has a wonderful charm but it’s all a bit flat and listless.

Jools chatted with Paul Jones - first time this series that a guest is on to plug a new album but doesn’t have a performance slot on the live show. We can forgive Jones this digression as he performs a brief preview of what to expect from the Friday show, and is always good value

Baaba Maal - Senegal’s answer to James Brown - only seems to be able to sing in one pitch: high and whiny. Dakar Moon is decent enough and full of pleasant chord changes and great moments. But again the vocals are a distraction.

So no big performance from Kasabian, no classic from The Pretenders, only one song from Regina Spektor and something new from Golden Silvers. Not a great live show but I’ve seen worse. This series has not been the best…

The Friday show post will be up in a week.

Later…with Jools Holland (Series 34, Show 6 - 12th May and 15th May 2009)

A much more interesting line-up this week with a second show for Little Boots, Lisa Hannigan and Annie Lennox - a very female oriented show (never a bad thing). Sadly no Morrissey who has been ordered to rest by doctors (Get well soon Mozza!). He would have been the highlight of the male performers in a week which really needed a man to step up and challenge the women. The return of the New York Dolls failed to impress and both Daniel Merriweather and Asher Roth were hopeless. The only descent male performer gets one song on Friday - Jon Allen.

Tuesday (live)

• New York Dolls - ‘Cause I Sez So
• Daniel Merriweather - Change
• Little Boots - New In Town
• Annie Lennox (Chat with JH)
• Asher Roth - La Di Di
• Annie Lennox - Little Bird
• Lisa Hannigan - I Don’t Know
• New York Dolls - Personality Crisis

Friday

• New York Dolls - ‘Cause I Sez So
• Daniel Merriweather - Stop Me
• Little Boots - New In Town
• Annie Lennox (Chat with JH)
• Lisa Hannigan - Ocean And A Rock
• Asher Roth - La Di Di
• Annie Lennox - Here Comes The Rain Again
• New York Dolls (Chat with JH)
• Daniel Merriweather - Cigarettes
• New York Dolls - My World
• Jon Allen - In Your Light
• Little Boots - Remedy
• Lisa Hannigan - Sea Song
• Daniel Merriweather - Change
• New York Dolls - Trash

This week’s legends are the seminal punks New York Dolls who in 2009 release their fourth album in 33 years. Yes 33 years. That has to be some sort of record and puts Kate Bush to shame. Johansen, Sylvain, and Kane were brought back together in 2004 by Morrissey - who in a cruel twist of fate cannot appear on Later this week (do the NYD appear instead?), and five years later release ‘Cause I Sez So, the band’s second of the ‘reformed group’ releases, produced by Todd Rundgren. The band now are less punk and more Rolling Stones with David Johansen looking and sounding more like Mick Jagger at each passing year. The band kick off each show with the title track in some style. They still have it…just. Unfortunately Tuesday closer Personality Crisis is a horrible mess and My World is an attempt at melody and harmonies. Friday’s closer Trash is also a racket. Jools chats with Johansen and Sylvain, after being introduced in typically shambolic style, about how the band formed and what shapes their music - kind of a an anti-stadium rock guitar music. The archive is the band in full ‘big hair’ 70s flow - playing live and sounding a mess. Sylvain talks about the 2004 reforming and having more fun than they thought.

One of the highlights of last year, Little Boots has now become Allison Goldfrapp, rather than the fragile intriguing solo performer at the piano (Meddle) she is now dolled up like Lauren Laverne’s cute sister (never a bad thing) swishing a tambourine and trying desperately to hold a note through New In Town. The song manages to hold together and the slightly convoluted chorus is a masterpiece. Remedy is another good pop tune but still lacks the subtle charms of Meddle. A great preview of the new album but only two songs?

Daniel Merriweather is one of those solo artists you either love or hate. Change is an ok song but the live performance, including some awful whistling, is whiny incompressible rubbish, inspired lamely by irony and the current American politic revolution. Merriweather’s attempt at modern soul is a lesson in how not to do it. The Mark Ronson arranged Stop Me was given a more subtle stripped down treatment but it still doesn’t work mainly down to Merriweather’s mumbling voice. Maybe he replaced Morrissey on the show. Cigarettes is a slow depressing drawl that transforms into more over-the-top screechy crooning. This is the sort of thing Ray LaMontagne can do in his sleep.

Also letting the testosterone-filled side down badly was the wonder that is Asher Roth. The title of La Di Di is a good example of what to expect from the supreme song writing. Like an Eminem for chavs, he spouted complete bollocks for three minutes, while managing to sustain no melody, structure or coherence whatsoever. He tries to get the crowd involved on Friday. When rap is good, it’s great - hard hitting and brutal. This is just weak and pointless. Thankfully he just gets one turn.

Annie Lennox is an interesting character these days - on the show to plug a new collection of old songs. On Tuesday she looked fired up on something as Jools introduced her, before she took over and proclaimed that everyone there is real and is performing live. She has been on the show before right? She now thinks that her voice is better now than it has ever been but I don’t think so. It is deeper for sure but that has reduced her range. Her performance of Little Bird however is gutsy, determined and just a bit mad - harking back to the Eurythmics days. She is a wonderful character and a real national treasure. The arrangement, featuring just a piano and her voice filling in the ’musical’ bits, and the performance is inhumanly good. Such a shame then that the archive footage of her on TOTP saw her miming badly…Not a great choice. The Friday interview was more focused on her new CD and her music tastes but repeated the clip. She is clearly still passionate about life and music - the medium with which to express oneself and to perform. Friday provides the slow arrangement of Here Comes The Rain Again, again with just Lennox on the piano. It is deeply melancholy and she is clearly lost in the song which loses its way terribly half way through and descends into pain and despair. An odd but impressive slice of theatre.

Highlight of the week is not one of the headliners. Lisa Hannigan showcased the best of her new album Sea Sew. A very inconsistent album that loses its way terribly, it has some really great well crafted pop-folk songs. I Don’t Know is one of them, brilliantly performed. First song on Friday was the gorgeous metaphor-filled Ocean And A Rock. Hannigan adds her own ‘distant’ backing vocals and keyboard accordion. Superb stuff. Sea Song is much more dark and dramatic but the weaker of the three songs.

Also great is Jon Allen. In Your Light is simple and effective and Allen has the best voice of the night, after Lennox and Hannigan. Sadly (how many times do I have to say this?) he is pushed aside for the likes of Merriweather and Asher Roth. The BBC need to sort out the talent. Please.

So in the absence of the unwell Morrissey, the show is dominated by great female musicians doing what they do best. Annie Lennox is solid and as interesting as ever, Little Boots is great and Lisa Hannigan steals the top prize. Daniel Merriweather and Asher Roth were truly forgettable and New York Dolls did little to prove that their new music is worth bothering with. So a typically messed up collection with the girls winning the battle of the sexes. And definitely worth watching both shows as there is a lot of different material.

Next week the return of Kasabian…

Eurovision 2009

I won't lie to you...I love The Eurovision Song Contest.

It represents all that is good and bad about music and for that reason I shall attempt a 'live' blog of the 2009 event - this year from Moscow with no Terry Wogan and changed voting. It seems a shame that Wogan decided to give up on the event just as the organisers changed the way countries get to vote. He may have had more of an effect than he realised.

Anyway, this year...

"Citizens of each country vote by telephone or SMS, and professional juries in all 42 participating countries judge the songs. The country's 10 favourites are awarded 12, 10, then 8 through 1 points based on votes. Juries and televoters will each have a 50% say in the outcome of every country's points. All 42 countries present their awarded points, the country with the highest amount of points wins the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest."

I think that the public vote favouring the eastern block countries will sway the votes (there are too many - not that I have anything against Balkan states etc but I think Eurovision should be more 'old' Europe; lose the semis and include countries like Ireland, Belgium and Austria by default) but it should be fairer and more 'about the songs'. I don't care as long as it's entertaining :)

The finalists:

• Lithuania - Love by Sasha Son
• Israel - There Must Be Another Way by Noa & Mira Awad
• France - Et S'il Fallait Le Faire by Patricia Kaas
• Sweden - La Voix by Malena Emman
• Croatia - Ljepa Tena by Igor Cukov & Andrea
• Portugal - Todas As Ruas Do Amor by Flor-de-lis
• Iceland - Is It True? by Yohanna
• Greece - This Is Our Night by Sakis Rouvas
• Armenia - Jan Jan by Inga & Anush
• Russia - Mamo by Anastasia Prikhodko
• Azerbaijan - Always by AySel & Arash
• Bosnia & Herzegovina - Bistra Voda by Regina
• Moldova - Hora Din Moldova by Nelly Ciobanu
• Malta - What If We by Chiara
• Estonia - Randajad bu Urban Symphony
• Denmark - Believe Again by Brinck
• Germany - Miss Kiss Kiss Bang by Alex Swings Oscar Sings!
• Turkey - Dum Tek Tek by Halise
• Albania - Carry Me In Your Dreams by Kejsi Tola
• Norway - Fairytale by Alexander Rybak
• Ukraine - Be My Valentine (Anti-Crisis Girl) by Svetlana Loboda
• Romania - The Balkan Girls by Elena
• United Kingdom - It's My Time by Jade Ewen
• Finland - Lose Control by Waldo's People
• Spain - La Noche Es Para Mí (The Night Is For Me) by Soraya

Some interesting songs in prospect. When I first heard the Andrew Lloyd Webber composition for Jade Ewen I hated it. But I've heard it a few times since and if she performs well it should be emotional enough to get some votes.

20:06

Ok so the serious camp intro is in full swing, complete with dodgy special effects and some good work from Cirque De Soleil. Last years winner (from Russia strangely enough) is performing. Not a bad song but wasn't the best.

20:11

Our hosts are on stage. Graham Norton is a good mix of serious information and Wogan-eque wit and sarcasm. What he needs to do is be himself and not try to imitate. He talks all over the hosts who are just spouting the usual rubbish.

Each song is introduced with a living postcard featuring the current Miss World. Nice...

20:13

Lithuania - Love by Sasha Son

One man and a piano and backing singers in a different timezone. Bit of a dull opening. Now he's away from the piano and trying to put a bit of emotion into it. It's boring but subtle and he's got a decent voice.

6/10

20:17

Israel - There Must Be Another Way by Noa & Mira Awad

Hmmm. Interesting. A bit of politics this early in the competition - can only be Israel. One jew and one Arab showing solidarity. Spirited and gusty but a terrible song. The percussion is provided by some olive oil tins (and not biscuit tins)...

4/10

France - Et S'il Fallait Le Faire by Patricia Kaas

20:21

I always enjoy the French entry (as it were). Kaas is a striking figure and in the spirit of Edith Piaff, this is deeply emotional and slightly depressing. Last year's artist from France, Mr. Tellier was brilliant. My word, she might be about to explode. Steady love.

5/10

Sweden - La Voix by Malena Emman

20:25

Looking to Sweden to inject some much needed europop into the night. Good lord...this is fantastic. Looks a bit like a scary personal trainer of questionable gender but a lovely mix of opera and Pet Shop Boys produced camp. This is what Eurovision is all about...

7/10

Croatia - Ljepa Tena by Igor Cukov & Andrea

20:31

Back to the...erm...male performers, the Croatian entry is another rambling ballad with an Eastern feel. Oooo wailing harmonies as a woman in white turns up. This must be the aforementioned Andrea. A bit like Katherine Jenkins. Seriously guys, turn the wind machine down. People could start taking off...

5/10

Portugal - Todas As Ruas Do Amor by Flor-de-lis

Whoa..nice set. Band in traditional dress with guitars and accordions. This must be new wave Portuguese folk! It's quite a jolly piece but not as good as it could be. Shame. Looks like they are all having fun though and that set is bloody amazing.

43 years and never a winner. Maybe this year? Not sure on this.

7/10

Iceland - Is It True? by Yohanna

Lol at Grahan Norton. Very entertaining so far. As is Jonathan Ross (@wossy) on Twitter. Wogan who?

Oh dear it's 80s power ballad time from Iceland. Nice vocal melody but a bit dull and safe. They seem to have run out of song and started again after a chord change. Singer is looking good but the song is a bit flat.

6.5/10

20:40

Greece - This Is Our Night by Sakis Rouvas

Always interesting with Greece. Here goes...

Wow this is more like it! A proper pop song. They seem to have a magic wall for this one and they blew the whole budget on fireworks. Shame they couldn't get Mr. Rouvas a new shirt.

7.5/10

20:44

Armenia - Jan Jan by Inga & Anush

Ouch this is looking mad. Sisters Inga and Anush look like extras in the latest Zhang Yimou movie (House Of Flying Daggers etc). The song is awful but strangly compelling. Horrible vocals and that crappy turkish-like backing.

3/10

20:47

Russia - Mamo by Anastasia Prikhodko

Here comes the host artist. Can Russia make it bacl to back wins? Not the evidence of these vocals. She looks like she's about to burst into tears. Apparently her face on the big screen is digitally aging throughout the song. Not sure the point of it. It's starting to freak me out. It's definitely a lot more serious this year...

5/10

Azerbaijan - Always by AySel & Arash

Another star in the Balkan states, Arash is the male side of the Azerbaijan duo. AySel is basically eye-candy but has a better voice, strangely. To be honest it's a close run thing who has the worst voice. Somewhere in here is a decent song trying to get free. Not a bad effort but decends into overused arrangement, a bizzarre instrumental break featuring a tiny guitar and way too much wind machine. Catchy...but not great.

6/10

Bosnia & Herzegovina - Bistra Voda by Regina

Another well known band from the area, Regina seem to have borrowed their wardrobe from the latest Coldplay tour - and then bleached everything white. Another stirring ballad this time with a militaristic twist. And they seem to have nicked Gwen Steffani! And I think that might be Stuart MacConie on the drums...

6.5/10

Ah Russian irony. Leaves a sour taste give what has happened in Moscow over the last few days. This is a film with loads of 'normal' people singing, starting with two police men. Hmm...

21:00

An hour gone and its....

Moldova - Hora Din Moldova by Nelly Ciobanu

The only song title to feature the country of origin. I like the singer's dress. Other than that...I have nothing good to say. Plenty of determination but very little actual talent...or tune.

3/10

Malta - What If We by Chiara

I always look forward to Malta. Normally a big fat guy prancing around. This year they give us a woman. A bit unfair from Norton to suggest that she has never met a Malteser she didn't like. Ok so she's a bit on the large side but a great voice. It's all a bit dramatic and Celine Dion but hits the right buttons. If this came on the radio I wouldn't turn it off. Nice segment just before the chord change.

One of the best so far...

7.5/10

21:08

Estonia - Randajad bu Urban Symphony

Ok this is strangely haunting and beautiful. Not sure about the vocals but the string work is second to none. And a nice rolling melody is dark and brooding. Seems to be a serious theme this year. Now she's playing the violin for the instrumental break. And then back to the wailing...but surprisingly good.

7/10

Denmark - Believe Again by Brinck

So a song written by Ronan Keating. This should be fun. Problem is the singer thinks he is Ronan Keating. Was Gary Barlow unavailable? Not a great song and pretty ropey performance. And a really bad impression.

5/10

21:16

Germany - Miss Kiss Kiss Bang by Alex Swings Oscar Sings!

Never quite know what to expect from Germany. But didn't quite expect this. A very dodgy title and a kind of 1930s swing meets Ricky Martin. Damn those silver trousers are bright...

In a blatant attempt to win some votes, they bring in a pin-up model in black underwear. This is a family show right?

5/10

Turkey - Dum Tek Tek by Halise

Well it's predictable. It sounds Turkish and the singer looks like she has come right from a belly dancing convention. Kinda catchy and with a rhythm - but sounds horribly outdated. Now a guy in huge green pants - or is that dress? - has just run onto the stage. It's ok it's part of the act.

Modern Eurovision done quite well.

6.5/10

21:23

Albania - Carry Me In Your Dreams by Kejsi Tola

Nice build up from Norton. Be prepared. The song is unfolding quickly like a freaky cabaret show. Slightly off vocals but the singer is just 17. The guy at the back looks like a reject from the Blue Man Group vegas show. Not bad but not great either.

5/10

Norway - Fairytale by Alexander Rybak

This is a grower apparently. Unfortunately the vocal delivery and awful violin distract from what should be a good song. The best thing Norway has produced for ages in Eurovision. I can see why this has captured people's affections but it doesn't quite do it for me. The singer is charming and that will probably get the votes.

6/10

21:31

A brief interlude in which our hosts show us the numbers to phone. Norton is actually very good - a bit of Wogan but mostly himself.

Ukraine - Be My Valentine (Anti-Crisis Girl) by Svetlana Loboda

Back to the music - Ukraine is another wonderful slice of euro-pop nonsense. Roman centurions, hamster wheels and the singer playing the drums. Sounds like the music is being played backwards. Fantastic.

7/10

21:35

Romania - The Balkan Girls by Elena

Looks good. Sounds terrible. It's got to that stage were you just have to fill the stage with five extremely cute women in tight dresses. It works for me. But back to the song. It's ok but dull and tedious.

5.5/10

United Kingdom - It's My Time by Jade Ewen

Right this is it. Based on what I've heard so far...the UK has a shot this year at a decent placing. ALW, who wrote the song, is playing piano. Here we go...

Good vocals so far...a bit rushed maybe. Hold it together girl.

Loving the stage..nice and simple and elegant. Like something out of Phantom Of The....oh hold on.

Oh dear the voice is starting to waver a bit. The big finish was a shaky one but given the occasion... Well done.

7/10

21:40

Finland - Lose Control by Waldo's People

What we need now is a bit of humour. Thankfully Finland are up next. The country that brought us Lordi now give us Waldo's People. Like four solo artists performing four slightly different variations of the same song together, with a rapper and some guys throwing fire around. Excellent. A glorious euro-mess.

6/10

21:47

Spain - La Noche Es Para Mí (The Night Is For Me) by Soraya

Last song. As the late great Humph said, love those words.

Spain are another unpredictable bunch. But this time they stole Turkey's backing track. The singer is a bit like Sarah from Girl's Aloud mixed with Pink. The song is a bit dull and flat, like most tonight.

5/10

21:52

And now the voting...

For me it's between Malta, Estonia and Greece. But it could be any from:

• Greece
• Malta
• Estonia
• Sweden
• Portugal
• Iceland
• Turkey
• Ukraine
• United Kingdom
• Norway
  

But I wouldn't be surprised if Bosnia & Herzegovina steal it. Or even Denmark. But I have a feeling about Norway...

22:02

The phone lines have been opened...by two cosmonauts live from space. Extraordinary.

22:08

Phone voting over.

Now we are subjected to the interlude act in which huge undulating swimming pools are lowered over the crowd in the stadium. Health & Safety anyone?

22:16

Interview with Lloyd Webber declaring that 'a star is born' with Jade. And he agrees with me about Estonia!!! Great song.

LOL - UK was top of votes for all of 3 seconds. Then Norway got 12 points above us. It won't be Nil Points then...

22:26

Norway are running away with this. But UK are second! Malta and Estonia are doing really badly. Shame as they provided the best vocals. Greece is nowhere.

22:32

The block voting of Balkan states is still alive and well. Estonia are doing better but Iceland are beating the UK to second place. Predictably Andorra voted 12 points to Spain. Not just the Balkans then...

22:38

Estonia are about to overtake the UK into fifth place. Apparently the UK's favourite song (voted by the public) was from Turkey, who are making ground...Then again Germany got 7 points.

22:50

Norway, Turkey, then Iceland.

Greece and Estonia are now up there but Malta hopelessly ignored. UK is currently fifth.

22:57

UK up to fourth! Azerbaijan now doing well. The Norway song is now officially the most popular song in Eurovision history. Now 319 points. Looking for Ireland for some votes and the UK gets 10. No votes for the Ronan Keating song. Oh dear...

23:07

Iceland pipping Azerbaijan to second in the last round of voting. Norway runaway winners and Turkey beating the UK to fourth in the final votes. UK in top five again for the first time in years.

Well done Jade.

Good night.

The winning song:

Later…with Jools Holland (Series 34, Show 5 - 5th May and 8th May 2009)

A strange show in prospect this week with no one compelling me to tune in. A big comeback from Manic Street Preachers with new material resurrecting the lyrics of Ritchie has hit me with mixed feelings. I have my views on this and I’m not sure if it makes good new music. The appearance of the legendary Booker T. is the only real draw this week but I was interested in hearing Taylor Swift live - hopefully without swathes of vocal production to show us that she really can sing. Sadly it turns out that she can’t.

Tuesday (live)

Manic Street Preachers - Jackie Collins Existential Question Time
Taylor Swift - Love Story
Booker T. (Chat with JH)
Paolo Nutini - Candy
Booker T. - Green Onions
Gurrumul - Bapa
Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks
Manic Street Preachers - Me And Stephen Hawking

Friday

Manic Street Preachers - Jackie Collins Existential Question Time
Paolo Nutini - Candy
Taylor Swift - Love Story
Booker T. (Chat with JH)
Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks
Manic Street Preachers - Peeled Apples
Booker T. - Hey Ya
Paolo Nutini - Coming Up Easy
Taylor Swift (chat with JH)
Gurrumul - Djarimirri
Taylor Swift - Fifteen
Nicky Wire (chat with JH)
Grizzly Bear - While You Wait For The Others
Paolo Nutini - 10/10
Manic Street Preachers - Me And Stephen Hawking

There is no doubt that Manic Street Preachers are great musicians and as a three-piece they make great music. But the laboured wordy nonsense of Jackie Collins Existential Question Time, opening each show, introduced us to the new song writing - that is the decision to use ex-Manic Ritchie’s ‘shelved’ lyrics. James Dean Bradfield is becoming more and more incomprehensible and the guitar work is very slack - maybe the band are going for a more free-flowing punk approach that used to be a trademark of the bands music. Me And Stephen Hawking was also far from the band’s best work. Fast then slow then fast again, it was more verbal diarrhoea. Second track on Friday was Peeled Apples, a more gritty funky piece - with just a little too much vocal melody nicked from 80s classic Temptation. Excellent ‘metal’ guitars though. Jools chatted with Nicky Wire, which is always entertaining, to talk about Journal For Plague Lovers and Ritchie’s words. Wire has a real love for the much missed lyricist and the band’s motives are purely honourable for their lost one. The archive footage this week is You Love Us from the Generation Terrorists days - reminding us all of the glory days. Wire says they started off wanting to be The Clash. The Clash they ain’t.

Taylor Swift kicked off her set with big MTV single Love Story. Looking like the gorgeous self-confident brat she is, her vocals were far from impressive. Unable to hold a tune and lacking power, it took all the edge of the decent song. I thought it may just be the ‘live’ pressure of Tuesday but the Friday effort was just as bad, especially on the verses. I hope she listens back or someone tells her about it. Jools honoured her with an interview and plugs her new huge selling US album Fearless - London is all about Top Shop apparently. Sadly she has been conditioned - like most young American artists - to have no personality. Second track on Friday is Fifteen, delivered with the same wavering girlish vocals. At least this time the chorus has some depth and emotion and she managed to hold the power. But the song is all adolescent poetry in the sickly sweet singer-songwriter style that has been done and overdone many times before. Michelle Branch she ain’t.

I have never really paid much attention to the music of Paolo Nutini - and on this week‘s evidence it is for good reason. He is a bit like Jack Johnson in that respect. Candy (bumped to second song on Friday) is a bit wishy washy and he sounds and looks in pain when performing, with the posture of Albert Steptoe. Eventually it gets going and the result is a lot of messy shouting. Coming Up Easy was a bit more laid back but soon descends into incomprehensible drudgery. And he loses his voice for the big finish. Maybe all his songs have this same formula. And the least said about the reggae influenced 10/10 the better. Ray LaMontagne he ain’t.

Jools chatted to Booker T. about growing up in Memphis and then resorted to his usual line of questioning and asked him what advice he could give new musicians starting out today. Practice is the key apparently. Do your scales. Take note Ms. Swift. They then talk about Green Onions. Then they play Green Onions - at the wrong tempo. The key to that last statement is the word ‘they’. Yes Jools plays piano in what ends up as a fairly average ‘cover’ of one of the best pieces of music ever written. Such a shame. It does get better, with T. on fantastic form providing the organ but the rendition is far from brilliant. Well at least it looks like they had fun. The Friday chat focused on the Hammond Organ (star of the performance). Jools plugs his new record Potato Hole (a double meaning referencing the days of slavery) and T. praises Neil Young. If anything the brief Friday burst of Green Onions did it far more justice. New song Hey Ya - yes the OutKast cover - is a bizarre take. The arrangement is a mess of guitars, piano, bass and organ. Strangely it all works.

History was made on Tuesday with Gurrumul, the first Aboriginal musician to appear on Later. He performed the haunting Bapa accompanied by guitar and double bass. Not the best voice in the world, but full of emotion and strangely compelling. Second effort Djarimirri is carried with a wonderful melody but starts to get annoying after a while. Again it is always the unknown artists that make the most interesting guests.

Speaking of unknowns, Grizzly Bear are a strange bunch. A kind of minimalist harmonies based indie-band without all the charm of Fleet Foxes. Two Weeks just drifted along pleasantly and compared the rest, it was actually very good. While You Wait For The Others is beautifully arranged and brilliantly performed. Shame bands like this only get two songs to perform.

All in all, the worst show of the series so far. Not inspired by anything and unimpressed with Paolo Nutini and Taylor Swift. The Manics are great but I’m unconvinced with their new songs. Booker T. added some much needed fun, and Gurrumul’s music was strangely beautiful, but it was inclusion of Grizzly Bear that saved the day. One of the terrible things about this weeks show was Jools himself. He was all over the place. The Tuesday live show really needs a decent script and he needs to bloody well learn it. It is his show and he looks clueless and alienated by the whole thing.

Looking for much from Jools and better music on next weeks show. Morrissey and Annie Lennox…and Little Boots is back!

Later…with Jools Holland (Series 34, Show 4 - 28th April and 1st May 2009)

Interesting line-up this week - talent level could go either way. Really looking forward to the return of Depeche Mode and Lily Allen is always charming and funny. Of the rest, only Sonic Youth caught my interest in what was to become a real mixed bag - and a very subdued low-key step back in time.



Tuesday (live)

• Depeche Mode - Wrong
• Lily Allen - Not Fair
• Raphael Saadiq - Sure Hope You Mean It
• Depeche Mode (Chat with JH)
• Sonic Youth - What We Know
• Lily Allen (Chat with JH)
• Taj Mahal - Checkin’ Up On My Baby
• Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus

Friday

• Depeche Mode - Wrong
• Lily Allen - Not Fair
• Sonic Youth - Sacred Trickster
• Depeche Mode (Chat with JH)
• Raphael Saadiq - Sure Hope You Mean It
• Depeche Mode - Come Back
• Taj Mahal - Slow Drag
• Lily Allen - 22
• Taj Mahal (Chat with JH)
• Priscilla Ahn - Find My Way Back Home
• Sonic Youth - Antenna
• Lily Allen (Chat with JH)
• Raphael Saadiq - Keep Marchin’
• Lily Allen - The Fear
• Sonic Youth - Teen Age Riot
• Depeche Mode - Walking In My Shoes

80’s snyth-goth legends Depeche Mode (yes they made some of their best music in the 90s but it was still 80s music…) kicked off both shows with new single Wrong in glorious demonic style. Not sure about the song - it hasn’t really grabbed me yet. Neither has the album so in a way I’m hoping for something that I constantly object to - that it was all new material (the set wasn’t all new songs - actually a good thing as the old stuff was better). Singer Gahan was determined enough but the rest of the band looked bored. They closed Tuesday with a great version of Personal Jesus, easily one of the band’s finest moments. It starts simple, just vocals and guitar, then the electronics and drums come in. The autobiographical Come Back (Gahan describes this song as “coming back to himself“) is dark and menacing, devoid of much of the hope that it professes which is a shame. Friday closed with the dramatic Walking In My Shoes from Songs Of Faith And Devotion, another highlight from the back catalogue. It was a great arrangement, excellently performed. With all these 80s bands coming back, I hope Spandau Ballet don’t make an appearance. Please, no…

The big interview on Tuesday was with DM - shaking off the pointlessness of last series when Jools had a tendency to chat with people just on to plug shows or books or greatest hits without actually performing etc. Martin Gore seems to have become Lilly Savage and not changed his black eyeliner since 1985. In contrast Gahan is looking well and relaxed. The both agree that that the 80s was not the best time of their lives. It was the late 70s or 90s (when they had more fun). There was some ridiculous footage from 1981 and not much else. Friday’s chat was better, talking about the band’s early years and more footage of how they changed so much in the space of a year. Playing live is still Gahan’s passion.

The wonderful Lily Allen showcased her new (ish) album It’s Not Me It’s You with the country vibes of Not Fair. Like her or loathe her (and many do the latter), she is a charming presence on the stage, fusing honestly explicit lyrics with her adolescent voice perfectly. Long gone are the days of chav-pop and Allen is now using her voice with amazing variety. The single is not bad if a little nursery rhyme-esque. 22 is more mature but a bit dull, even if the momentum builds towards the end, but then descends into wordless vocals. In the third interview of the Friday, Allen talks about writing a song about her brother and not realising at the time that loads of people would hear it. Hmm, not the smartest tool in the box. She says it’s better to write about past loves as you don’t know what will happen with a new love. And she wants someone who is interested in her. I think behind the laughter is a broken heart that only manifests in her music. The classic schizophrenic artist. Her third song on Friday previous single The Fear is excellent - complete with expletives to give it extra ‘punch’. Not gratuitous, just brilliantly conceived attention-grabbing grown-up song writing. A song for our times.

In a bizarre moment on Tuesday - and there are many on Later, Jools went briefly to talk to Andrew Marr of all people, who declared that Allen is a ‘family favourite’. He had to go and interview the Russian Present instead of seeing her live - something Jools couldn’t quite get his head around. No Jools, Putin wasn’t president then, it was Medvedev. Jools’ second ‘interview’ on the Tuesday was much more entertaining - Lily Allen saying that she is not into Putin because one of her gigs in St. Petersburg was cancelled for security reasons. Apparently the president (as he was then) went to see a fight instead.

Sonic Youth proved that for ‘old timers’ they can still rock with the best of them. Vocally What We Know isn’t the best, especially the chorus, but the band make the most amazing guitar noise. New album The Eternal follows Rather Ripped - which captured my attention for a while, more than I expected it would. The trio of Moore, Gordon and Ranaldo are still a driving force and even though I don’t like to see and hear fallen stars peddling out tired tunes, SY still has it, Just. First song on Friday Sacred Trickster is more like SY of old with Gordon on vocal duty - bouncing around and in her element. Great (but short) stuff. Antenna - completing the trio of different vocalists, this time Thurston Moore was a SY ballad - a real shoegazing master class; all intricate guitar work and pounding drums. It was like being transformed back to 1990. Teen Age Riot (from 1988), again with TM on vocals - is a great example of the band’s legacy. Brilliantly perfomed with furious energy and control.

Not sure about Raphael Saadiq. His vibe was great, but Sure Hope You Mean it sounded like a collection of recycled Motown lyrics and a bit of improv. The shorter of the two, and oddly androgynous, backing singers provided the energy but the whole thing was a bit dated. Sounds like it’s not my thing - on the contrary - I love soul when it’s interesting. The same dance routine and approach to backing vocals are adopted on Keep Marchin’, a much better song with the same cool Motown vibes. It all gets a bit too repetitive which is a shame. And then Saadiq and his ’band’ just jump around a bit.

Taj Mahal provided the R&B (the proper stuff) this week with Jools tinkling along on his piano. Checkin’ Up On My Baby is typical fare with attitude thrown in for good measure. Taj (as I’m sure he is known to his closest friends) may be wonderful but I though it was nothing special. The banjo driven Slow Drag is more of a slow blues number, again with Jools stomping all over the delicate arrangement. Mahal’s excellent vocals hold everything together and a sweet banjo solo to finish is one of the show‘s highlights. He finds time to chat with Jools but more than two songs would have been nice. But the interview was a revealing incite into a man who loves his music - he describes the blues as a roadmap for everything that can happen in your life.

The running theme of this series of Later seems to be to introduce the world to a new musician. This week was the turn of Priscilla Ahn who was utterly captivating from start to finish during Find My Way Back Home. Twee is a good word to describe it, which is no bad thing. Her voice was pitch perfect.

A strange show - very downbeat and retro in a good way. Depeche Mode did their best, as did Sonic Youth, and Lily Allen provided the modern touch. Lots of chat, but none of it cutting edge interviewing or revealing. More from Taj Mahal and a chat with Sonic Youth would have been nice.

Later...with Jool Holland (Series 34, Show 3 - 21st and 24th April 2009)

Another week, another Later...with Jools Holland on the BCC. From the start of this weeks Tuesday show it was all about Madness. Jools walked into the studio with Suggs by his side. looking as perky and mischievous as ever. After enduring The Specials and their very uncomfortable comeback, I was looking forward to hearing some new stuff from the legends. I was also looking forward to Bat For Lashes. Other than that I went into the week not knowing the rest of the line-up.

Tuesday (live)

Madness - Dust Devil
Hockey - Song Away
Bat For Lashes - Daniel
Madness (Chat with JH)
Yusuf - The Rain
Everyone - Happy Birthday (for Mike)
Oumou Sangare - Sounsoumba
Madness - Embarrassment

Friday

Madness - Forever Young
Bat For Lashes - Daniel
Hockey - Too Fake
Yusuf (Chat with JH)
Oumou Sangare - Sounsoumba
Yusuf - The Rain
Madness - The Sun And The Rain
Bat For Lashes (Chat with JH)
Hockey - Song Away
William Elliott Whitmore - Old Devils
Madness (Suggs and Woody chat with JH)
Bat For Lashes - Sleep Alone
Oumou Sangare - Seya
Madness - Clerkenwell Polka

Madness kicked off Tuesday with Dust Devil - a new song from new album The Liberty of Norton Folgate, sounding as good as ever. Plenty of brass and Suggs on top vocal form. Not the best the band have done but ok. Friday opener was Forever Young - slower mid-tempo number trying to break the usual mould. They closed Tuesday with Embarrassment and performed The Sun And The Rain on Friday, showing that they can still churn out the old hits. The latter was a bit 'sax heavy'. Jools spoke to Suggs and Mike on Tuesday and showed some footage from 1980 of a very young band, comedicly miming to Baggy Trousers. It was Mike's birthday on Tuesday - and the Queens, and Iggy Pop's! On Friday Suggs was joined by Woody to talk about the new album and London, and the disastrous Danger Men project - Madness in disguise so well that they went unnoticed. It is revealed that Woody is running the London Marathon this year. Jools encourages them to take part in a sing-along at the piano in the old tradition. Mixed results. The band closed Friday with Clerkenwell Polka which didn't quite work but the sped up ending was great. For me, it's not enough for me to rush out and get the album. But good to see them back.

A new American band Hockey got a headline slot this week, making their TV debut. This came as a huge surprise to me mainly as I had never heard them. The band was very interesting and they tried their best to inject some energy into a laboured Song Away. Benjamin Grubin's vocals reminded me of the early 1990s and all those generic new-wave bands. On Friday Too Fake sounded horribly familiar and I realised I had heard it before. The live version sounded more funky and less structured. Grubin is an enigmatic lead singer, if a bit mad. He looks and sounds like he is permanently in 'stroppy teenager' mode.

Bat For Lashes, AKA Natasha Khan, sounded amazing. Her vocals were a bit over-produced but sometimes you want your live acts to sound like a studio track. Daniel was supremely delivered - one of the best singles of this year and destined to be a performance of this series. Khan's band helped her out with exquisite backing vocals. As for her own vocals - haunting and flawless. Jools grabbed her (literally) for a chat and she talked him through her set, including a Marxophone from 1870. She gives a demonstration. Second song Sleep Alone is a great example of the quality of the new album Two Suns. Again her vocals are perfect. But only two songs? Such a shame.

Yusuf Islam, who has now sadly dropped the 'Islam', AKA Cat Stevens was back with new songs from his new album. He is very intense and deep these days and singing about doom and gloom and his voice is lacking hope these days. It is still stirring stuff. The Rain is dramatic and biblical (or maybe Qur’an-ical). He spoke to Jools about making music in the 60s and what it was like. "When the world goes bad, it creates the ambience for talent to rise up", he says. Behind all the depth is a real humanity and a genuine humility. Jools played a clip of Father & Son - a classic beautifully performed. He is working on a new musical called Moon Shadow and this is generating more music and his first albums for 28 years. Shame he only got one song to perform.

Following on from last week, Oumou Sangare from Mali brought some Wassoulou to the show. It is African jazz-funk. It is great that Later still draws world musicians but a bit more variety would be nice. Sounsoumba on Tuesday and Friday and Seya (was the laughing part of the song?) on Friday was a nice introduction but not much to work with. It is, however, engaging stuff.

Jools' surprise guest was singer and guitarist William Elliott Whitmore, providing some deep south American roots. His voice is an acquired taste but you can't question his powerful delivery - social, political and earthy.

A good show in the end. Madness were excellent with the perfect mix of old and new. Bat For Lashes was superb and had the audience in the palm of her hand at every performance. Hockey were good, as was Yusuf and Sangare. William Elliott Whitmore was the surprise antithesis of Yusuf. It was a shame that it was such a packed show and there wasn't enough time for additional songs from some artists.

Next week is Depeche Mode and Lily Allen…and Sonic Youth! Should be interesting.

Later...with Jool Holland (Series 34, Show 2 - 14th and 17th April 2009)

I was hoping for much better things from this weeks Later…with Jools Holland. If not great music, some decent entertainment would be nice.

New band Noisettes took a prime spot and opened Tuesday‘s live show, proving that either the BBC are getting desperate or they are genuinely putting faith in new artists. But it was Doves who showed some real class with lead singer Jim Goodwin looking and sounding more and more like Guy Garvey (Elbow) at every performance, as the band showcase the new album Kingdom Of Rust. An ethnic feel this week was added by Rokia Traore, a wonderful singer from Mali. There was also a return for Madeleine Peyroux and Marianne Faithfulll.

On Friday’s show, a real treat: Grand Master Flash!

Tuesday (live) show

• Noisettes - Don’t Upset The Rhythm
• Doves - Kingdom Of Rust
• Rokia Traore - Zen
• Marianne Faithfull (Chat with JH)
• Madeleine Peyroux - Instead
• Marianne Faithfulll - The Crane Wife 3
• Doves - Winter Hill

Friday show

• Doves - Kingdom Of Rust
• Noisettes - Don’t Upset The Rhythm
• Marianne Faithfull - Hold On Hold On
• Grand Master Flash (Chat with JH)
• Rokia Traore - Zen
• Madeleine Peyroux - River Of Tears
• Joe Bonamassa - Lonesome Road Blues
• Doves - Winter Hill
• Marianne Faithfull - Come And Stay With Me
• Noisettes - Never Forget You
• Marianne Faithfull (Chat with JH)
• Rokia Traore - Tounka
• Marianne Faithfull - Dear God Please Help Me
• Doves - 10:03

Doves sounded great, with Kingdom Of Rust delivered like the band has never been away. Fantastic guitar work and dark brooding vocals from one of Manchester’s best bands of our times. Winter Hill, closing the show on Tuesday, builds from a guitar driven opening into another immediate classic. Great stuff. They closed the Friday with 10:03, a slow building guitar epic, transforming into furious bass funk and crashing drums. A competent preview of a good new album.

Noisettes put on a good show - a weird ramshackle bunch of musicians but actually just a three piece, like a modern M People, the lead singer performing on a heart shaped platform and switching to the stand on the drum kit. Don’t Upset The Rhythm sounds a bit dated, but then most things do these days. Never Forget You is a bit Motown and much better 60s style pop. Singer Shingai Shoniwa dons a bass transforming her into a statuesque presence.

Rokia Traore was enchanting and mysterious, her band an incredible mix of jazz funk, soul and African rhythms. I would rather listen to this all show than most of the new stuff the well established British artists are peddling at the moment. Tounka was amazing, Traore on guitar ans showing Shoniwa how it is really done. Really powerful music with her vocals and her band giving it everything. Could be the performance of the series.

Madeleine Peyroux this time round was more like Devon Sproule, at the mic with a guitar for Instead. She doesn’t look entirely comfortable but then again her voice is an acquired taste and never puts you at ease in the first place. The arrangement of Instead is a bit twee but conjures images of dusty sunsets and campfires out on the plains. River Of Tears is a slower more captivating piece. This is music to get lost in. Peyroux’s vocals are much more solid and controlled these days.

A big surprise was a turn from singer and guitarist Joe Bonamassa which suffered horribly from Jools stomping all over his great work with his usual piano - he managed nearly two shows without getting stuck in. It was pretty standard modern rhythm and blues fare with at least one stolen Clapton riff (who was mentioned in the introduction and then in a brief chat later). An attempt to get things moving, it ended up a bit messy, and apart from a wonderful guitar break late on that could have gone on for days, and nothing special, which is a shame.

Marianne Faithfull, who I hoped wouldn’t sing, unfortunately did. Jools talks to her first about her new record and showed some footage of the singer at her haunting best - when she could get away with her unique voice . And to accompany this she advises new musicians to be themselves and not copy people. Complete with lyric sheet, which was a constant distraction, The Crane Wife 3 and Hold On Hold On were performed with spirit and a steely determination but was well past her best vocally. She now sings much deeper which is horrible. Come And Stay With Me was better but vaguely out of tune at times. And this is the problem with Jools. He believes in legends. Legends that never die. Legends that can go on forever. I would have thought he would have learned from the Glen Campbell ‘issue’ last year and countless other old-timers trying to recapture the glory years. The BBC needs to get better at working out who still has it and who doesn’t. As horrible as that sounds, no one wants to see and hear someone struggling. Dear God Please Help Me is appropriately named. A great song, brilliant guitars, awful vocals.

Jools also interviewed hip hop legend Grand Master Flash which was much more natural and entertaining. Yes he has a new record to plug (everyone does) but he has a genuine passion for a musical genre that has been ridiculed in the past twenty years. There is some great archive of Debby Harry rapping. He performs in the second half. I say performed, the piece has no name and was a glorious mix of old-school scratching with proper vinyl! Absolutely amazing skills and a demonstration of how it should be done.

Another mixed bag, both good and bad. Doves excellent, as is Madeleine Peyroux and Rokia Traore who put in the best performance of the night with the powerful Tounka. Noisettes are entertaining even if their approach doesn’t work and Faithfull was exactly as expected. At least her band were good. In the end GMF almost stole the show…

Later…with Jools Holland (Series 34, Show 1 - 7th and 10th April 2009)

Another year, another series of the seminal Music television show Later…with Jools Holland on the BBC. It remains the only decent ‘live’ music programme showcasing the best new music from current artists, exclusive performances and interviews with established stars and the occasional up-and-coming promising new talent. So that’s enough blatant PR, what about the line-up? For the first two shows of this series, Franz Ferdinand are plugging their new album, The Specials are back (for reasons best known to them) and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, also with new music to promote. Jools’ special guest is Carol King.

Tuesday (live)

• Franz Ferdinand - No You Girls
• The Specials - Gangsters
• Carole King (chat with JH at the piano)
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero
• Carole King - You’ve Got A Friend
• The Mummers - March Of The Dawn
• The Specials - A Message To You Rudy
• Franz Ferdinand - Ulysses

Franz Ferdinand hardly provided the best opening to a new series with a faintly embarrassed lacklustre No You Girls, proving yet again that the band’s best songs are behind them. They open and close the live show, ending with first single Ulysses - again failing to engage or entertain.

The Specials. It’s hard to know what to say about such a great band, reformed and now sounding like their own tribute act. Terry Hall, one the world’s most influential and important musicians, looked and sounded like he really didn’t want to be there. Maybe that was part of the act…who knows. Opening with a very spirited Gangsters, the band still look like a bunch of individuals. If anything A Message To You Rudy was even more uncomfortable. Much of this has to be down to the conspicuous absence of Jerry Dammers who describes the band reunion as a ‘takeover’. For many he is (or was) the heart and soul of the band.

Expecting some much needed injection of pace and energy, Yeah Yeah Yeahs plodded through new single Zero, a mid-tempo drawl of a song with Karen O doing her best to sexy things up. She is a great performer but the new songs just do not capture the band’s wonderful presence. They have now gone all 80s (like every other band on the planet) with mixed results.

Speaking of performers, the brilliant Carole King added the class this week, struggling with her top-end vocals but providing a great rendition of You’ve Got A Friend at the piano - Jools resisted the temptation to stomp all over it and left her to it.

This week’s interesting band are The Mummers (which everyone knows is the name for a medieval group performing folk plays). The slightly disjointed orchestral pop of March Of The Dawn is complete with staccato trumpet and strings and ethereal vocals from Raissa Khan-Panni, a curious mix of Björk and Jerri Ryan. The song does its best to draw you in but you are never at ease.

Friday

• Franz Ferdinand - Ulysses
• The Specials - Gangsters
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero
• Carole King (chat with JH at the piano)
• The Mummers - Wonderland
• The Specials - Man At C&A
• Franz Ferdinand - No You Girls
• The Specials (chat with JH)
• Karima Francis - Francis
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll
• Alex from Franz Ferdinand (chat with JH)
• Carole King - (You Make Me Feel Like ) A Natural Woman
• The Mummers - March Of The Dawn
• Franz Ferdinand - Turn It On
• The Specials - Little Bitch

Starting where the band left off on Tuesday, Franz Ferdinand kick off with Ulysses - a better take to be fair with much more commitment but just as much end result. The Specials rattle through Gangsters once more, showing at least that the band are consistent. Starting as predicted, Yeah Yeah Yeahs perform Zero again. Karen O is in danger of becoming a parody of herself, her vocals descending into a series of squeaks and moans like the human embodiment of R2D2.

The intro out of the way, Jools chats some more with Carole King about her early musical career and the re-release of Tapestry. He shows some more archive footage of King in her irresistible prime, and then gets obsessed with the album cover (which shows King weaving).

There is more of The Mummers, with Khan-Panni switching from keyboard to keyboard then to vocals within the opening thirty seconds, only to return for a messy instrumental break. It is interesting stuff but could quickly become a bit one dimensional. Or maybe it is too much to execute live, suffering from over-ambition.

Back to Carole King, So Far Away is another emotional classic complete with exquisite piano playing and depth. Sometimes it takes a great performer to lift the quality of the show and this time it has worked.

The Specials seal their own fate with the terrible Man At C&A - even less relevant now than it was then and not the band’s finest hour, it sounds like a new song. Again Terry Hall shows no emotion or energy as he stands motionless. Then Franz Ferdinand launch into No You Girls again. What little interest I have at the half way point is slipping away…

And comes the bit I have been waiting for: Jools talking to The Specials. Frankly the interview is a mess and Hall is not part of it. What the hell? The band claim that they are kicking off their reunion at the BBC which was the last place they performed as a band (Ghost Town on TOTP back in the day…). Jools shows some archive footage, as he often does, of the band in their prime on the Whistle Test. Hall, who was never the most committed of performers, at least had an aggressive charm back then - a youthful exuberance. That is now replaced with nonchalance and bitterness. Jools at last asks the question: where is Dammers? The band asked him to join, he refused, let’s not talk about it. Then Jools revealed that JD phoned him and asked if the band would be on and asked if JH would not introduce the band as ’The Specials’. Love, apparently, is the answer to all these things. Then they joke about the recession. Sour tastes all round.

Moving on…Jools introduces a new talent: Karima Francis. WOW, what a voice. The song she performs jumps around all over the place, all pinned together with delicate classical guitar, but her voice remains a source of interest. This is quickly followed by Heads Will Roll by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, another new song that doesn’t quite get moving, doing nothing new or interesting musically. Maybe the band are not enjoying the forced live situation as much as one of their own shows. It all ends in embarrassment and even Karen doesn’t believe what she is doing.

Jools breaks things up with a quick chat with Alex from Franz Ferdinand about the band’s name - not very original but more interesting than the music. Then another treat from Carole King with (You Make Me Feel Like ) A Natural Woman. She does her best to get the audience, and other artists, involved… and it almost works. She has single-handedly transformed one of the worst Laters into a few moments of joy. Raissa Khan-Panni and The Mummers have helped and another outing of March Of The Dawn proves that it is a grower.

And then back to Franz Ferdinand with Turn It On. Much better than the two ‘singles’. Alex is possessed by the ghost of Elvis and it all has dark energy, like a forgotten Jesus And Mary Chain b-side. Another one to download for the iPod. With 5 minutes of the show remaining, the new series finally gets moving…

Then The Specials close things with the vile Little Bitch, a Dammers song. Not sure what the point of that choice was - but I hope for everyone’s sake that it was a cry for help and not to thrust the knife in some more.

So not a great show (or the start of the series). I failed to be engaged yet again by good bands with new songs. Carole King saves the day, The Mummers were interesting, as was Karima Francis. Shame that one of the best British bands of a generation The Specials decided to wash their dirty laundry in public and look so pissed off about. One lesson here: If you aren’t going to do something right, don’t do it at all. It will only end in tears.

-- CS

Comic Relief TOTPs - 'Live' Review!

22:00 on 13/03/2009. A 'Live' review of Comic Relief RND TOTPs. Ok here goes...

Hosts: Noel Fielding (Mighty Boosh), Fearne Cotton and Reggie!

First up is Rob Brydon and Ruth (Aka Nessa) with the 'single' (Barry) Islands In The Stream. Great nine minute video and the live performance is just as committed. Barry Gibb is there on backing vocals with some of the Gavin & Stacy crew. Shame there is no Corden and Horne. Ruth actually has a decent voice. A star turn from Sir Tom Jones, sporting a new grey haircut (and beard!). He's sounding a bit rough to start - not his usual glorious baritone, but soon gets into it. Brydon is typically over-the-top but enthusiastic.

Franz Ferdinard next with No You Girls. A pretty decent track, like a reworking of Take Me Out, but a bit too much of going through the motions. Comes alive when David Tennant turns up at the end on guitar. Yeah right?! Love the red boots though!

Brief but necessary interlude for a well intentioned documentary about why the BBC are doing this in the first place. One word: Malaria. FC, with French and Saunders, reminds us.

Noel Fielding introduces Oasis (apparently cats love them). From one Noel to another...

Falling Down is one of the best Oasis singles in a while. But where is Liam? Couldn't be arsed to turn up? He better have a good excuse. He isn't singing but he could at least do his Bez bit with a tambourine or something. Anyway Noel is a star. I wouldn't be surprised if he's running and fronting the band in a few years anyway. Damn good vocals.

66609 text for a £5 donation.

Back to Jonathan Ross and Claudia Winkleman (and Reggie!) to tell us that record companies are giving 20p off all current top 40 releases to donate to CR. Nice.

Now a montage of past 'musical' CR moments. Some real classics here including Peter Kay & Tony Christie.

It is then revealed that JR will do something physical next year. "You heard it here first", declares the lovely Ms. Cotton!

Now Take That...with Up All Night. A weird bar room style performance that gets everyone going. It's another decent performance of a 'new' Take That song. As red balloons fill the stage, it is clear that the band is having fun. Then it is all over...

Noel F. does an impression of Mark Owen then we launch into the band of the show: U2. And it's the single Get On Your Boots (predictably). Oh dear. Why the hell couldn't they do Even Better Than The Real Thing? Oh yeah they have a new album to plug that's why. What a let down. Even LM jr. looks completely bored as he 'drums' along. This is a fucking terrible song and everyone knows it. Could the band not put the current pointless PR aside for one minute and deliver us something decent for a worthy cause? Isn't this what Bono is always going on about ???? Arrrgghh.

Moving on...James Morrison with an acoustic version of Broken Strings. It's actually not bad. Up on the stage like Chris Martin he delivers a raw vulnerability. Much needed after Bono and the boys and their utter nonsense. This works amazingly well as a 'solo' effort.

Back to David Tennant and Fearne Cotton (she is gorgeous!) and we have a top 10 run down. It's pretty much all rubbish, except Lily Allen with The Fear and the Taylor Swift single (showing Kelly Clarkson how it is now done). Lady Gaga is in twice! The Saturdays (for CR are number 2) which leads us to...

Flo Rida. Who? My GOD!!!! What is this? Even compared to U2 this is utter shite. Winkleman, McCall and French provide some much needed 'Comic Relief' (can't believe I just said that!) by dancing along and getting into the spirit of things. But honestly this is COMPLETE BOLLOCKS. People actually bought this?

The BBC could have just pretended that something else (anything else!) was number one, than this rubbish. Why didn't they close with Islands In The Stream?????? No one would have cared.

So back to Cotton and Reggie for a muted finish. What a ride. CS out.

I know it's nothing to do with music but I don't care what Jonathan Ross did with that idiot Russell Brand, JR is worth the license fee alone. Him and Claudia Winkleman :)

And Fearne Cotton.

FIN.

-- CS

LATER...with Jools Holland (Series 33, Show 9)

So the end of the current series and last Later until the famous Hootananny! at New Year. One thing I always criticise the show for is not being diverse enough - more often than not it is safe and predictable with the guests. When I saw that Stereophonics were on this week I thought 'oh no, another fading 90's band trying to peddle new material', but they don't have a new album as such. The band's new Greatest Hits compilation just gets a passing mention which is exactly what the band give us - something sadly missing from other so called 'big' artists. As for the rest of the line-up, with the exception of Jools himself with singer Ruby Turner, I must admit I don't know any of them. And I was pleasantly surprised.

Tuesday

Stereophonics - Dakota
Solange - Decided Pt 1
Ray Davies (Chat with JH)
Dengue Fever - Tiger Phone Land
Carolina Chocolate Drops - Don't Get Trouble In Your Mind
Jools Holland & Louise Marshall - I Went By
Eli "Paperboy" Reed & The True Loves - Take My Love With You
Stereophonics - Local Boy In The Photograph

Friday

Stereophonics - The Bartender And The Thief
Eli "Paperboy" Reed & The True Loves - Take My Love With You
Dengue Fever - Tiger Phone Land
Ray Davies (Chat with JH)
Solange - I Decided (Decided Pt 1?)
Jools Holland & Louise Marshall - Waterloo Bridge
Stereophonics - You're My Star
Carolina Chocolate Drops - Real Old Mountain Dew
Sanjeev Bhaskar (Chat with JH)
Eli "Paperboy" Reed & The True Loves - It's Easier
Dengue Fever - Seeing Hands
Jools Holland & Ruby Turner - St. Louis Blues (with the Carolina Chocolate Drops)
Solange - Sandcastle Disco
Stereophonics - Dakota

Starting with the 'big' name band Stereophonics - the band were supreme. They opened the Tuesday live show and closed Friday with the mighty Dakota, easily the best song from the band's later years. Kelly and the boys were on top form throughout and also performed the slow melodic You're My Star and the more rough and ready The Bartender And The Thief. But the big song was the best in their catalogue: Local Boy In The Photograph - and it took me right back to when I first head it, and was then told what it was about. I guessed immediately that the band were on the show to promote a new Best Of collection but this can be excused because they gave us exactly what was needed - good renditions of familiar popular songs, not just new weaker stuff from a new album, something which has plagued this series. No interview with the band and just a passing mention of the Greatest Hits record.

Where on earth do I start with the rest? Eclectic, diverse and just plain odd on the surface. Things did not start well with Solange who does a bad Diana Ross impression. The empty soul of Decided (credited with two different names on each show, confusingly) had a self-centred stupid intro that the song failed to live up to and the clumsy girl pop of Sandcastle Disco was terrible. After a quick chat with Ray Davies about his musical Come Dancing (he didn't perform, sadly) and some good advice - stay true to your heart and only write while disparate, we were treated to a very interesting band: Dengue Fever (named after an actual tropical disease) is one of those multi-cultural bands from different parts of the world. Cute singer Chhom Nimol has a very amateurish voice but such charm. That said, Tiger Phone Land was awful, worse on Tuesday after a bad start, but the Khmer vocals of Seeing Hands were much better, and the song has a great vibe. Ray Davies described the band as a cross between Blondie and Led Zeppelin. Hmm...not quite Ray.

From here things get much better. The wonderful Carolina Chocolate Drops are real musicians making real music - a frantic swing stomp from the buzzing Don't Get Trouble In Your Mind to the great Real Old Mountain Dew, in spite of two many wordless vocals. The violin and banjo were exchanged for the latter performance showing such diversity. Also good was Eli "Paperboy" Reed - far too showy on Take My Love With You but great on the slow bluesy It's Easier. He has a great voice, when he uses it properly, and a style more akin with BB King.

Jools had to finish the series with a bit of piano but the two performances were predictable JH and 'his big band' stuff - and why not? It is what he does well and it wouldn't be the same without him. Louise Marshall was great, as was Ruby Turner and thankfully we didn't have to endue the new single. Instead Carolina Chocolate Drops helped out on St. Louis Blues with steel guitars and kazoo. Yes really!

The second interview, oddly, was with comedian and now musical performer Sanjeev Bhaskar. He is currently in the Monty Python influenced show Spamalot.

All in all it was a subdued end to the series and much more of a 'party' atmosphere. Obviously all of the performances were not to my taste but that is life. But this was almost the perfect show - a great band with their best songs, a bit of JH and his piano, and loads of people I have never heard before. Excellent entertainment. If only every show was like this.