Radio Dingbat

Yes, the blog is on hiatus! Come back late August!

2006-07-20T12:45:00.000-07:00

Just thought I should put something up here to let people know what's going on. I'm in the middle of large trip catching up with friends around the world. The blog was really something I did in my spare time and over the last few months that I was in New York I didn't really have a lot of that. Now that I'm down in small town Texas I have time for the blog again but that probably wont last long. Rather than updating in sporadic bursts I think it's better just put this thing on hiatus for a while until I can give it some proper attention.

You may have notice that the focus of this blog has shifted more towards the video blog Video Dingbat. That's mainly because there are lot of other people who can write about tracks a lot better than I can (see the sidebar). I'll still post about tracks, artists, and albums that get me excited but I feel it's the video blog that keeps this thing unique. Unfortunately I wasn't able to grab that many interviews in New York (only three to be exact) since the venues aren't very friendly to filming over there and it turns out the artists actually have press obligations unlike little old Perth, Western Australia. I'm going to save the interviews that I've got until I get back and hopefully we can relaunch with a bit of a bang come late August.

Thanks a lot to all those who have shown their support for the blog and the video podcast. It's weird how I've got more e-mail about the blog and podcast since I stopped then when it was running but it was great to know that I do have people that appreiate what I do. I hope you'll rejoin us late August when I try and kick this thing back into gear.

Video Dingbat Preview: Keith Fullerton Whitman

2006-04-28T13:05:00.000-07:00

Well Video Dingbat isn't quite back on track yet. Access to the gig's sound has held up the full episode but here's a short excerpt of our interview with fascination experimental musician Keith Fullerton Whitman. Here he talks about his latest release, acclaimed live album 'Recorded in Lisbon' and how it came to be. The interview was recorded just before his Club Zho performance on Monday the 24th of April. Huge thanks to Club Zho and Tura New Music for putting the show on.

Video Dingbat Preview: Keith Fullerton Whitman

The video is formatted for iPod Video but should run perfectly fine on your computer provided you have the latest version of Quicktime, iTunes, VLC, or Democracy. You can subscribe to the video feed in iTunes, Democracy or your player of choice using this feed address: http://dingbat.libsyn.com/rss. Or you can check it out in the iTunes Music Store!

If you want to get a taste of the album head over the Kranky site and check out the 'Lisbon' page for some samples. If you like what you hear you can order the album from Kranky or check your favourite indie store. The full episode will be up as soon as we can get the audio from Keith's performance.

Video Dingbat may go a little hiatus over the next few weeks. I'm about to do some traveling and I'm not sure when I'll have time to get some episodes up. I am going to be in New York for while soon, so if there's anyone who'd be able to help me get some interviews, let me know.

From The Cutting Room Floor: Diplo, Pivot, Jens Lekman, New Rules For Boats

2006-04-21T15:11:00.000-07:00

This episode of Video Dingbat takes a look back at the diverse range of artists we've interviewed so far and gives us some snippets that didn't quite make the cut the first time around. Diplo discusses accusations of him stealing black music as well as talking about his time in Australia supporting M.I.A. on The Big Day Out tour. Pivot talk about their gig with ex-Can frontman Damo Suzuki. Jens Lekman gives us his thoughts on Australian music and talks more about his problems with the media. Meanwhile, New Rules For Boats bring the Q-stik work experience guy in for an interview.

From The Cutting Room Floor (Video Dingbat interview outtakes)

The video is formatted for iPod Video but should run perfectly fine on your computer provided you have the latest version of Quicktime, iTunes, VLC, or Democracy. You can subscribe to the video feed in iTunes, Democracy or your player of choice using this feed address: http://dingbat.libsyn.com/rss. Or you can check it out in the iTunes Music Store!

No Video Dingbat, Yes To Other Cool Video Stuff

2006-04-14T13:20:00.000-07:00

Video Dingbat is taking a break this (Good) Friday. Next week I should return with some of the off cuts from our previous interviews. After that we should get back into gear with some new episodes for you. If you haven't, subscribe to the video podcast feed to make sure you don't miss out on any (access it from the iTunes Music Store if you like). We won't be leaving you empty handed today, Boards Of Canada (we like them) have finally got around to making a music video! Best of all, it's worth the wait!

Boards of Canada - Dayvan Cowboy (ipod format video) (direct link from Warp)

Directed by Melissa Olson, this expertly edited film perfectly complaments the tone of the song. If you feel tiny video compressed for the web doesn't do it justice (which would be correct), then you might be interesting in picking up Boards of Canada's upcoming 'Trans Canada Highway' EP which comes with a DVD of the video. It also includes a few new tracks and the Odd Nosdam remix of 'Dayvan Cowboy'. It should hit stores on 06/06/06. I'm sure that date was decided on purely because the date is the same if you write it crazy American style or the logical international way.

If you need a bit more to excite your eyes and ears than I suggest you head over to The Brainwashed Eye. Jon Whitney's work there was a big inspiration for the video work I do here. If you need a bit more The Sound of Indie has an interesting selection of live footage and Cliptip and Videos.Antville should satisfy your music video lust.

Jack White's The Raconteurs change name to The Saboteurs

2006-04-10T18:40:00.000-07:00

Just when you think you've started to understand Jack White(and Brendan Benson)'s little side project The Raconteurs, they decided to do something fancy and change their name due to a name clash with an Australian jazz band! Yep, The Raconteurs have now officially changed their name to The Saboteurs! Well, in Australia at least... here's what Jack (and Brendan too!) had to say:

“The Raconteurs name was already taken by a jazz band, to make things easier, and in the spirit of espionage and subversion, we have decided to become The Saboteurs in Australia only."

You've got to admit that it's a hell of a lot better than The Raconteurs [insert year here]. You can read more at Remote Control where they're getting ready to release The Saboteurs debut album Broken Boy Soldiers on May 13 which I'm sure will provide them with great import sales from Jack White fanclub. In the meantime why not have a listen to this fine B-Side from The Raconteurs... err... The Saboteurs' debut single.

The ~~Raconteurs~~ Saboteurs - Store Bought Bones

You can buy the single from 78 Records who will probably be a good source to import the Australian versions of the band's releases.

Video Dingbat Episode 4: New Rules For Boats

2006-04-07T13:56:00.000-07:00

This episode features New Rules For Boats and their unique blend of rocking indie pop and laid back country twang. With their distinctive sound and energetic live performances they have earnt themselves a strong following in their hometown of Perth, Western Australia. Having just recieved some regular airplay from Triple J, Australia's national youth radio station, it looks like everyone else is finally going to catch on to what they've been missing. Sean and Golby sit down to tell us where the band came from and where they're going to be going while the live footage sees the band play some brand new songs amongst their classics. Go on, check them out!

The video is formatted for iPod Video but should run perfectly fine on your computer provided you have the latest version of Quicktime, iTunes, VLC, or Democracy. You can subscribe to the video feed in iTunes, Democracy or your player of choice using this feed address: http://dingbat.libsyn.com/rss. Or you can check it out in the iTunes Music Store!

Here are a few tracks of their debut EP "All At Sea":

New Rules For Boats - Not Impressed (direct link from Triple J)
New Rules For Boats - Freeway Home
New Rules For Boats - Bad Day (music video) (direct link)

"All At Sea" is out now on Q-Stik Records and can be purchased online from 78 Records or iTunes.

Video Dingbat Episode 3: Jens Lekman

2006-03-31T14:45:00.000-08:00

Hey kids! It's time for another episode of Video Dingbat! This epsiode features an interview and live footage of Jens Lekman from his intimate solo show at Perth's Rosemount Hotel on the 8th of March. Jens discusses his quitting and return to the music industry, problems with the media, his love of Australia, as well as his upcoming work. Please be aware that Jens was quite sick during both the interview and his live performance. Go on, check it out!

The video is formatted for iPod Video but should run perfectly fine on your computer provided you have the latest version of Quicktime, iTunes, VLC, Democracy. You can subscribe to the video feed in iTunes, Democracy or your player of choice using this feed address: http://dingbat.libsyn.com/rss. Or you can check it out in the iTunes Music Store!

Here's some more ear candy for you:

Jens Lekman - Your Arms Around Me (direct link from Triple J)
Jens Lekman - A Sweet Summer's Night On Hammer Hill (direct link from Service)
Jens Lekman - You Are The Light (Video) (direct link from Secretly Canadian)

'Your Arms Around Me' is taken from a Triple J live recording from last year. The song isn't available on any CD (at the moment at least) but I believe Jens performs it on his upcoming DVD-EP. The other two tracks are taken from "Oh You're So Silent Jens" and "When I Said I Wanted To Be Your Dog" respectively. You can pick up both those albums from 78 Records. Jens also has some of his out of print Tour EPs available for download at his site. You can also find some more great tunes At the Department of Forgotten Songs.

Tropicalia

2006-03-28T19:45:00.000-08:00

Tropicalia is a really interesting musical movement from late 60's Brazil that mixes Brazilian Bossa Nova and Samba with the international rock 'n roll of the time. For a while I had only heard of the Tropicalia movement but never actually heard any songs that had come out of it. People such as Beck, Kurt Cobain, David Byrne, and the Optimo guys have all been outspoken fans of it. After checking out Optimo's Tropicalia Mix I started understand what they were on about and decided to pick up Soul Jazz Records' Tropicalia compilation when I saw it the local stores earlier this year. This stuff has been putting a well needed smile on my face over the last week or so and I feel it's about time to post some of it.

Gilberto Gil - Bat Macumba
A Minha Menina - Os Mutantes
Caetano Veloso - Alfomega
Tom Ze - Jimmy, Renda-se

You can find all of those on "Tropicalia - A Brazilian Revolution In Sound" out on Soul Jazz Records (by it direct from Soul Jazz) so pick it up if you like what you hear. Like all Soul Jazz releases it features extensive liner notes which are worth the price of the album alone. 'A Minha Menina' may sound a familiar because it was covered by The Bees and used in one of those Mars Bar adverts featuring aliens on Mars eating Earth Bars. I don't actually have that track but as a bonus here's Beck's tribute to the movement.

Beck - Tropicalia

You can find that on his "Mutations" album. You should be able to pick that up from the online store at Beck.com.

The Music Of Stina

2006-03-24T14:45:00.000-08:00

For various reasons we're unable to get a new episode up for this week. So instead I've pulled out of the vaults an old documentary of mine on brilliant Australian indie-tronica artist Stina. I hope you enjoy it, and if all goes well we should have a new episode for you next week. However I'm unsure as to how long I'll actually be able to keep this up on a weekly basis but I'll keep it up as long as I can. Subscribe to the feed to make sure you get the latest episode as soon as it comes out. You can also access the podcast through the iTunes Music Store. But for now, enjoy "The Music Of Stina"

From The Video Dingbat Vault: The Music Of Stina

And here's a few tracks for you:

Stina - Flomoe
Qua & Stina - Green Robin
Dave Miller - People Just Like Us (Stina Remix)

The first track is off her debut album "Pocket Songs". The Qua collaboration is from Meupe's "Tea For Two" album and the Dave Miller remix can be found on his "Regional Raccolta Remakes" remix album. You can grab each of those releases from the Meupe Shop. Here's the original Dave Miller track for you as well.

Dave Miller - People Just Like Us

That's from his "Mitchells Raccolta" album on Background Records. You can pick it up from 78's or Boomkat.

Video Dingbat Episode 2: Pivot

2006-03-17T13:45:00.000-08:00

Episode 2 of Video Dingbat features the exciting Sydney band Pivot. There sound is very hard to define but I'd think of it as melodic post rock with a splash of IDM. The best way of course is to listen to it yourself. Pivot members Laurence Pike, Richard Pike, and Adrian Klumpes sit down to discuss topics such as the band's history and sound, managing their various side projects (such as acclaimed experimental trio Triosk), and last years J Award Nomination (that Wolfmother won). We also have some live footage from their March 3rd performance at The Rosemount Hotel in Perth, Western Australia. Special thanks to RTR FM who recorded who recorded the audio for that gig (check out their live stream or tune into FM 92.1 if you're in Perth). What are you waiting for? Click that nice picture there and get to it.

The video is formatted for iPod Video but should run perfectly fine on your computer provided you have the latest version of Quicktime, iTunes, VLC, Democracy. You can subscribe to the video feed in the player of your choice using this feed address: http://dingbat.libsyn.com/rss

Pivot's debut album 'Make Me Love You' is out now on Sensory Projects in Australia and is yet to be released overseas.

Pivot - Make Me Love You (direct download from the band's site)
Pivot & The Break-Ups - But Now I Hate You

The first song there is title track off their debut album and you can order it from 78 Records. The second track is a collaboration with The Break-Ups and can be found on Meupe's 'Tea For Two' record (by it directly from Meupe). Dave Miller who is one half of The Break-Ups has now become a full time member of Pivot. You can also check out Pivot's myspace for songs and info. If you missed last weeks episode be sure to check it out or subscribe to the feed to make sure you don't miss out (click the link to your right if you're using iTunes).

Pod Invasion!

2006-03-16T00:12:00.000-08:00

It's good to see everyone enjoying the debut episode (featuring Diplo) of Radio Dingbat's video podcast, Video Dingbat. The second episode should be up tomorrow. To make sure you don't miss out on an episode, be sure to subscribe to the feed (click the subscribe link on the side menu if you're using iTunes).

If you need something to hold you over until tomorrow, why don't you check out some of these audio podcasts:

Mad Decent (feed): If you enjoyed the Diplo interview from Video Dingbat Episode 1 then check out this podcast from Diplo's new label Mad Decent

Modcast (feed): You know all those Australian buzz bands at the moment such us The Avalanches, Cut Copy, The Presets, and Wolfmother? Well they're all put out by Modular Records and this is their monthly(?) podcast.

New Music From Indonesia (feed): I think the title is pretty self explanatory. As a former resident of Indonesia I found this look into the countries burgeoning independent music scene to be quite interesting.

Enjoy those and look out for a new episode of Video Dingbat tomorrow!

Video Dingbat Episode 1: Diplo

2006-03-10T13:30:00.000-08:00

Here it is! The first installment of Radio Dingbat's video podcast, Video Dingbat. I intend to do this as a regualar weekly thing but real live may get in the way so no promises on that. For the time being, go enjoy the first episode featuring the brilliant, DJ, producer, and remixer Diplo! Here, he discusses his approach to DJing and music and gives us some information about his new label Mad Decent. Go on, click that nice picture there!

The video is formatted for iPod Video but should run perfectly fine on your computer provided you have the latest version of Quicktime, iTunes, VLC, Democracy. You can subscribe to the video feed in iTunes, Democracy or your player of choice using this feed address: http://dingbat.libsyn.com/rss

Here are some tunes for you:

Diplo - Big Lost
Diplo - Diplo Rhythm
Piano Overlord - Diplo Electric Manatee Final Mixdown
Beck - Wish Coin (Go It Alone - Diplo Remix)
Bonde Do Role - Funk da Esfiha

Those first two tracks are off Diplo's underappreciated debut album Florida. It's a brilliant laid back instrumental hip hop album in the vein of DJ Shadow's Endtroducing..... It unfortunately hasn't gotten appreciation it deserves due to it being so different from Diplo's fan base was expecting. If you like the sound of it, grab it from the NinjaShop. The Piano Overlord track is taken from the Piano Overlord Singles Collection out on Money Studies and you can find the Beck remix on Guerolito. Bonde Do Role is the first artist to be signed to Mad Decent and you can get their first EP from Turntable Lab. Be sure to check out the the mp3 section of FormDiplo.com to grab some of his bootleg remixes and get his Favela Strikes Back mix. Also keep an eye on Money Studies as well for some more Hollertronix 12"s.

Busy Behind The Scenes

2006-03-07T03:19:00.000-08:00

I realise there hasn't appeared to be much activity on this blog for the past week. However I've probably spent more time working on this blog than I ever have before. You just haven't been able to see the fruits of my labour on this website, but you will soon (I promise!). There have been a lot of great gigs lately and luckily I've been able to capture a couple of them on tape. Starting Friday I will launch a weekly video podcast featuring an interviews and live footage of great musical acts. The first episode will be the Diplo interview that I've been sitting on for a while and I've got some great other acts lined up to follow. So in short, I apologise for this site being a bit dead at the moment, but come Friday it will all be worth it.

New Music From The Rapture! ...sort of

2006-02-28T15:15:00.000-08:00

If you haven't checked out out Banana Nutrament lately do so now (and do so reguarly it's one of my favourite blogs). They've got a great little taster of new music from The Rapture for you. It's not a proper new song but rather the snippets of new songs found in this video mixed into quite a catchy track. The Rapture are currently recording their next album as we speak and after hearing this I am very excited. You too? Need something to hold you over until then. Here you go!

Annie - Me Plus One (The Rapture Hush Hush Remix)
WhoMadeWho - Space For Rent (The Rapture Hush Hush Remix)
Manhead - Hey Now (The Rapture Hush Hush Remix)
Tiefschwarz feat. Mattie Safer - Warning Siren

I have no idea where the Annie remix is available hower the WhoMadeWho is available on their 'Space For Rent' single (grab it at Juno) and the Manhead remix is on the 'Hey Now' single (grab it at Juno too). You can find 'Warning Siren' on Tiefshwarz's 'Eat Books' album that you can get of Juno, iTunes, or where ever good music is sold.

Presents from Jens Lekman

2006-02-23T09:12:00.000-08:00

The kind soul that is Jens Lekman has put three of his out of print Tour EPs up on his website in mp3 form. It really is some lovely, fun, and quite charming music so do check it out. After all it is rude to refuse a present! Jens is touring Europe at the moment before coming down under next month so look out for tour dates if you're in those areas.

TV On The Blog

2006-02-22T16:45:00.000-08:00

It was brought to my attention that I screwed up in my earlier post about Diplo. Instead of posting the Hollertronix mash up of TV On The Radio and Afrika Bambaataa I uploaded The Subways cover of Staring at the Sun again. So here's the mash up! I swear! If not leave a comment and I'll fix it up.

TV On The Radio vs Africa Bambaataa - Staring At The Sun (Hollertronix Mash Up)

TV On the Radio have one of the most exciting sounds around at the moment. A mix of indie-tronica, post-rock, and a bit of gospel and soul. Have a listen to some more.

TV On The Radio - Modern Romance (Yeah Yeah Yeahs Cover)
TV On The Radio - Satellite

I figured I'd post that Yeah Yeah Yeahs cover seeing as everyone seems to be getting excited aobut their new album. You can find it on their New Health Rock single. Satellite comes from their Young Liars EP. I also recommend their debut full length Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes. You can find all of those at InSound.com. You can find a few more tracks to listen to at the Touch & Go website.

Stray Beck

2006-02-21T20:30:00.000-08:00

I have no problems proclaiming that I love the Beck. Mainly because I do and I think he's one of this generation's greatest musical artists. If you've got a thing for our favourite scientologist as well or just like some good tunes, then I suggest you head over to Mr. Ian's This Dance Is No White Man's Business and grab Beck's Japanese only and now out of print B-Sides collection Stray Blues. There are a few people selling it on Amazon if you want to try and get your hands on a copy yourself.

Dear Damo

2006-02-20T23:55:00.000-08:00

I'm still in amazement of Saturday's gig featuring Damo Suzuki and The Tigers at The Rosemount Hotel. The small crowd made for a really nice intimate show, however it was disappointing that it didn't get a better turn out. Damo's vocals just had this amazing mystical quality like he was channeling them from another dimension and watching them strain them out of his body was quite show. Not only that but The Tigers (who were Damo's band for the evening) played the best gig I'd ever seen them play. Sure Damo's vocals gave the band a helping hand but they really stepped up to the plate and played some brilliant music to go with it. What was so great was how well everything did gel together, both the band amongst themselves and with Damo. If you want to hear stuff from The Tigers check out either their website or their myspace for some songs.

I don't really have much Damo related music apart from a few Can tracks I've gotten from other blogs (big shout out to 20 Jazz Funk Greats and yes I really do need to pick up those reissues) and if you want to see an interview with him go check out the excellent documentary Modulations. So what am I going to post? Scroll down.

!!! - Dear Can

I love !!!! They're just one of those great fun bands and this is their little tribute to Can. Enjoy it! It's my second favourite song (after the monster single 'Me And Giuliani Down By The Schoolyard (A True Story)') their 'Louden Up Now' album that you can grab from WarpMart or Bleep. They were also a great transitional band for Warp (my favourite label) to go from their dance/electronic roots to a more live/indie sound that they're expanding their roster with.

Video Dingbat Preview: Diplo

2006-02-17T15:50:00.000-08:00

I'm currently working on setting up a video podcast to accompany this blog. It should launch properly sometime in March but in the meantime here's a preview of the interview I did with Diplo last night and let me know if you have any problems with the file.

Diplo Interview Preview (.m4v iPod Video format, should play in Quicktime and iTunes)

Diplo played one of the greatest sets I've ever had the chance to dance to. He played for close to two hours an covered a whole lot of musical territory. It put 2 Many DJs' Big Day Out set (which I loved) to shame. Here are a few of the highlights.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Gold Lion (Diplo Remix)
TV on the Radio vs Africa Bambaataa - Staring At The Sun (Hollertronix Mash Up)
Diplo - Gold Digger Remix (direct link from FormDiplo)

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs' track is off the forthcoming Gold Lion single which you can preorder from InSound. The second two are off Hollertronix #2 & #3 that you can grab through Money Studies at Turntable Lab. You can also get Diplo's Fabric Live 24 mix from the Fabric Online Store. He plays in Melbourne tonight and Sydney tomorrow so check him out if you can.

Datarock - I Used To Dance With My Daddy

I thought I'd throw this up as well since Datarock deserve credit for their great performance last night as well. These guys really know how to rock a crowd and have quite good sense of humour too. Be sure to check them out live if you have a chance.

Cash Covers

2006-02-16T12:50:00.000-08:00

I saw Walk The Line the other day, quite a good film and a nice introduction to the man in black. While I knew a few of Cash's songs like 'Jackson', 'Walk The Line', and 'Ring of Fire' what Cash is probably best know for to my generation is his covers. The way he's able to take any song and turn it into his own really is quite incredible. Especially with his deeply emotive voice. Here are some of my favourites

Johnny Cash - Rowboat (Beck)
Johnny Cash - Rusty Cage (Soundgarden)
Johnny Cash - Hurt (Nine Inch Nails)
Johnny Cash - Personal Jesus (Depeche Mode)

The first two are off Cash's album 'Unchained' while the last two are off his final album 'The Man Comes Around'. You can find the amazing video for Hurt on The Directors Label's The Work of Mark Romanek DVD . Why don't we finish this off with a cover of a Cash song.

Brakes - Jackson

This is off Brakes' latest (and only) able 'Give Blood'. Breaks is kind of a Brighton Indie superband featuring members of British Sea Power, The Electric Soft Parade, and The Tenderfoot. This song also features guest vocals by Leila Moss from The Duke Spirit. You can by Give Blood from Rough Trade Shops who named it album of the year last year (I gave it number 15).

Seeing Datarock & Diplo tonight! Should be awesome!

Free Blood!!!

2006-02-12T20:34:00.000-08:00

I know I'm kind of jumping aboard blogging band wagon her but Free Blood and rocking my world and shaking my ass at the moment. A three piece featuring John Pugh and Dan Gorman of !!! as well as a lovely lass by the name of Madeline. With an eclectic mix of funk, soul, and a bit of experimentation, I'd best describe their music as Beck meets the current New York punk funk/noise scenes which if you know my musical tastes sounds pretty damn good. Jamie Lidell is probably a decent reference point as well. They've only two songs up on their MySpace but hopefully their forth coming EP will continue the goodness.

Find more interview at Molars, grab and mp3 at 20 Jazz Funk Greats and read an interview at Banana Nutrament. Has anyone got an ETA on the EP or any other tracks?

Mixes from Big Day Out Favourites (M.I.A. & Diplo/James Murphy)

2006-02-11T21:58:00.000-08:00

Well the Big Day Out last Sunday was excellent day out full of great music. My personal highlight was the wonderful M.I.A. accompanied by DJ of the moment Diplo. Although there were a few technical glitches that threw things off a bit they got back into their stride quickly and put on a remarkable show. It was a short set, but very very sweet.

M.I.A. & Diplo - Piracy Funds Terrorism

This is the mix tape that Diplo put together to help get her music out before her first US tour. It's a great mix showcasing M.I.A. over lots of excellent baile funk and classic club tracks. You can grab M.I.A.'s debut album 'Arular' from the XL Store and you can grab Diplo's most recent album 'Florida' from the Ninjashop. Diplo himself is heading back to Australia soon, rocking Perth on the 16th (Diplo's website says the 19th but my tickets say otherwise) with Datarock at the Beck's Verandah and hitting up Melbourne and Sydney on the 17th and 18th respectively.

Another highlight of Big Day Out was a great DJ set by DFA honcho and LCD Soundsystem main man James Murphy. You can grab his Brisbane BDO set over at Occam's Razor and you can also pick up a couple of other mixes by him over here.

BDO '06: Iggy Pop and The Stooges

2006-02-04T17:14:00.000-08:00

Well tomorrow is the last stop on the Big Day Out tour (and the one I will be attending) so it's about time I posted something from Iggy Pop and The Stooges. These guys are true rock royalty and it is going to be great seeing not just Iggy himself but the Asheton brothers as well. From garage rock to punk to heavy metal these guys have influenced many musical movements and too many bands to mention. I feel very sorry for The Mars Volta having to play against these guys, heck I'd feel sorry for anyone who had to.

The Stooges - I Wanna Be Your Dog
Iggy Pop & The Stooges - Search and Destroy
Iggy Pop - Skull Ring

'I Wanna Be Your Dog' is from The Stooges first self-titled album, 'Search and Destroy' is from 1973's 'Raw Power', and 'Skull Ring' see's the Asheton brothers (besides Iggy the only surviving members of the original Stooges) rejoin Iggy on his 2003 album same name. Of course you can also get all these tracks on the newly release Iggy Pop anthology 'A Million in Prizes' which does quite a good job of showcasing his career so far.

2 Many DJs - No Fun/Push It

While Iggy may be the king of this years Big Day Out it's 2 Many DJs who are finishing off the show so I thought I'd chuck this little section of 'As Heard on Radio Soulwax Pt. 2' up. This great mash up of The Stooges 'No Fun' with Salt n Pepa's 'Push It' is just a whole lot of fun so enjoy it! 'As Heard on Radio Soulwax Pt. 2' is put out by the wonderful PIAS Recordings and you buy it over here!

BDO '06: The Subways

2006-01-31T20:14:00.000-08:00

Well season 3 of The O.C. kicks off tonight so I've decided to post some stuff from The Subways who have the lead single of The O.C. Mix 5. These UK rockers have been getting a lot of buzz lately and I intend to give the Big Day Out to see if they live up to it. Why don't check these songs out and see how they fair.

The Subways - Rock & Roll Queen
The Subways - Oh Yeah

You can grab Rock & Roll Queen on The O.C. Mix 5 or you can get both tracks from their debut album Young Eternity. I think they're quite decent but they don't really stand out that much compared to all the other bands doing similiar stuff. What really caught my attention was this little track

The Subways - Staring At The Sun

Yep, that's a cover of TV On The Radio's classic Staring At The Sun. It doesn't compare to the original but it's a very nice accoustic mellow rock take on the song. It would make my day if they played it live. Unfortunately I have no idea where this is from. If you're in Perth you might want to head on down to The Subways' gig at The Amplifier on the Saturday before the Big Day Out. Of course, you also might want to check out the Bourgeois Bogan/Modular party instead/as well.

BDO '06: Wolfmother

2006-01-29T21:19:00.000-08:00

Wolfmother didn't get as high in the Hottest 100 as I predicted (my predictions weren't that great this year) by they had a whopping six songs make the countdown, two of them in the top 10. On top of that they also took out Triple J's inaugral J Award. Channeling classic 70's rock vibes, Wolfmother are with out a doubt the biggest rock band in Australia at the moment. Lately, I don't think I've been able to step out side without seeing someone with a Wolfmother shirt (they are quite stylish). Over played and over rated tripe, or the savior's of rock 'n' roll? Listen and decide for yourself. I just thought this blog needed some guitars and there's some damn fine riffage here!

Wolfmother - White Unicorn
Wolfmother - Mind's Eye

Their debut self-titled album should be getting an international (if you're in Australia and haven't heard of these guys you must be living under a rock) release soonish. In the mean time you can grab it from the Modular store. How much do Modular rock?

BDO '06: Cut Copy (+ Presets & Hottest 100)

2006-01-25T17:00:00.000-08:00

Australia's Cut Copy have really exploded into the international scene last year, even managing to support Franz Ferdinand during their last tour. Unfortunately at the Big Day Out this year they're playing against Franz and Soulwax to create the clash of the year for kids who love a mix of dancey grooves with some rocking guitar. If you haven't heard these great laid back electro rockers you should definitely give them a try.

Cut Copy - Going Nowhere
Cut Copy - Bright Neon Payphone

Both those tracks can be found on their excellent 'Bright Like Neon Love' album available on the excellent Australian lable Modular. You can grab the album direct from the Mod Shop.

The Presets - Girl And The Sea (Cut Copy Remix)

The Presets are another great act on Modular who will be giving the Boiler Room a wake up call early on in the day. I've already posted about them in my top twenty so I thought I'd just chuck this Cut Copy remix up for now. You can grab their excellent album 'Beams' from the Mod Shop also.

Tomorrow is Australia Day and that means a lot of things but the most exciting for me is Triple J's Hottest 100. The largest music vote in the world. Here are the songs I voted for:

Girl - Beck
Positive Tension - Bloc Party
Grass - Animal Collective
Multiply - Jamie Lidell
Daft Punk Is Playing At My House - LCD Soundsystem
Pull Up The People - M.I.A
You're Out - New Rules For Boats
Lost In The Woods - Snowman
Rental Car - Beck
Tribulations - LCD Soundsystem

I tried to find a balance between songs I liked and songs I thought would actually have a chance of getting in (I really didn't think Gang Gang Dance and Black Dice had much of a chance). Of course I doubt any of these will end up ranking that high. My predictions for the Top 5:

Gold Digger - Kanye West
Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz
Mind's Eye - Wolfmother
Do You Want To - Franz Ferdinand
Wish You Well - Bernard Fanning

I guess we'll see tomorrow how I go. Stay tuned in after the countdown for DJ sets by 2 Many DJs and James Murphy. Hope you all have a good one!

BDO '06: Franz Ferdinand

2006-01-22T18:00:00.000-08:00

Sorry about the lack of updates, I've been a bit busy of late. Anyway, the Big Day Out has kicked off already with Gold Coast show going off as we speak. Franz Ferdinand are probably account for a significant portion of Big Day Out ticket sales. Of course due to their popularity it would be a safe bet that you've all heard them before. So due to that (and the fact that I'll probably be in Boiler Room for most if not all of their set) I'm posting some remixes!

Franz Ferdinand - Do You Want To (Max Tundra Remix)
Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out (Hot Chip Remix)

Pitchfork recently gave the Max Tundra remix 5 stars and for good reason, its just an insanely fun track. I used to think Do You Want To was a ska song in denial but it turns out works great as a piece of synth-pop. The Hot Chip Remix is apparently one of their earliest ones but that doesn't make it any worse a listen. They take Franz Ferdinand out to play in there indie-tronica ghetto with great success. Unfortunately as far as I know, these aren't available on any physical releases. However you can check out some of Max Tundra's stuff at Bleep.com or buy yourself some Hot Chip from InSound.com. If the remixes don't do it for you though give this rerecording a listen.

Franz Ferdinand - This Fffire

This Franz's classic This Fire rerecorded by man of the moment Paul Epworth (Futureheads, Bloc Party, Maximo Park, The Streets, etc.). This version has a much more crips and cleaner sound and just has a whole lot more energy. You can purchase this as a digital download from the Franz Ferdinand webstore.

BDO '06: Vitalic

2006-01-14T22:00:00.000-08:00

So Mylo has pulled out of the Big Day Out due to an ear infection. So what? Do we care? Not when we've got Vitalic to dance to! Vitalic's 'OK Cowboy' is probably one of the most critically acclaimed dance releases of last year and with good reason, it's insanely danceable yet consistently varied. Heck, it starts out with a polka and ends with a marching band but in between you'll find banging beats, electronic swirls, talking computers, synthesizers you can air guitar to and a whole lot of fun. It's no wonder everyone from Aphex Twin to James Murphy has been giving this guy a spin.

Vitalic - My Friend Dario (Extended Version)
Vitalic - U And I

The extended version of 'My Friend Dario' is actually from the 'My Friend Dario' single (buy it from bleep or Boomkat) but the standard version can be found on 'OK Cowboy' a long with 'U And I' (which you can also buy from bleep or Boomkat). As an added bonus check out Vitalic's Bjork Remix from her 'Who Is It' promo (sorry I can't find it for sale anywhere).

Bjork - Who Is It

I think it's pretty clear to see that Vitalic is sure to be a Boiler Room highlight.

BDO '06: Soulwax

2006-01-09T20:46:00.000-08:00

I didn't mind Soulwax's 'Any Minute Now' album but I didn't enjoy it as much their remixes or 2 Many DJs work. Thankfully, the Dewaele brothers took that expertise and applied it to their own work to bring us 'Nite Versions' (out on [PIAS] Recordings). Here they take their dancey rock/pop and turn into some of the most banging club tracks you're likely to hear. Based on the fact that they're playing in the Boiler Room at the Big Day Out this year its safe bet that they'll be playing a 'Nite Versions' set. Check it out!

Soulwax - Miserable Girl (Nite Version)
Soulwax - E-Talking (Nite Version)

I didn't mind the original E-Talking except for the vocals that had this very "we're talking about drugs! How cool are we kids! Whooo!" feel to it. On the Nite Version they make the fantastic choice to ditch everything but the chorus and get the DFA's wonderful Nancy Whang (who is apparently romantically attached to one of Dewaele brothers) to redo the vocals in a brilliant understated talky style. You can pick up 'Nite Versions' from Bleep or from Juno.

There's also a killer DFA Remix of NY Excuse (called Another Excuse) on the album that's not to be missed. I've posted enough DFA stuff of late so instead I'll post the Kawazaki Dub that infuses the track with bits of Lipps Inc.'s classic 'Funkytown' and giving the track a very 2 Many DJs feel. You can find that on certain versions of the NY Excuse Single available from Juno.

Soulwax - NY Lipps (NY Excuse Kawazaki Dub)

If you like that, you might want to check out Soulwax's Shibuya Daft Mix of LCD Soundsystem's 'Daft Punk Is Playing At My House' over at Village Voice. It's a great track that takes Soulwax's remix and sprinkles in samplings of Daft Punk hits. Highly recommended.

James Murphy is Playing Near My House

2006-01-06T20:00:00.000-08:00

As you've probably seen from my best of lists I'm a big fan of LCD Soundsystem and DFA records. When it was rumored that they would be playing at this year's Big Day Out festival I was ecstatic. Unfortunately James couldn't bring the band and all we get is a DJ set. I'm not complaining too much though, a DJ set is better than nothing and based on his labels output, the man has great taste in music and knows how to get people dancing. It just sucks that in Perth he clashes with The Go! Team. Then again the straight run of M.I.A, DJ James Murphy, then Soulwax is going to be great! If anyone else is feeling a bit left out by being in a part of the world that LCD Soundsystem haven't toured, then check out these live tracks... and feel even more annoyed that they haven't graced your local area.

LCD Soundsystem - Daft Punk Is Playing At My House (live)
LCD Soundsystem - Jump Into The Fire (Radio One Session)
LCD Soundsystem - Slowdive (XFM Session)

'Jump Into The Fire' is a Harry Nilsson cover (from his 1971 album 'Nilsson Schmilsson') and is available on the 'Daft Punk Is Playing At My House' 7" (available from Boomkat) and 'Slowdive' is a Siouxsie & The Banshees cover (from their 1989 album 'A Kiss In the Dreamhouse')and it comes from the 'Disco Infiltrator' 7" (also available at Boomkat). Enjoy these and if you're at the Perth Big Day Out feel free to join me in dancing my ass off to Murphy's record collection.

*I've been having trouble accessing YouSendIt.com lately (hence the lack of posts) so I put these up with Rapidshare.de. Let me know in the comments if you have in trouble with it.

Happy Bleeping New Year!

2006-01-01T22:30:00.000-08:00

Radio Dingbat's favourite mp3 merchants Bleep.com have put up a nice little free sampler of music we can look forward to in 2006. It's called Bleeps-Oh-Six and you can check it out right here:

If you're not already registered with Bleep you'll have to do so before you can download it. If you're not already registered with Bleep you really should do because they're simply the best mp3 store around! Great songs, great bit rates, and no DRM!

Radio Dingbat's 2005 Favourites (1-10)

2005-12-31T12:40:00.000-08:00

Here it is! The might Top 10 releases that did it for me this year.

1. LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem (DFA/EMI)

He produces great music, puts out great music on his label, and believe it or not, makes great music! He is James Murphy and this is his band. This year James finally drops his long awaited full length to world and we love him for it. Drawing on the sounds of his favourite bands as he puts his original twist on things to create something that has wowed both the indie and dance crowds. Sure the album may not live up to his early singles but they're all included on the second disc. It's those that cement this as modern classic and earn it my number one spot.

LCD Soundsystem - Losing My Edge
LCD Soundsystem - Tribulations
LCD Soundsystem - Never As Tired As When I'm Waking Up

2. Beck - Gameboy Variations/Guerolito/Guero (Interscope)

I won't deny it, I love the Beck. With Guero he may not have pushed his sound forward but instead went back and expand on his roots. That didn't really bother me at all since I greatly admire his earlier work and getting more music in the same vein was something I enjoyed emensely. It's not as good as Odelay but I don't think he'll ever top that album and most artists will never get close to releasing one like it. Would I liked Beck to have explored some new territory. Hell Yes! And that's what I got with wide away of remixes on Guerolito and Gameboy Variations. It's the best of both worlds and I couldn't be happier!

Beck - Bad Cartidge (E-Pro Remix)
Beck - Ghettochip Malfunction (Hell Yes Remix)
Beck - Broken Drum (Boards of Canada Remix)
Beck - Rental Car

3. Black Dice - Broken Ear Record (DFA/EMI)

Black Dice lose their drummer yet release their most rhythmic album yet. Playing around with a wide a way of interesting noises these guys create the most amazing soundscapes I've heard and this album is no exception. It's also quite interesting to see synths and handclaps work their way into the Black Dice sound. Hanging around the DFA crew, it had to happen eventually. It was also recorded in Australia (Byron Bay) after blowing audiences away in the What Is Music? festival.

Black Dice - Snarly Yow
Black Dice - Motorcycle

4. Gang Gang Dance - God's Money (The Social Registry)

This is just a great album to get lost in. Sprawling melodic post-rock with exotic rhythms and other worldly vocals. Plus they back it up with a great live show.

Gang Gang Dance - Egowar
Gang Gang Dance - Nomad For Love (Cannibal)

5. Out Hud - Let Us Never Speak of It Again (!K7)

I loved Out Hud's first album Street Dad and was initially dissapointed that I didn't get more of that. With time, though I began to appreciate what it is probably the most original dance sound I've heard. A smooth foundation of groovey beats, a layer of dubby baselines, and some great cute indie vocals. Just ignore the cover though... yuck.

Out Hud - It's For You
Out Hud - One Life To Leave

6. M.I.A. - Arular (XL Recordings)

Worldly dancehall meets grime rhythms and harsh yet catchy vocals make this one of the most original sounds of the year. With M.I.A.'s distinctive vocals and some of the most interesting production around from Diplo, Richard X and many others it's no wonder it is so critically aclaimed. Plus, its just great fun and so danceable.

M.I.A. - Bucky Done Gun
M.I.A. - Fire Fire

7. The Juan Maclean - Less Than Human (DFA/EMI)

The soundtrack to a lonely robot on a far off deserted planet as he throws the dance party of his life.

The Juan Maclean - Shining Skinned Friend
The Juan Maclean - Love Is In The Air

8. Jamie Lidell - Multiply (Warp)

Mr. Lidell lays off the electronics a bit gives us an album that showcases his extraordinary vocal talents. Updating classic funk, soul and r&b sounds with modern production techniques into warm and energetic combination of old and new. This is the album Jamiroquai wishes he could make.

Jamie Lidell - Multiply
Jamie Lidell - The City

9. Piano Overlord - The Singles Collection 03-05 (Money Studies)

While AFX got a lot of attention for his 'lord project that saw him limiting himself to analogue equipment, this release where Scott 'Prefuse 73' Herren limits himself to just piano and percussion seemed to slip through the cracks. Well, either that or everyone just blindly listened to Pitchfork. This is a great release with beautiful piano and a mix of Prefuse style MPC beats and more traditional drumming. After twelve track so of piano though you do start to want a little more in the mix and you get it with some great remixes from Diplo, The Adventure Time (Daedelus & Frosty), Count Bass D, and Blu Jemz.

Piano Overlord - Spring's Arrival
Piano Overlord - The Overlord Meets The Adventure Time In Sleepy Keys

10. Drowsy - Growing Green (Fat Cat)

I've been waiting for this album since I first heard Bright Dawn on Fat Cat's Branches and Routes compilation (2002) and it was well worth the wait. Beautiful and delicate folk songs from this brilliant Finnish singer/songwriter. It really hasn't gotten the attention it deserves being overshadowed by Fat Cat's bigger releases such as Vashti Bunyan and Animal Collective.

Drowsy - Careless Me
Drowsy - Bright Dawn

Well there you go. Hope you found something new and interesting or at least enjoyed reading it. 2005 really has been one of the best years of music, I can't wait to see what 2006 has to offer.

Radio Dingbat's 2005 Favourites (11-20)

2005-12-30T19:40:00.000-08:00

A music blog with out Best of the Year list? Of course not! So over today and tomorrow (I put the 'end of year' in end of year list) I will be posting the 20 releases that I enjoyed the most starting today with 11-20.

11. AFX - Hangable Auto Bulb (Warp)

The two Hangable Auto Bulb vinyl EPs that were released around 10 years ago have finally made it onto CD with this excellent compilation. Here we see Richard D. James' first experiments hyper kinetic drum programming that would become the basis of his seminal Richard D. James Album. The best thing about this release is that it hasn't aged a bit. If I had actually heard this ten years ago, my head probably would have just exploded.

AFX - Laughable Butane Bob
AFX - Every Day

12. British Sea Power - Open Season (Rough Trade)

Mother Earth's favourite new wave revivalists give us a fantastic follow up to their critically acclaimed debut. Although lacking the stand out tracks of The Decline, Open Season is a much more consistent album with a tighter focus.

British Sea Power - Like A Honeycomb
British Sea Power - Oh Larsen B

13. Boards of Canada - The Campfire Headphase (Warp)

It can be almost impossible for a band with such a distinctive sound to move on and not alienate their audience but the brotherly duo of Boards of Canada manage to do jus that. Adding more conventional guitar and percussion sounds they drift their mellow IDM sound towards the realm of post-rock/shoe gaze and do it well. I was disappointed that this album fails to have the oomph that their remixes for Beck and cLOUDEAD did but this is still a great album.

Boards of Canada - Peacock Tail
Boards of Canada - Dayvan Cowboy

14. Animal Collective - Feels (Fat Cat)

Animal Collective used to be a band I just didn't get. I liked all the other acts in their 'scene', I love both Folk and Noise, and I'm a big fan of Fat Cat Records. Honestly it used to frustrate me that this band just didn't do it for me like they seemed to do it for everyone else. That all ended when they fleshed out their sound with their full line up and dropped this brilliant freak-folk-noise-avant-garde-indie epic.

Animal Collective - Banshee Beat
Animal Collective - Turn Into Something

15. Brakes - Give Blood (Rough Trade)

If you thought British Sea Power lost a bit of their edge and variety in Open Season then go check out this Brighton indie super-band featuring members of British Sea Power, Tenderfoot, and The Soft Parade. A delightfully eclectic mix of low-fi indie, punk, post-punk, and country.

Brakes - NY Pie
Brakes - All Nite Disco Party

16. Konono Nº1 - Congotronics (Crammed)

This piece of world music has been all the rage recently and with good reason. By amplifying traditional African instruments and combining it with garbage tip percussion they have crafted a unique sound that combines tribal rhythms with noise rock.

Konono Nº1 - Lufuala Ndonga
Konono Nº1 - Kule Kule

17. Various Artists - Tea for Two (Meupe)

This brilliant compilation of collaborations put out on Radio Dingbat favourites Meupe, sets up Perth's finest avant-garde artists with great talent from Australia and the world for one brilliant little tea party.

Qua & Stina - Green Robin
Dave Miller & Pablo Dali - Summer To Winter

18. Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth (Nothing/Interscope)

Trent Reznor gets of the drugs, returns to popular music, and proves that he's still as relevant as he ever was.

Nine Inch Nails - Sunspots
Nine Inch Nails - Beside You In Time

19. Delia Gonzalez & Gavin Russom - Days of Mars (DFA/EMI)

This psychedelic synch dreamscape cements the DFA as being as great an avant-garde label as they are a dance one. With the Boards of Canada synth sound becoming so overdone that even Boards themselves are moving on from it, expect this to be the synth sound everyone wants to copy.

Delia Gonzalez & Gavin Russom - Relevee

20. The Presets - Beams (Modular)

Following their acclaimed EPs, good old Aussies drop a rocking dancefloor manifesto with Beams. With great production, lots of energy, meaty synths, and a whole lot of catchy tunes expect this to be big once it gets an international release in the new year.

The Presets - Are You The One?
The Presets - Girl (You Chew My Mind Up)

Well that's 11-20! The Top 10 should hopefully be up tomorrow. Let us know what you think in the comments!

The End of Aesoteric

2005-12-29T16:01:00.000-08:00

Aesoteric is a weekly electronic/experimental night here in Perth that has been running for over three years. However, tonight marks its departure from the world with what looks to be a great final show. So today I've decided to post an Aesoteric treasure, a live recording of one the greatest shows at Aesoteric. Stina was responsible for introducing me to the local electronica scene and this is her final Aesoteric show as recorded by Dave Miller for a documentary I did on Stina and her music.

Stina - Live From the Velvet Lounge 21/10/04

Stina now resides in Adelaide and she is dearly missed by our local scene. What made her so important was her ability to expand out of one 'scene' her music's toyish charm and playful melodies appealed to the the indie kids, the electronica crowd went crazy for her blips and bleeps and the new music/avant garde people connected with her elements of musique concréte.

In this set she goes through pretty much all of her debut album Pocket Songs along with a few new track and a cover of Shiina Ringo's Ichijiku No Hana. If you like what you hear you can grab Pocket Songs along with a heap of other great releases from Perth label Meupe.

Holiday Robot Funk

2005-12-27T23:19:00.000-08:00

I'll continue on the holiday song trend with this little epic from Beck.

Beck - The Little Drum Machine Boy

Okay, I hear what your saying. It is too late to be posting Christmas songs. However, just give this a little listen and you'll find that its not simply an updating of Little Drummer Boy but the the most pimpin' Hanukkah song around. It cames from a charity alt-rock Christmas album from 1996 called Just Say Noel that also featured holiday songs from Sonic Youth, XTC, and Elastica. With slick laid back bass groove, some great goofy Beck rhymes, robotic Hebrew prayers, hand claps, and some funky percussion make this the ultimate soundtrack to your game of droidel.

Merry Christmas From Radio Dingbat (and The Beach Boys)

2005-12-24T13:40:00.000-08:00

My mother is the long time Beach Boys fan and around this time each year The Beach Boys Christmas Album is found in the family stereo. It has been such a regular listen in our house through the years that to me, The Beach Boys' Christmas songs are about as well known as your traditional Christmas Classics (the album also features The Beach Boys singing seven of the classics which is probably another reason why they used to blend together for me). The thing I really like about these Christmas songs is that they have a bit more of a summer feel to them and that just seems to fit in more with the Christmas' I've had in Indonesia and Australia. Anyway, here's a taster, enoy!

The Beach Boys - Little Saint Nick

The Beach Boys - The Man With All The Toys

The Beach Boys - Merry Christmas Baby

If that's not your style, the other thing I've grown up with more than The Beach Boys is video games! Check out The 8bit People's retro-tastic The 8bits of Christmas. If some eclectic holiday mash-ups are more your style check out the Santastic compilation that dj BC has compiled. Hope you all have a merry one!

Welcome to Radio Dingbat

2005-12-23T16:30:00.000-08:00

After spending way to much time listening to way to much music over the last year I've decided to do something it and create my own music blog. To kick things off I think I'll start with my favourite song of all time.

Beck - Cold Brains

There's no song that amazes me with its beauty more than this one. At its core we have a nice simple folky tune but the majestic swirls of noise brought about by Nigel Godrich's production really make this song something really special. Beck opened with it when I saw him live and I was actually kind of let down to hear it stripped down to just one acoustic guitar and a harmonica. That's not to say Beck was a let down, the rest of the show was absolutely amazing. Anyway, here's a live version of 'Cold Brains' for you as well.

Beck - Cold Brains (live at Coachella)

Let me know what you think of it. All the mp3s are put up on YouSendIts (ie. not direct links) and are up for 7 days or 50 downloads (whatever happens first). I can't see this getting popular enough for that to be a problem but let me know if anyone is having trouble with the downloads.

If I have time tomorrow I'll put up some Christmas tunes. In the meantime be sure to check out the sites I've linked to the right over there.