Monday 28 February 2011

Concrete Playground: Lego Camera


Check out the 3-Mega pixel Lego camera. Fortunately the pieces don't come off so you won't find yourself scrambling on on all fours looking for the last pieces but you can customise it by adding your own! See feature and stockist here.

Saturday 26 February 2011

PROFILE

Apologies for my prolonged absence but there is 'method behind my madness'. I've started up a new new one-off publication called PROFILE. It's all about showcasing a collective of proactive minds making a living out of doing what they love. The interview publication will be launched at the end of May but until then keep checking the site for updates and news on all of the talented individuals involved.


The best thing to do is join us on:


Facebook at: www.facebook.com/profilepub
&
Twitter at: www.twitter.com/profilepub


Individuals involved include:


//Jerome Borazio - St Jeromes
Ben Plant - Miami Horror
// Kate Hannaford - Moth Design


Sarah Guppy - Revolver
// Georgie & Alex Cleary - Alpha60
Lauren Zoriac - Dog Day Oz PR


// Sahil Merchant - Magnation
Rhett Wade-Ferrell - Moopjaw
// Emma & Tom - Emma & Tom's Juices


Mark Dundon – Seven Seeds + BBB
// Greg Sharp - Rubberhouse
Dave - Ghost Patrol


// Maudie Brady – Lord of the Rings
Ben - Edwards Moore


X

Review: Toro Y Moi Live @ The Toff In Town



Toro Y Moi & his live band play at Melbourne's Toff In Town. A succession of his debut tracks is mixed up with disco-funk tunes from his 2011 sophomore release 'Underneath the Pines'. Click here for full article.

Tuesday 22 February 2011

Aussie Comeback Kids - British India



Melbourne-based band British India may have formed back in 2004 but they're still as relevant as ever. Take for example their newest sonic offering 'March Into the Ocean', the track was voted as Channel V's 'Ripe Clip of the Week'! Kudos to the quartet rockers whose third album Avalanches was released in April 2010.


Nice job guys!


Check out their Myspace for March tour dates. 

Friday 18 February 2011

RADIOHEAD - THE KING OF LIMBS




WOW. Pulse is racing. This is the stuff of Kings. Their delivery is impeccable. Lotus Flower is from Radiohead's new album The King of Limbs which is available for download for the next 24 hours from here.


Thom Yorke is the King of Limbs.

Thursday 17 February 2011

Interview: Gavin Herlihy



Gavin Herlihy supports an industry run by the listeners. Check for the full interview here.

Interview: Glamour of the Kill



Interview with York's metal-heads Glamour of Kill. Click here to hear them in their full glory.

Interview: James Yorkston



The wandering Scotsman tells a tale of comedic prose. Check out his book and read the whole interview here.

Tuesday 15 February 2011

Review: St Jeromes Laneway Festival



The most amazing lineup of the year. We're off to a good start. St Jeromes Laneway Festival has conquered. Check full review here.

Monday 14 February 2011

Interview: Jack Beats



Jack Beats talk school-yard mixtapes in an offline peer-to-peer network. Check out the whole interview here.

Interview: Matt Tolfrey



Leftroom's Mat Tolfrey tells you the secret to a successful DJ career. Check it out here.

World's End Press + Rat Vs Possum

Worlds End Press + Rat Vs Possum are both Melbourne based  bands who played this year's St Jeromes Laneway Festival. Check out their stuff if you haven't already!








Rat Vs Possum will be in Sydney this Feb for the PLayground Weekender!


World's End Press will be at Melbourne's Fed Square on 10 March and Golden Plains on 12 March!

New Yeasayer video 'I Remember'



Just in time for Valentine's Day!

Interview: People Get Real

Newcastle natives People Get Real talk Wax:On, new projects and J.DILLA.


Feature here.

Interview: LAMB



Manchester's trip-hop duo Lamb talk peculiar fanfare, secret vineyards and Jack Kerouac ahead of their 2011 Australia tour. Click here for the full interview.

Saturday 12 February 2011

Interview: The Heebie Jeebies



Sheffield's Heebie Jeebies are lofi guitar drenched in self-deprecation. Check out their live 'nude' shows and more in the interview here.

Friday 11 February 2011

Interview: Beardyman



Beardyman Interview o'er here.

Wednesday 9 February 2011

Interview: GUTI



Argentinian son GUTI may be based in Berlin but he hasn't forgot his homeland. His new LP 'Patio de Juegos' is all sun-soaked synths and high hats with added South American inflexions! 

Check out his passionate journey here.

Concrete Playground: Foodily Creates Food For Facebook



Check out eatings answer to social networking FOODILY. The easiest way to share your Granny's Risotto recipe. Feature here.

Tallest Man Alive


Love Is All by The Tallest Man On Earth from Secretly Jag on Vimeo.

Tallest Man Alive in Super 8.

Mmm sublime.

Tuesday 8 February 2011

Music - A Commodity People Feel They No Longer Need To Pay For?

Ariel Pink recently made a trip to Australia to perform at the summer festivals and his side-shows. Pedestrian was lucky enough to interview the man who ain't about the BS. After being congratulated for topping Pitchfork's Song of the Year chart Ariel seems perplexed; lost for words. How can that be when their record sales are at an all time low?

In less than 2 minutes he questions the logic. Click here to view the video.


It seems the same issue is being analysed over in the Northern hemisphere where Stephen Godfroy, the man credited for successfully launching London's Rough Trade East talks about his most hated form of music: the download. Check Wired UK for his proposals.


The issue of music as a disposable concept so readily available to all is not a new one. Yes, the ease of accessibility to the Internet means bands from anywhere in the world can promote themselves, via Myspace, Youtube or any other social networking platform, but is it in their best interest? Who is this really benefiting other than the listener. 


I spoke to Yeasayer's Chris Keating about exactly this and it seems he along with many other musicians of today have accepted the fate of an industry where (illegal) download is King.


'Touring is the bread and butter of the music industry'.


You can see the full interview with Yeasayer's Chris Keating over at Lifelounge.

Monday 7 February 2011

Concrete Playground: Cognitive Cities Conference in Berlin



In Berlin this month? Because the Cognitive Cities Conference is. It's all about industry leaders putting in their two bobs worth where sustainable living is concerned. It's about catering to the needs of the globe and its citizens. Check out the whole feature for details here.

Sunday 6 February 2011

EMI Taken Over By Citibank

Last week, British Record label EMI was sold to America's Citibank. Whether or not you agree with, former Creation boss, Alan McGee's hypothesis it's an interesting take that isn't, AT ALL, surprising. But it is very very sad.


The comments are also very interesting..


Hit up NME for the whole article.

The Strokes - Under Cover of Darkness Preview

The Strokes are finally coming back! After 5 years of waiting the world is finally getting what it deserves. After two years in the making the New York rockers have reached the end. 'Angles' is out late March.


And because patience is a virtue many of us, though we won't admit it, don't have here's a 30-second sneak peak of first single 'Under Cover of Darkness'. 


Check out Stereogum's exclusive sound-byte!

Interview: Everything Everything



Everything Everything's Jonathan Higgs reassures: 'People aren't selling out they're just trying to survive'. Check the interview out here.

Interview: Brother



Brother; the UK's Brit-pop revivalist talk 'lad rock swagger' and outlandish comments laced in apathy. Click here for full interview.

Interview: Sad Day for Puppets



Sweden's Sad Day for Puppets ponder the Swedish music community. Full interview here.

Thursday 3 February 2011

Beardyman's 'I Done A Album'

Beardyman 'I Done A Album' sampler minimix (mixed by JFB) by Beardyman


The UK's Beardyman is an acclaimed beatboxer all because of a life enlightening moment at the age of three when he first heard Police Academy's Michael Winslow use his mouth in ways never seen before.


Beardyman's got his debut album 'I Done A Album' coming out in March 2011, check out the teaser above, but until then he's touring the UK. Check his myspace for dates! 


I'll be interviewing him today. How long do you reckon he can stay under water for?


Concrete Playground: PETA Ad to Extreme for Superbowl


For the full feature about PETA's scandalous marketing ploy click here.

Midnight Juggernauts



I recently moved back to Melbourne, Australia, the Southern part of the world, where the three lovely men above are also from. I'm not gonna lie, I did just see this music video for the first time today but I was a stalker for an unhealthy amount of time so backing off was the most understandable move.


This is a great song from Midnight Juggernauts' 2010 album Crystal Axis and quite a departure from the darker undertones of their 2007 debut Dystopia.


Speaking of Australian bands Cut Copy have released their third album Zonoscope for free web stream here


Or for restless ears enjoy 30 second previews below!


Cut Copy - Zonoscope [Clips] by modularpeople

Wednesday 2 February 2011

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues




What do you think of the new Fleet Foxes track 'Helplessness Blues'? It's off their sophomore album of the same name and it's free for download. The album will be out in May 2010!

Joy Orbison does Piano House




Gotta love the smooth liquidy sounds of J.O. Joy Orbison does piano house!

Interview: Yeasayer

On Halloween of 2010 Yeasayer's Chris Keating and I sat in the back-room of one of Berlin's many musical establishments. There we spoke about the age of the download and why just because he's singing about you, it doesn't mean anything..anything at all.


Chris Keating is a dude and he'll be in Australia with the rest of the band in the coming days. Bring on Laneway Festival! 


Check out Lifelounge for the full interview!

What are you looking at?

My photo
I am more than prone to monologues; however, this is solely due to the manner in which they compliment a witty anecdote and their ability to resemble concrete evidence when it is so obviously lacking. I often wish I could emulate that aloof character who coolly stands in the corner smiling mysteriously as if she has a secret. However, I fear resisting the temptation to involve myself in other people’s conflicts and responding through body language rather than verbose banter may come across as contrived and arrogant. And, I am not willing to take that chance.

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