Go-Betweens/Cenetaph

Go-Betweens by Mazes by Suffering Jukebox

Cenetaph by Mazes by Suffering Jukebox

Here's the two songs from the Mazes single - BUY

PENS

One of my favourite bands in the world play their last ever show tonight at The Macbeth in London... PENS. Over the last year or so I've been privileged enough to play shows with them, record with them and be friends. I'm convinced it's not the last time we'll hear about PENS and I'm even more convinced that everyone involved will go on to do something even better.

If you're new to the band, then head over to their MySpace and tell me 'Sold To Myself' isn't a stone cold classic. Total shame

Babe, Terror

My friend Paul sent me some songs last year from a Brazilian dude called Claudio, recording under the name Babe, Terror. It's been described as a "tropicalia animal collective" and although I see where they're coming from with that (he's from Brazil and he uses looped vocals) I imagine that particular writer was pretty stumped for reference points. As am I...

To me 'Weekend', Babe Terror's debut album sounds like it could be a sequel to the Vangelis Blade Runner soundtrack. A sequel where Deckard and Rachael flee to a post apocalyptic desert island... Morphine growing on the trees, the sea's laced with lysergic acid diethylamide and everything's pretty laid back.

You could download 'Weekend' off Claudio's Myspace a while back but I don't see it on there nowadays. Buy it though... seriously next level stuff.

Myspace

Hot Spa

This song's brightening up a particularly miserable afternoon in Manchester. As my mind wanders and I imagine myself in a secluded Australian cove, sun beating down, beer in hand...I've got to wonder why the hell my family decided to stay in this country and not flee like the rest of my relatives. But whatever, this rules and I'm looking forward to hearing more from Hot Spa...assuming they're not a bunch of prickteases like Ean Eraser.

Myspace

Summer Jamz

Our first releases are available for pre-order and should be shipped out by the end of the month...hopefully. First up is the third single by Mazes, closely followed by a tape album from Colleen Green. I've written about both on the blog, so I'm not going to bore you with how psyched I am.

Go here to listen to the Mazes songs. they're gonna be up on MySpace for a week - www.myspace.com/mazesmazesmazes

You can listen the Colleen at - http://www.myspace.com/c0lleen1

Both the releases can be ordered from - http://sufferingjukebox.bigcartel.com/

Brilliant Colors

We're thrilled to be putting on Brilliant Colors next week at The Deaf Institute's sister venue Trof NQ. I'm moving to London pretty soon and doing shows with Comfortable On A Tightrope at Trof NQ has been a highlight of my last two years in Manchester. It seems fitting that the bill's absolutely killer.... As I'm writing this on a sunny friday afternoon, I could be forgiven for being a bit lazy and saying "Brilliant Colors sound like Vivian Girls"...which of course would be completely lame of me and borderline misogynist.

La La Vasquez return to Trof for the third time... they sound exactly like Vivian Girls. Then there's Waiters who sound like a male Vivian Girls. First on are Sex Hands, who sound like Vivian Girls and Harry Pussy throwing stuff down the stairs. Come!

http://www.myspace.com/brilliantcolorssanfrancisco

http://www.myspace.com/lalavasquezband

http://www.myspace.com/kuwaiters

http://www.myspace.com/sexhands

Douchefest

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133476853329578&ref=ts

So apart from the slightly dubious name, this is looking pretty ace. If you can't make it down to Sex Is Disgusting's annual Dudefest in Brighton this weekend, then Manchester has come up with it's own alternative... Douchefest. I'm not sure when being a douche became cool, but what the hell do I know? This is the perfect tonic to the plethora of 'festivals' that have happened in Manchester over the last coupla weekends; festivals that have ranged from the 'good' to the 'lazy' to the 'shit your pants awful'. I think it's fair to say that bar a few absentees, every band worth seeing in Manchester is playing...

Dinner Party (Nick from Former Bullies other band), D/R/U/G/S (annoying to type), Mazes (total idiots), Waiters (Droney Malkmusy Jamz), The Yossarians (why has no-one used this name before?), No Womb (psyched for these), Brown Brogues (John Dwyer devotees and awesomely polite lads), Sex Hands (nice), Cargo Cult (weed addled) Hyacinth Girl (Neil from Mazes other band YO)

You get the picture...I've spent too much time in London and whilst I was wasn't looking, a whole new DIY scene happened. One question though...why aren't Milk Maid playing this?