underneath the radar: week ten

Much love and acknowledgement go out to all those who caught the show this week. I also extend apologetic thanks to DJ Spiro who I continue to obliterate on-air. I am so sorry. I somehow turn into missyel:djsuperbitch on air. Regardless my stomach muscles still ache from the laughing.

faux-indie-band pretend to be new order for crystal
This week's show featured tracks from New Order's forthcoming album, Waiting for the Sirens' Call. The album is officially released in Australia on March 27 through Warner - or you can always preorder the album on Amazon. You can watch the video for their new single, Krafty here. The album doesn't grab me yet, I must admit. It doesn't have the musical immediacy of 2001's Get Ready or the addictively sublime elements of Sumner's effort on Electronic's Twisted Tenderness. But I figure it's only a matter of time until it's on heavy radar rotation.

Minor rants included:

The New Morrissey Express

. RIGHT. Picture this. The last of the British music publications, NME decide to publish an article about you, patching together weak evidence that you are indeed a fascist. Evidence includes waving a British flag at a festival and writing a song called the National Front Disco. You know, cause it's the type of thing that would stand up in court...

OK. As a sexy quiffed up rockstar, you swear off the magazine. You vow to never do an interview with the NME again - consequently influencing fans to never purchase the magazine. As the fine beast that you are, you manage to have some sort of an influence over the masses. In the past, you have managed to swear fans off eating meat (via Meat is Murder) and listening to insensitive radio DJs (think Panic).

Twelve years later, you need press for your new album. You decide, for some reason unbeknownst to everyone concerned, you decide to go to the last of the British music publications, the NME. Likewise, you decide to speak to Steve Wright again. WHY? Where's the love? Integrity? Conviction? You'll be promoting British Beef next, mark my words Moz.

For love of B-Sides - where artists have the opportunity to slack off and produce B grade music without consequence. A band's B-side ethic has a lot to do with how musicians produce music when they know their ever loyal circle of fans will accept almost anything.

Pressure & conformity in the music industry - specifically looked at Queen's efforts to refrain from popular trends. You'd imagine that a career spanning from 1973 to 1991, the group had pressure to conform to passing trends such as punk, funk, hip hop, new wave and disco. They did OK for five years, but the pressure really buckled with 1982's much dissed release, Hot Space

. You'd hardly think that their effort to be fashionable was almost unwholly unfashionable. By that time, funk was five years out of date. Good for us that FUNK IS BACK YEAH. VIVA HOTSPACE!

Playlist for Feb 21st
The Libertines - Boys in the Band
Morrissey - National Front Disco
Art Brut - Bad Weekend
House of Love - She Shine On
The Church - The Unguarded Moment
House of Love - Loneliness is a Gun
New Order - Krafty
New Order - Dream Attack <3 br="">New Order - Dracula's Castle
Frou Frou - Holding out for a Hero
Postal Service - Such Great Heights
Moving Units - Anyone
Bloc Party - Tulips
Oasis - Underneath the Sky
Cure - Halo
New Order - I Told You So
Interpol - Obstacle 1
The Smiths - Rubber Ring
Queen - It's Late
Rufus Wainwright - Cigarettes & Chocolate Milk
Pet Shop Boys - How Can You Expect to be Taken Seriously?

PS: More apologies for musical crankiness. I still love you, Barney, Moz & Freddie. BRIAN, however, I'm still thinking about it. Going on a Queen tour without a campy frontman. Pfft.