One of the best things about seeing Emma over the weekend was a cheeky rip of the
Band of Skulls new album,
baby darling doll face honey before it comes out. Luckily, I haven't got a CD drive on this little netbook, so there's no chance of me leaking it on the internet. :)
As we sat, talking and smoking, Emma had her injured ankle up on a stool. She had injured it on the video shoot for
I Know What I Am in Toronto, on a trampoline. She's so rock and roll...etc etc...
But here is my dilemma; I wanted to write a review of the album for them to use and also include the duel purpose of writing something hilarious for Emma to read about her music to make her leg better. To do that, I was going to be honest and offer all sorts of cynical opinions about minute details that usually get over looked. Be a real areshole.
However, I just can't seem to do that. It's perfect. And more importantly it's a brilliant piece of art.
I'm one of these guys that immediately clamps down on anyone trying to be cool without any substance or passion or integrity. It's the fact that Matt, Russell and Em have substance and passion and integrity that makes them cool.
It's an honest album. The playing isn't perfect, the singing is genuine. Every note is hit (I won't use the term 'from the heart') but from the flesh of the band. Rippling sinew and muscle of a prize fighters from the 30's. With the calm, cold light depression/excitiment of seeing a sunrise on your own in a country you're not familiar with. (I like that feeling - it's a reason to live in my book).
One thing I will say that they can use for some press, it's the perfect album for home working, late night chill out 'all back to mine' sessions, radio bliss and festival headliners. They suit every situation you can put them in.
As I'm listening to the album for the third time since the weekend I'm reading about how the
Sun is relatively inactive at the moment. I'm perfectly aware of where I am on the planet and what I'm going to do under that peaceful sphere just as 'Fires' is playing. I'm not melancholic, I'm completely joyful about it. It's such a hard feeling to describe, it's close to euphoria. It's closer to frustration at want to do everything at once. I get it sometimes because the universe sometimes makes a little sense.
Usually the soundtrack doesn't matter that much when I get like it...but this time...it does.
Ooh, PATTERNS! :) [boner] - it's been my favourite song of theirs for years now. Live and recorded, it's a beast of a song that you want to devour you over and over again. {/boner]
Hope the leg gets better at the speed of light, Em. :)