Not Squares - Release The Bees

Our good friends Not Squares have just unveiled the video for their second single off their forthcoming album. Its called 'Release The Bees' and is once again directed by Andrew Wood from Bright Stem.

Not Squares - Release the Bees from Bright Stem on Vimeo.

Lovely stuff fellas.

http://www.brightstem.com/
http://www.myspace.com/notsquares

Jobs!

Who the fuck decides on what nonsense is put into a job description. The following is an actual job advert from a recruitment website. Can anyone tell me what the job actually is?

"This is your chance to be the voice of one of the largest banking, financial services organisations in the UK. Speaking to people from all walks of life every day on the telephone, you’ll take a genuine interest in each and every one of them. Listening to their needs, finding out about their hopes for the future, and answering their questions, you’ll build a real rapport with our customers. You’ll show them how much we value them. And, by proactively offering products and services that suit their situation, you’ll work towards achieving your target’s and help us create better value for them too.

Taking real ownership of every call, you’ll show pride in everything you do. Offering simple, straightforward advice, you’ll always do your best to resolve a call – but when you do need to transfer someone to a colleague, you’ll take care to make the process as smooth as possible. Striking a perfect balance between friendliness and efficiency, you’ll take good care of your own performance too and identify opportunities to develop new skills. As a team player, you’ll also look after your colleagues, by sharing advice and offering them positive support." 

What?

And this is how one company describes itself:

"Our client is a progressive membership organisation representing an industry sector that contributes significantly to the Northern Ireland economy and an increasingly important element of the future growth of that economy.

Their role is to support the integrity and sustainability of our members businesses and the long term commercial viability of the industry across Northern Ireland. Whilst providing an effective advocacy with Industry Suppliers, Government and other key stakeholders on issue of interest or concern.

In partnership with key industry suppliers they are establishing an Industry Development Programme to include an enhanced range of services and resources aimed at supporting improved performance, quality and diversification within its members’ businesses."

Somebody kill me now. I'm done with this world. 

Right... here's some Dan Sartain to make me feel better again. He was amazing last night.

Super Wild Horses

Another awesome Melbourne band! What is it about that place that creates such great music? Personally I think its the climate but that's another story for another time. Anyway, here's Super Wild Horses. I saw these gals a couple of times and they never failed to impress me. I'm pretty sure there's a name for this kind of music but I'm not really in touch with that sort of thing anymore. Is it shit gaze? I really don't know. But what I do know is that Super Wild Horses were splendid every time I saw them including when they played the Lithuanian House were the room was filled with what I assume were pictures of former Latvian Presidents or Prime Ministers. Very strange venue. That night I had a slightly awkward encounter with one of them. Oh, what could have been.

And yes, I have a crush on both these girls. One slightly more than the other.

Pets With Pets

On my first weekend in Australia I was taken ended up seeing Pets With Pets. On paper there really was no reason for me to like this band. I was kinda cringing when they were setting up as I was sure I was not gonna dig them at all especially as Walshe who brought me there told me they were balls (can't help but wonder why we stayed now that I think about it). We hung around anyway and within a few minutes I was wondering how Walshe could have been so wrong about this band. They were fantastic! My language isn't pretty enough to describe their sound so just watch the video and hear for yourself.



We got talking to Zayd and Johnno after the gig (Zayd is the one who looks like he's called Zayd and Johnno is the one who looks like he's called Johnno) and it turns out that they're lovely fellas to boot.

Oh, and they had a different drummer when Walshe first saw them which might explain why they were better when we saw them again.

Rat vs Possum

I wasn't sure what to expect when I was first brought to see Rat vs Possum (another Melbourne band btw). My good friend Deformative had told me about them and reckoned I might like them. How right he was!
He can probably describe them better than me...
"...a joyous, harmonious atmosphere amongst the audience that you kind of feel that instead of playing their whacked-out, tom-heavy psychedelic anthems, these four misfits are actually the good witches of Brunswick casting blissful spells on us all, intent on converting the world to their doctrine of love for heroic apes, glitter, and communal fruit." 
Hmm, that seems more hippy than his usual work but it still sums them up.
 
And yes, that is backwards singing they're at.

"Do you really think I don't have a heart?"

Uh... so it turns out smoking isn't cool.

Sorry 'bout that folks.

Who says smoking isn't cool?

And lets not forget about Sinatra and Deano

Ouch My Face

So here's another Melbourne band I discovered on my antipodean adventures. I wanted to see them as soon as I hard their name but never got the chance to check them out until a week before I left. I was not disappointed. I just wish I'd got to see them more than once.

Graveyard Train

During my time in Australia I discovered a band called Graveyard Train. I read a review of their album in one of the free local music papers and while I thought it was the most pretentious piece of music journalism i'd ever read I was intrigued by it. It was essentially a four paragraph horror story that had no mention of the band, their music, nothing. Just a story. Anyway, I went to see Graveyard Train at their album launch and was blown away by them. They play 'horror country' and as soon as they started playing I tried to work out how I could rip them off. Not just rip them off a bit but totally.

I had never saw a band who's lineup included two guitars, banjo, upright bass, slide guitar, washboard, crucifix, and hammer and chain. At one point they had twelve people on stage and they were all singing. It was pretty amazing.

Well, here's their video for 'The Balled of Beelzebub'. Enjoy.



And I really want to get a read of that review again.

The Cosby Challenge

You have to hand it to him, at one stage Cosby was the king of Sunday evening.

Charlie Brooker

"...immigration, a subject so taboo in modern Britain that even fearless defenders of free speech such as the Mail and the Express only dare mention it in hushed capitals tucked away on the front page of every edition."

I love you Charlie Brooker.

Cinco de Mayo

So today I learned that Cinco de Mayo isn't really celebrated in Mexico so instead of some Mexican awesomeness here's some Mexican influenced awesomeness.

Americans!

I love this band so much!

Americans, a Spaniard, and one Mexican!

Alas not even Los Lobos are Mexican. Only Cesar Rosas was born there, the rest are from LA or Philadelphia :(

A Canadian and an American soundtracked by Germans!

This whole match is worth checking out. Its El Generico vs Delirious and its awesome! The song is 'Te Quiero Puta' by Rammstein; is there anything these guys can't do?

May The Fourth Be With You

Unapologetic geekery.

Diffing the Skyline

My life could have been so much different if i'd never discovered rock 'n' roll.