Oh Yes They Did!

I could have a whole separate blog on songs that rip off other songs. However, it might get a little bitter. Not that I’m denying being a bitter, pretentious youth. Nevertheless, I present to you part II of my 1000-part expose on rip off music.

Hungary Kids of Hungary... Or Phoenix

Last time I shone a light on Friendly Fires’ inadvertent tribute to 90s pop cheese Olive. This time around it’s local band Hungry Kids of Hungary who get sprung. Despite their alliteration-filled name, they hail from sunny Brisbane. The song in question is entitled Scattered Diamonds and I would like to stack it up against French band Phoenix’s track Consolation Prizes. Now I’m not saying that the hungry children ripped off this Frenchy song. I’m just saying that the two are, well, the same song. Well, they have pretty much the exact same rhythm and guitar parts. Regardless, they are both good, ridiculously catchy songs and I’m happy to chalk it down to freak coincidence. It still bugs me though. Wah wah wah…

Hungry Kids Of Hungary – Scattered Diamonds:

Phoenix – Consolation Prizes:

…I can’t decide which video wins in the cutesy-indie stakes either.

Coldplay, yes, Coldplay.

Wow I’m going to cop some shit for this. But, I do have a soft spot for British sap-rockers Coldplay. They’re completely unoffensive and they never did anything to harm me. While I don’t necessarily listen to their music anymore (I used to… a lot), the new video for the upcoming single Strawberry Swing is the most beautiful thing I’ve seen in quite some time. It’s one of those videos where you are constantly thinking “holy balls that would’ve taken a long, long time to pull off.” And let’s be honest, the song isn’t half bad really… right? whatever.

Here’s a preview from youtube.

The full video can be seen here.

Post Hibernation

Oh hi!

So it’s been almost three months since I’ve even touched this thing. And boy, has that made absolutely no difference to anything whatsoever. Still, I do have a backlog of things and stuff to write about, and after finishing up my work at a now ‘saved’ radio station, I am free to spend time on this blog and use it for uni work procrastination.

What have you been doing for three months, oh faceless author, you might ask? well i have:
- witnessed the amazing community of Sydney save FBi Radio.
- learned just how large bruises and blisters can be.
- brought Queens Park Rangers to the top of the Coca Cola Championship (virtually of course).
- fixed my windscreen wiper with masking tape and patted myself on the back for doing so.
- eaten pie.

I could go on, but suffice to say, I ate a lot of pie. Here’s some stuff about the past three months of music and other things:

- I’m definitely not a hip hop person. Anyone who knows me will vouch for that (“you fucking hate hip hop, or anything that’s not indie. wah wah wah”). BUT: I had this guitar riff stuck in my head last week and I couldn’t figure out where it was from. Turns out it was from Jay-Z’s new single D.O.A. (Death Of Autotune). I’ve never really paid any attention to Hova, but it seems his current extra hair growth has given him the ability to speak to my arrogant tastes.

ASS

BADASS

Produced by Kanye “Giant Douche” West and No I.D., D.O.A. samples “In the Space” by French film composers Janko Nilovic and Dave Sucky (yes, Sucky). I’m not sure if that’s where the riff is from, but nevertheless, it’s kind of awesome.

Check it:

- Speaking of hip hop, which admittedly, I can’t do very well, Mos Def has released a new album, The Ecstatic. I’ve always had a soft spot for Mos Def. He manages to be intelligent, eloquent and not over-the-top-gangsta while still being badass. Also, he isn’t totally awful at acting either (see Be Kind Rewind). Still, I’m not going to pretend that I know anything about his music. The new album is playlisted on FBi and I have overheard a couple of the tracks. Songs like Pretty Dancer and Quiet Dog Bite Hard are damn catchy.

Casa Bey

- We’ve past the half way mark of 2009, and if there was an award for best album of the half-year, there would be a clear winner in my mind. The Horrors’ second LP Primary Colours is bloody brilliant. The fact that I didn’t really like their first effort Strange House makes me like this album even more. While their first album wasn’t necessarily bad, I think it lacked some melodies an hooks. It had a bit too much noise for it’s own good. Primary Colours has kept their original sound and added the missing elements; hooks, riffs, melodies, etc. I’ve almost overkilled it on my iPod, and I’m sure I’ll get sick of it eventually, but for now, I can’t get enough.

This video is the perfect icing on the cake of this song. Who Can Say

- As for my favourite song(s) of the half-year: Grizzly Bear Grizzly Bear Grizzly Bear. Another band that I didn’t quite get during their first release hype. I found their previous album so boring and granted didn’t give it much time to grow on me. But nevermind, their new release Veckatimest has sprouted a couple of insanely infectious tracks. Now I haven’t had the chance to really listen to the entire album, but Two Weeks and While You Wait For The Others are two of my favourites of recent times. I’m a sucker for harmonies and have the utmost repeck for bands who can pull them off live.

Watch and learn:

- That’s about all I have for now, but hang tight, I’ll be updating sooner than three months from now. Probably. I guess.