shakeandbake

at your favourite artists, I'd keep your trap shut if I were you. Or remove the likes of Franz Fucking Ferdinand from your list pronto. Thanks. There's more intelligence and soul (not to mention talent and skill) in Serj's little toenail than the entire Franz Ferdinand back catalogue. Fact.

why would anyone who can't sing for toffee actually turn the vocals UP?? Corgan's more of a deluded fruitloop than I gave him credit for...

American at least. I bet he thought that post really, like, owned and stuff.

but I have also produced significantly fewer albums of half-ar$ed, badly sung, insipid, derivative sh1te in a single-minded bid to make as much money as possible in the last 10 years.

So that kind of evens it out in my mind...

giving the correct score? What is your point? You don't like the fact that Mike likes Isis? Or the fact that they are always breathtaking as a live band?

It's a little gushing, granted (I didn't think this show quite reached the dizzy heights of the Oceanic set last year), but ultimately, it was a hugely enjoyable evening (Boris were indeed great fun) and another consummate performance of equal parts beauty and brutality from Isis.

9 out of 10. Predictably so - that's why this band is so revered.

in there to explain why it got a 5, you've just got read between the lines. He's not reviewing the latest Dyson for "Which Vacuum Cleaner?" magazine you know.

I think it was important to get across the point in the review that Corgan is a money-grabbing, egotistical, pathetic excuse for a man and one who does not deserve anyone's money for his latest pathetic attempt to revive former glories.

how after all that time away, Ash and Smashing Pumpkins release new albums at virtually the same time.

I say "funny", because if ever there were two bands with laughably bad singers whose voices I had dearly hoped to never hear through my speakers again, it's those two.

Different bands of course, but neither of those two blokes should actually make money from singing any more than I should make money from knife throwing; they're no better at it and it's sometimes just as painful

He hasn't had a solo career because he can't fcuking sing for sh*t.

Which is, of course, usually some sort of prerequisite for a singer-songwriter...

I can't profess to have heard the whole album, just "Polaris", but from what I can tell, aforementioned song is as dreary and mind-numbingly plodding as anything I've ever heard them do.

They have written a few good songs over the years, but I'm afraid that every single one of them has been hunted down, tied up, tortured, hung, drawn and quartered with a rusty kitchen knife by the WORST SINGING VOICE IN THE HISTORY OF ROCK.

Wheeler, you can't fcuking sing! Hire someone who can, you cretin, and some of your songs might actually come back to life after you murdered them one by one!

Seconded. Motion passed.

sort of a bit different but not groundbreakingly so, supposedly a bit edgy but totally here and now and will look crap in a few years. All in all, a forgettable, clumsy and amateurish stab at individuality that people will look back at with more than a hint of embarrassment before too long.

Pretty appropriate for this band I'd say...

can you please tell me if this bunch actually offer anything over and above my planesmistakenforstars collection and this record is therefore worth bothering with. From what i've heard, I might be better off sticking with Up In Them Guts.... Feel free to enlighten me!

just read the interview (and I've now got the album) and it's much as I expected. The lyrics were the priority and the music was shaped to fit that, which brought about the increased melody at the expense of some of the experimentation. There's no hidden agenda relating to record company interfering (other than, as they are bound to do, delaying its release to get some singles out there and build some anticipation), this is what Simon wanted to do.

Listening to it also confirms that your review hit the nail on the head in almost every respect; in fact, I couldn't decide between a 6 and a 7 either.

i might actually buy some rope and end it all.

John Earls has proven himself time and time again to be a fan of limp-wristed style-over-substance basic indie bollocks. If it rocks, he's almost guaranteed to give it a shit review. His opinion is worth diddly squat

Having now finally heard the whole album, I think the DiS score of 7 was about perfect. Rock Sound were having a laugh when they gave it 10! It's different to but about as good as Infinity Land, but certainly not as good as The Vertigo of Bliss.

As I mentioned when commenting on the review, the lyrics were key to this record and a more melodic approach to support those lyrics was always going to happen. Unfortunately, the music is a bit hit and miss for me and that is a real shame.

you're right, it's a different case in that respect - I was just trying to focus on the producer/label thing... Unless the label sees some sort of real potential to market the band I don't think they're going to attempt to influence the band's style. I don't think Biffy are that marketable to the average major label, so I just don't see it as an issue...I'm pretty sure the direction of the record was entirely the choice of Simon and the twins and that they weren't leaned on in any way. That may be disappointing to the point of heartbreak for those who really don't like the change, but I for one am convinced that it was 100% their decision.

by these on a rock sound CD that ain't too bad if you want that kind of dirty adrenaline rush. I suspect they will turn out to be a very poor man's planesmistakenforstars, however...

but I still think you are making too big an issue about the whole major label/producer thing.

Long-term At the Drive-In fans were hugely sceptical about the then-forthcoming "Relationship Of Command" being belched out on a major label. They then nearly died when they found out Ross Robinson, responsible for some 'classics' from Korn, (gulp) Limp Bizkit and (double gulp) Vanilla Ice, was producing it.

Turned out as one of the best albums of the decade so far.

To contradict myself, however, I'm damned glad that Chris Sheldon is back at the helm for Oceansize's forthcoming best album of all time ever.

...I was listening to the Vertigo Of Bliss the other day and thinking that a few tracks of craziness works well, but a whole album of it is hard-going. I was struggling once I got past Eradicate The Doubt. I have a similar problem with Infinity Land actually - I get past Only One Thing Comes To Mind and I start to struggle.

It sounds like this album has perhaps gone too far the other way (I'm yet to hear anything but the singles), but I reckon they are still trying to find the perfect balance across an album - too much experimentation can detract from an album's soul, not enough can render it uninteresting. I guess given the lyrical content of Puzzle, the heart and soul had to be maintained and it's easier to do that with simpler structures and melodies.

The aforementioned Snow Patrol have churned out some ludicrously simple songs that anyone with two hands and access to a guitar could play, but songs like Open Your Eyes undeniably have soul. Musical and rhythmical complexity is not the be-all and end-all.

that this argument is about as well constructed as Thom Yorke's teeth or one of Kurt Cobain's flea-bitten cardigans. Dammit, why DID anyone buy records made by someone who wore cardies with holes in? Damn these people who use their ears to judge music, damn them all to hell!!!

Monsieur Cynical! I guess bands change because they'd get pretty bored and unfulfilled if they didn't. Whether it's for the better or worse is a subjective view, but I think making them out to be corporate whores is inaccurate and unfair. As for the fcuking NME, the sooner the entire population boycotts that filthy, evil, bandwagon-jumping, back-stabbing, bullsh*t-spouting rag, the better.

and Foo Fighters sound nothing like a cross between Nirvana and Sugar, do they? And Nirvana sounded nothing like a cross between Pixies and Mudhoney, did they? And Pixies sounded nothing like a cross between The Replacements and Husker Du, did they?

You could play the "sounds like" game all day. If you think there's anything entirely new out there you've just not heard what influenced it.

Snow Patrol being on one of the first Rock Sound CDs... may even have been the first! That's yonks ago. They did come from nowhere with "Run", but it was a song that deserved every minute of airplay it got. Could've been a one-hit wonder, but they've backed it up with more fine songs. Strange how one song can transform your fortunes... That isn't going to be the case with Biffy - it's been more about a massive PR effort to get them out there. In the early days though, Biffy were doing 200+ gigs a year. I can't think of any band who worked harder to sustain their musical careers than they did...

"compromised their musical integrity for a few more album sales"? What utter bollocks. That implies they're in it for the money, which is plainly complete nonsense. They WANTED to make this music; it is part of their evolution as a band. If you don't like it fair enough, but these sorts of accusations are grossly unfair.

Shouldn't we actually be glad that a band where two-thirds of the members have ginger beards is doing well and swimming against the tide, or near tsunami, of hopeless NME-sponsored jangly can't-play-their-instruments-for-toffee wannabes who spend 4 hours in front of the mirror every morning?

this page is utterly rife with indie snobbery! It never fails to amaze me how many "fans" desert any band that actually finds itself, gets more accomplished and puts out music that will reach more people than a few geeky indie student types who only like stuff that nobody else has discovered yet.

I still let out a hearty laugh (followed by a few tears) when some idiot says that Idlewild's "The Remote Part" is shit and they should go back to the kind of badly played throwaway thrash punk they were peddling when they hadn't a clue what they were doing except making a noise. There's a similar group of fools who think Snow Patrol are automatically now shit because they sell millions of records. Try listening to "Eyes Open" folks, it's choc full of excellent songs, no wonder it's popular with so many people.

And so we come to Biffy, always a talented band, but one that seemed to restrain its natural urge to create anthemic rock songs by adding as much weirdness as possible into the mix. This of course, delighted the snobbish indie geeks, who thought they'd never be accessible enough to get in the charts. That made them a safe haven for these people and is probably why the band's fanbase became so dedicated and fiercely defensive. Now Biffy spreads its wings and you can see those pathetic snobs, scurrying away like vermin to the next underground band they can call their own.

Well done to Cody for not pandering to this and telling it like it is - i.e. every now and then the nation displays good taste and embraces quality music. It doesn't follow that your favourite bands automatically become shit as soon as they become popular.

In fact, I'd bet my bottom dollar that if this record had bombed there'd be hundreds of Biffy fans outraged that the general public couldn't like such a brilliant, yet also accessible, song (while secretly breathing a collective sigh of relief that Biffy remained their little secret).

Final word: If anyone deserves success, to play bigger venues and spread their word, it's the honest, hardworking trio that is Biffy Clyro. If you are begrudging them that then you are not and never have been a real fan.

why should they second guess what their wide variety of fans like? better to just go with bands you are happy to endorse in interviews. It is, however, rather ridiculous to make such an obvious split across the two days. Clearly, Biffy and the Streets on Sat and Rodrigo and MCR on the Sun would've kept people happier rather than having a situation where 95% of people want to go on Sunday!

to avoid anything endorsed by Tim Lovejoy.... I have a similar need to avoid anything that is interminably shit.

This qualifies on both counts.

I'd like the phrase "return to form" never, ever, ever, ever, ever to be used again. We're talking about music not Michael Vaughan's batting.

an old Ride song (from the Today Forever EP), do they actually sound anything like the shoegazers of the late 80s/early 90s. Ride were awesome in that period, so I'd be quite interested to know if Sennen are akin to that sound in any way...

maybe they'll become roadies for their good mates Oceansize when they belatedly but deservedly take over the world...

and, as i've said elsewhere on this site, there's nothing new under the sun these days, so i would never vouch for a band's unequivocal originality.

i guess i was just a little disappointed that the review gave Steve's flamboyant antics as a frontman rather more credence and importance than they deserve. Cedric Bixler was the first that came to mind being loosely part of the same genre and from a band that is bound to have influenced TAAS in no small way... of course i realise he never had the monopoly on it, although it's hard to think of anyone who goes more nuts than he did with ATDi.

Everyone has a different view about what makes a live act special. Energy is one thing, but i sometimes think that it can get OTT and distract you from the music. With Pelican, you just feel that the band are as submersed as the audience - they deliberately hide in the darkness and let the music do the talking. It's all about personal preference, but I enjoy that more than singers jumping about like zebedee on speed...

they were very impressive even though I only caught the last bit of their set. Bit of Rick Froberg about the vocals which is never a bad thing.

are you saying that Monsieur Snere's maniacal dancing-cum-flailing "antics" are what sets TAAS apart and put Pelican in the shade? That you can't see beyond his madcap routine? Seeing as Pelican do not have a vocalist freed up to do such things, it's a pointless argument to put forward really. Besides, that fails to recognise the debt he owes to a certain Cedric Bixler...

To me TAAS are a very good live band, more so than many, as they improve on the records so much. But, and it's a big but, they are not that out of the ordinary, musically speaking. Pelican are. They are epic, they are a spectacle. They stand there with minimal front-lighting and brutalise your soul with some of the most powerful, momentous music you are ever likely to hear. They are an experience that you soak up in awe. They are even better live than Isis and that's saying something. I'm afraid TAAS, in my humble opinion, seemed like a bit of a cheap thrill in comparison.

Fall Out Boy have been knocking around for ages. Panic! are a bunch of myspace generation chancers who owe their success mostly to their overhyped stage show... and their songs are 99% ultra-whiney cack.

They are farcically similar, but there's absolutely no doubting who copied who.

"fan of the year". Truly hilarious.

is calling this talentless peddler of background music to washing powder commercials a "pop star". The fact that her childlike, attention-seeking, bitch-for-the-sake-of-bitching ramblings actually get published on a website that is supposed to have some self-respect fills me with woe.

the attitude of people towards idlewild. It baffles me. Why can't everyone see that The Remote Part is a masterpiece that is, by some distance, better than anything else they've ever done or will do?

Why do people want them to go back to ultra-loud, basic punk as their idea od a return to form? How misty-eyed is it possible to get about those early live shows without recognising that the world moves on?

In short, it's a 7 or an 8 for this. Not quite as good as the last album in truth and certainly more inconsistent. Starts well, ends well and sags in the middle. They have still amassed enough top class songs over the years to put on a great show though, so I can't wait for tomorrow night.

Saw them live supporting Cursive and Forward Russia and frankly, although they have a couple of half-decent songs, they looked like a local student band making up the numbers. An impression only confirmed when Cursive came on and (even on an off-night by their lofty standards) blew them to pieces in terms of nous, passion and ideas. Possibly better than the shameless Jam tribute band the Futureheads, but they really are nothing special as yet and really rather samey if their live set is anything to go by. Doesn't excite me one jot.

I've been visiting the site for years, I just never got round to registering until now. Biffy are far from my favourite band (that would be Oceansize at the moment), but I do lament the fact that NME-sponsored flavour of the week indie bands, who are often terrible musicians, seem to get so many glowing reviews, when they mostly disappear as quickly as they hit the scene. The Biffy Clyro fanbase and the fact they are onto a 4th album and still picking up fans is a testament to their substance and gravitas.

I just wish the hatchet-jobs would be saved for the limp-wristed, badly played tripe I have to put up with on the flaming NME chart show. Some of the stuff that rag champions is insipid, amateurish garbage. Before we know it Sleeper will have reformed and then we're really in trouble!

Can we all please stop this denial and just face the stark and unfortunate reality that everything it is conceivable to do with guitars, bass, drums and vocals HAS BEEN DONE TO DEATH. Nothing out there is particularly original, because every aspect of it has been done somewhere before. There are no new frontiers to discover. If anyone tells you something is new and original, just tell them that they obviously haven't what it was influenced by.

I like Biffy. This single is by no means great. It's a 7/10 for me, along the lines of The Ideal Height or 57. Catchy enough, the odd quirk thrown in and well-performed, but not world-beating. It is not a Foo Fighters pastiche - I mean, Dom appears to say Biffy are too heavily influenced by Nirvana and then refers to This Is A Call without a hint of irony! Foo Fighters are a fine band - but original they ain't, and the first record was clearly a more light-hearted Nirvana minus two of its members and with the edges planed off.

Music, like fine art, has virtually reached a creative impasse. There's never anything completely new any more. I advise people to deal with it and celebrate good music rather than basing your opinions on originality or individuality. That perception only exists to people who have yet to discover the other bands that influence or inform every band out there. If it sounds original to you, great, enjoy that, but makes sure you know that it isn't to avoid entering pointless slanging matches like the above.