Wednesday, February 26, 2003 ??? 8:41 PM - Waddo

When I listen to The Polyphonic Spree I think The Beatles, i think Sigur Ros, and i think Yes, but thats just me. Think what you will about this 24 member group from Texas. But you have to admit they play a nice tune. Jarvis cocker directed their video for 'hanging around' and watching it is the kind of experience you have listening to their album (The Beginning Stages Of...): Peaceful, tranquil, gospel, free love maybe. I dunno but I like it. So...

"Just follow the day follow the day and reach for the SUN!"

The Polyphonic Spree - Hanging around the day 192kbps, 3.7
The Polyphonic Spree - reach for the sun 192kbps, 4.7mb

Thursday, February 20, 2003 ??? 9:57 PM - secret pint

You know all those bands around right now in their ties and their matching clothing and their leather jackets (and their, er, muscle shirts) and shit? Well have you noticed that none of them, like, FUCKING ROCK?! Sometimes it's nice to listen to music that's less like drinking tea in a park with fluffy bunny rabbits grinning and birds singing, and more like getting rammed up the arse by a rhinoceros.

Enter Part Chimp. Featuring ex-members of Ligament (I'm sure that gets you wet), Part Chimp already have a pedigree in rocking out. Their debut album Chart Pimp, aside from revealing a fondness for spoonerisms, was produced by Mogwai noisenik John Cummings, and was released on that band's Rock Action label late last year. Can you see why I like them yet? "B1" is like Trail of Dead's "Totally Natural" if it was shot into your temple bullet-style instead of filtered through your ears.

Part Chimp - B1 192kbps, 4.18MB

And on a less hyperbolic note, I'm uploading this next track because I'm making everyone I know download it, so you kids may as well have access to it too. It's by The Monsoon Bassoon, a band who enjoyed extremely brief notoriety in the UK with this track about four years ago and don't appear to have done much since. "The King Of Evil" is Tortoise arguing with Stereolab over which member of Kenickie (the band, not the Grease character) was the hottest.

The Monsoon Bassoon - The King Of Evil 128kbps, 4.77MB

Tuesday, February 18, 2003 ??? 9:13 PM - lukeiyo-e

if you like Jack Johnson.............

you shouldn't. but you can't help it. enjoy this song by Doug Martsch. you may or may not know him as the lead singer / songwriter / guitarist / all-round-beard-sporting guy from built to spill. it's similar to jack johnson in so much as it features a guy and a guitar. it's not so similar so far as it's a great song and everything johnson has done is rubbish.

Doug Martsch - Offer 192kb/s, 4.4mb

Friday, February 14, 2003 ??? 1:10 PM - ExistAngst

In 2000 The Delgados released "The Great Eastern" to much critical acclaim. It was nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize.

Just this last year they released the much un-acclaimed "Hate". Its a nice enough album, with atleast 2 killer singles.

ExistAngst is listening to...
The Delgados - All You Need Is Hate 207kbps 4.3mb
The Delgados - Coming In From The Cold 226kbps 5.8mb

Thursday, February 13, 2003 ??? 4:08 AM - Wozzle

Dan Brodie & The Broken Arrows gained a lot of attention with their debut album Big Black Guitar but it wasn’t till the single “You Make Me Wanna Kill? started getting a run on Rage that I sat up and took notice.

And the new LP, Empty Arms Broken Hearts just goes to reinforcing my penchant with this exciting band. The tunes on this album range from laid back, acoustic wonders to full blown rockabilly ambush. With the superiority of this album has come 2 ARIA nominations, for Best male artist, & Best new artist - Album category in the 16th annual awards. Dan and band have just finished support shows with Paul Kelly, and playing at the Tamworth Music Festival.

Most people find it hard to pigeonhole Dan Brodie & The Boken Arrows the band in one genre but I suppose if you must then Alternative / Country it would be but in Dans own words “The band plays a blend of country, blues and rock?.

The new album Empty Arms Broken Hearts is in stores now and is receiving amazing press reviews everywhere

Track listing
01. Jesus Try And Save Me
02. Fell From The Sky
03. Take A Bullet
04. Hope That We Get Home Tonight
05. Good To See You
06. Sarah
07. Footstomp
08. You're Not Invited
09. Too Much Of You In My Head
10. Highway Lovin Man
11. For Me And You

Who? Dan Brodie and the Broken Arrows

Current Members
Chris Brodie Pedal Steel/Lap Steel
Dan Brodie Vocals, Guitar
Ewan McCartney Drums
Pete Cicciari Bass
Steve Hesketh Hammond

Dan Bodie & The Broken Arrows - Jesus Try And Save Me 192kbps, 5.32mb
Dan Brodie & The Broken Arrows - You Make Me Wanna Kill 192kbps, 5.3mb

Wednesday, February 12, 2003 ??? 9:49 AM - paradroid

Regulars at #themp3alt would have heard of Spencer Tracy, an alternative band hailing from a small country town in Western Australia. Their previous releases included Corner Of My Eye and Daisy Daze, which enjoyed steady national airplay for numerous weeks. They have also earned a glowing reputation playing live, supporting the likes of Midnight Oil, Echo and the Bunnymen, Regurgitator and recently a place in the Perth leg of the Big Day Out.

Disco King is the first single from their upcoming album Ocean. This is a catchy tune that has followed its previous releases by getting regular airplay on JJJ. The CD single also includes a mpeg version of the Disco King video, where parts of the video were created with clay-mation!

Here is the mp3 of Disco King for everyone to enjoy. Thanks to gongboy for providing the webspace for this song.

Spencer Tracy - Disco King 192kbps, 5.5MB

Monday, February 10, 2003 ??? 9:27 PM - murma

It's been a while I know but I'm still here and I thought I'd share with you all the latest work from Massive Attack, one of Manchesters greatest exports.

Moody strings, deep heavy bass lines coupled with dark sombre lyrics from none other than Sinead O'Connor and we have a first single from Massive Attack's brand new album 100th Window.

Titled 'Special Cases' this track is driven by clear political message against current world situations and the decisions being made by some of the dickheads in power at the moment. It reminds us that love, not a war based on man's fear, is the direction that needs to be taken in this world. Production wise the track is beautiful, dark lush string arrangements swirling around the many sampled layers of O'Connor's voice.

Massive Attack are also kicking off their world tour here down under, be sure not to miss them, you won't regret the experience.

Tuesday 11th March - Melbourne - ROD LAVER ARENA
Wednesday 12th March - Melbourne - ROD LAVER ARENA
Thursday 13th March - Sydney - ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
Friday 14th March - Sydney - ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
Sunday 16th March - Brisbane - CONVENTION CENTRE
Tuesday 18th March - Canberra - ROYAL THEATRE
Thursday 20th March - Adelaide - ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
Saturday 22nd March - Perth - BELVOIR AMPHITHEATRE

Tickets on sale Feb 14th, make Massive Attack your valentine :)

Massive Attack - Special Cases 192kbps, 7.12MB

Sunday, February 09, 2003 ??? 12:42 AM - paradroid

I guess it's about time I make my first post on thealt...

I am paradroid and I've known angsty on IRC since the #net50mp3 days. That's a fair while ago considering only a few survivors are still around on #themp3alt!

Enough blabbering, here's my first contribution to thealt, a New Zealand band called Evermore.

Evermore is a typical alt/pop band, producing radio-friendly, alternative music. Slipping Away is their first single from their debut EP - Oil & Water, which appears to be on high rotation at JJJ since I keep hearing it on my way to work. Their upcoming single is the title track, Oil & Water.

As I only have limited space on my dial-up account, you will have to make do with Slipping Away for now. The remainder of their EP should make its way to #themp3alt soon enough (as fast as my pair-gained, dial-up connection can transfer, at least!)

Evermore - Slipping Away 192kbps, 5.64MB

Friday, February 07, 2003 ??? 11:53 PM - ExistAngst

It seems that all the cool kids do a top 10 list these days. So just cause i dont want to fall out with the cool kids, i present to you......




10 - Gomez - In Our Gun
Another great album from these guys. Not as good as Liquid Skin, but slightly better then Bring It On.




9- David Gray - A New Day At Midnight
Didn't discover this untill only a few weeks ago. Great folksy country stuff with really high production values.

David Gray - Dead In The Water 178kbps, 3.96MB

8- The Fauves - Footage Missing
More ironic pop from these boys. More of the same sarcasm and satire that has been the hallmark of most of their recent work. A great album that, even here in Australia, went for some reason mostly unnoticed (or unappreciated) by the music loving public.

The Fauves - Insert Your Life 192kbps, 4.34MB

7- Rhubarb - Slow Motion
These guys have come a long way from their rough punker beginings. They've progressed from the fast punky stuff (so much so they now refuse to play "Exerciser" live) to slower more melodic territory. Might have ranked higher if it hadn't come out so early in the year.



6- Jack Johnson - Brushfire Fairytales
I dont give a damn how much he sounds like Ben Harper. Ben Harper didnt release an album this year. So in the absence of Ben Harper, ill have Jack Johnson. At any rate, its not even the same thing. These are simple beach songs. The sort of stuff one can play around a camp fire with an accoustic guitar, a tabla and a sweet simple voice.


5- The Vines - Highly Evolved
The Vines album was not the second coming of rock music. Nor was it "over-hyped crap".

They are just a bunch of Sydney lads, whom with the help of a very clever producer, made an excellent debut studio album.

Who cares that they are can't (and lets face it- they can't) reproduce it live? Who cares that they made it big in Britain and America before they did in their own country? Who cares that Craig Nicholls comes across in interviews as a total knob jockey? These are not the things i'm ranking or taking into consideration. I'm ranking albums. And Highly Evolved was indeed, a ripper album.

The Vines - Factory 192kbps, 4.31MB

4- Spoon - Kill The Moonlight
Subtle Texans? Who'd have guessed?

From the American State where big and stupid seems to be the order of the day, come Spoon: a band that in 2002, made a very fine, understatedly simple album called Kill The Moonlight.

Be sure to see them live when they come your way (Spoon tour Australia shortly).

Spoon - Back to the Life 192kbps, 3.23MB

3- Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
As a friend of mine once so eloquently articulated (as i gushed over YHF)....

...Wilco seem to make my japs eye cry.

It's an album that will do much to cement Wilco's position as not just an important band in the context of alternative country music, a genre they are now quickly drifting away from, but as an essential piece in the puzzle of contemporary American music.

Wilco were the highlight of the 2003 Big Day Out festival.

Wilco - I'm The Man Who Loves You 192kbps, 5.35MB

2- The Reindeer Section - Son of Evil Reindeer
They make such pretty music in Scotland. Its the lousy weather. They cant go outside to play sports so they stay inside to write music, inspired by the beautiful landscape and miserable weather.

The Reindeer Section - Budapest 192kbps, 4.66MB

1- The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
I wrote about these guys and this album only just a few weeks ago. Maybe there is an unfair bias in my top 10 albums of 2002. Its possible i've given too much emphasis to stuff that came out at the end of the year and not enough to the stuff that came out earlier.

But if a better album came out this year, I dont know what it was.

Tuesday, February 04, 2003 ??? 4:06 PM - Michael

Well I wrote a nice post but piece of shit blogger deleted it for some reason.

Heres The Gourds covering the perennial "gin and juice" from our favorite rapper cum porn star snoop dogg.

The Gourds - Gin And Juice 128kbps 5.87mb

edit: THE GOURDS!!!