Lets Not Die Wondering.....Amida, Marner Brown, Duke and the Darlings

Its Friday morning and I'm looking forward to the winter long weekend in Australia. Its cold outside, a thin layer of ice is covering the windscreen of my mucky white one. Its safe to say, just like anyone else Id rather still be in bed than driving into a place where they have to pay me to come.

With every grey cloud (work) there comes a sliver lining (driving to). Time to myself where I can trundle down the road listening to some tunes thinking "I need to share these with the Indie Dunes Dudes (I.D.D, sounds like a contraceptive) ...Hmmmmmm, Note to self....think of something else other than dudes to call the readers... Or better still, put your ideas on a postcard and post to....for a chance to win a highly coveted and very stylish I.D badge designed by Fishie (that will freak her, because she is yet to design a badge)

First band today was Amida,

I've been listening to this 5 piece Anglo / American Manchester based band for a couple of weeks on and off now. Once again discovered from Twitter. Amida inspired the title of this post and its pretty apt. The band formed a few years ago and have a few releases. I have been listening to the latest offering "My Life As A Trashcan" Amida get straight to the point with the title track. Power pop at its economic best. WHACK...Five instruments getting into it and a singer that you sense is having a great time singing with the band. The energy tells me that this band loves the music it plays and it hopes you do to. I did!!! You can draw all the similarities between different bands, you can hear Pixies in there for sure. There is a great fusion between the American / English influences in the band. Its familiar, yet individual. When I listen to this band, I get the same sense of fun and enjoyment that I do when I listen to the Violent Femmes (No I don't think they are similar LOL but I hope you know what I mean).

I mentioned the band play economic power pop, its an 8 track release and most songs are just over 2 mins. The band do mix it up with a slower tracks and the slow songs tug emotional cord. Reversal Of Fortune takes me back to Blurs "Modern Life is Rubbish" phase. The quick tracks are my favourites. They are the ones that kept me coming back, and will continue draw me back for a fun time.

Just to finish off Amida, how can I summarise, hmmmm if I'm out having a brewski with a couple of mates, and this band were playing, I wouldn't bloody leave until they did!! Enjoy the tracks I attached and once again get on Twitter and pass on your feedback.

I was rude, You were fast

Starting to sound like if you add me on Twitter Ill write a blog about your band LOL. Marner Brown found me, I visited their soundcloud stuff and really liked it. I think the biggest compliment I can give to Marner Brown is that I'm singing along to Dirty Weekend like its been in my library for years. its a great track. You know if Paul Weller gives you free reign of his studio, there is something going on that should be taken noticed off. And I'm sure supporting Indies iconic Ocean Colour Scene hasn't detracted from their pulling power. Once again, here is a band who's energy comes leaping through your speakers. I would love to see this band strut their stuff live. Definite long term vibe thing going on with band. its just bloody good fun to listen to. makes you wanna get tight jeans, a black tee shirt and a pair of ripples on and go jump around like a loon. The boys from Marner Brown have a great Facebook page, go "like" them and start spreading the word. Got a feeling in mehhhh bones. they are going to get really popular very bloody quickly.

Ive linked the soundcloud page so you can choose the tracks you wanna try :)

http://www.soundcloud.com/marner-brown
http://www.facebook.com/marner-brown


Finally and last but not least.

Another Manchester band, Duke and the Darlings release Live at Abbey Road, its a cool EP. 3 really tightly crafted tracks. Each one having a distinctly different feel. Really quite a pleasure (that sounds quite posh) to listen to these guys put their love of beer and friendship on a record for us all to share. Stop and Go the first track gets my foot tapping, and takes my mind to a place in some RHCPs track that I cant remember the name of, don't get me wrong, its not a Chili pepper type of song LOL, Maybe I need more beer anyway (End of waffle). Let Me Down is louder, full of raw energy and brings to mind one of my favourite Aussie bands Birds of Tokyo. The last track House of Cards, very reminiscent of The Bluetones slower tunes. Linked FB and Soundcloud for your listening pleasure...

　
http://www.soundcloud.com/dukeandthedarlings
http://www.facebook.com/dukeandthedarlings

If these three bands haven't already bounded out of your speakers, go expand your library. You wont be disappointed. AND if you are lucky enough, go listen to them live. Nothing beats listening experiencing a band do there thang....
Well I'm all worded out. I'm off to find some funky soul tunes....Could I be serious, or joking slightly....Hmmmmmm one will never know (this jubilee has me speaking like a toff).

Crusty Toon xx

IF I WANTED REUNION TOURS ID LISTEN TO THE ROLLING STONES

Now its my "role" on this blog to draw attention to past Indie bands, and hopefully bring awareness to some older bands that may have disbanded or drifted out of people consciousness. So this blog might seem a little contradictory to what I'm suppose to be doing LOL.

REUNIONS have become the vogue in the last view months since the announcement made by The Stone Roses. Now I know reunions aren't a new thing, but as a generation Xer with a love for Indie music in the 90s its really the first time I'm having to deal with all the mixed emotions this issue brings up. So please put up with my pointed confusions LOL. I like to waffle and ramble on "sometimes".

I was so excited when the Stone Roses announced the gigs in Manchester. I thought WOW, wish I could go. Then quickly countered with THANK THE EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS I CAN'T. The Stone Roses were born from an amazing era in the Madchester Baggy scene. The baton had passed from the Smith, New Order and the Fall. They captured a mood and movement along with The Happy Mondays, Charlatans, Inspiral Carpets and even the Scoucers The Farm grabbed the world of music by the scruff of the neck. It captured the growing dance movement and kept it in a traditional band format. Great happy times for my musical enlightenment. There was so much new music rolling along on funky bass and drum beats, with intelligent clever lyrics. I was in a good place.

I was lucky enough to see a the Inspiral Carpets play to a small but adoring crowd, I didnt get to experience the buzz of being in a crowd for a Mondays or Roses gig. Notice I say the BUZZ of being there, I listened to boot legs (not as easy back then on dodgy cassettes). The bandmanship on stage didnt grab me, in fact in seemed decidedly as dodgy as the recording I was listening to. The buzz it seemed came from being in a group of like minded "bombed of your nut" fellow fans. Not every great band is good on stage, and in my opinion The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays fall into this bracket. I don't think Ian Brown is going to cut the mustard in his late 40s early 50s that maybe Jagger can drag out of his coffin. And as for Shaun Rider, he is going to miss Bez. Its all going to be a bit pedestrian LOL. The studio albums from these bands are some of my most highly listened to tunes in my library. I can just see this going really really really badly. The Happy Mondays twitter and facebooks have already been blocked because its fucking annoying drivel.

Neds Atomic Dustbin are the newest announcers of a reunion gig...A 1off gig APPARENTLY, but its close to being sold out. SOOOOOOO I can see it expanding into a tour. So maybe I'm out of step with the idea of reunions. Neds were a fantastic band, with the unusual quality of having two bass players. I was lucky enough to see them tour on the "Are You Normal" and I loved watching John bounce around like a loon. Neds were a brilliant band to see live. But I reckon its going to look a little sad with everyone my age looking for a spot in the stalls to sit down with beer because "my back is playing up" LOL. I do believe Dan Dan the Fast Drummer Man has a new CD with his band Bouncing Ball (or is that the man of the CD....ooops) LOL, why not concentrate on the future.

Finally

I love the Smiths, I love the Smiths more than any other band on the planet, and yes Id pay the flight costs to see the Smiths play live once more...But I love the Smiths more for having the balls and the gumption to stick with the "IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN" stance. Saves me from making the decision on divorce and starvig my kids. Take note: Let the records stand and understand time moves on.

I'm a bit like John Lennon, I don't like violence, but lately I think to myself. I'm sort of glad the dude that popped JL all those years ago. Took away the possibility of a Beatles reunion. Thank God for the smallest mercies.