i pretty much blog everything emmy the great does these days. i like it that way though. not only is she an immensely talented singer songwriter and funny, but she’s also seeing tim wheeler. tim wheeler is one of my all time heroes. what a man. what a woman. this is another top notch track from a top notch album from a top notch woman. super.

summer camp have released a video with them actually in it! unlike ’round the moon’, a video put together from parts of a teenage love film from sweden, you get to see jeremy and elizabeth in all their glory here. well, not all their glory but elizabeth singing and jeremy playing guitar and doing clever things. it’s very summer camp. all old school america and sunshine. a split screen thrown in for good measure too. i’m so bloody excited about this album. i really am.

barbie dolls giving handjobs. gareth putting a plastic bag over his head. blood. those los campesinos! scamps are not the perfect role models. ‘by your hand’ is classic los campesinos! though. they’re doing what they do best. gareth singing about broken hearts and love and what have you. if you don’t want to see the video because you’re worried that it will corrupt your little mind, fear not for the band are also offering it as a free download. they’re nice like that.

it’s all a precursor to the recently announced new album, hello sadness. the band are offering it out to fans first as well which is nice. you can order it right here. being a heat rash member i get it for a fiver off. add to the music and fanzine i’ve already been sent and heat rash membership is proving very worthwhile. on that though, is any of the band happen across this article, please let me know what i need to do to change my address. i can’t find anything on the website and i’ve moved since i joined. please help. please.

one last thing. sockformation’s favourite member, the wonderful harriet, has left the band. it was announced at the end of august that she was going back to study. i imagine that she made the decision after featuring in our very own “currently.in.love.with” earlier this year. you can’t really get a higher accolade than that.

it’s a bit moody and it’s named after a type of cabbage. if i was asked to write down things i’d be looking for in a track to listen to on a thursday lunchtime, those two assets would be pretty near the top of the list.

album review: dum dum girls. only in dreams. 26 september 2011. sub pop records
(buy here)

i’ve fallen a little bit in love with this album over the past few weeks. i feel i need to make you aware of that from the off. it’s great and you can skip the following two paragraphs if that’s all you needed to know. go get it now.

since dee dee has expanded to allow more dum dum girls than just herself, they have grown into a band very much suited to today’s tastes. what has always made dum dum girls stand out from most is that they’ve got that natural sixties sound. and it is natural. there is nothing forced or contrived here. throw some modern l.a. surf pop into the mix and you’ve got a coming together which works. it works so well.

my only criticism with only in dreams would be that the heights early songs such as ‘bedroom eyes’ and ‘in my head’ reach is not held throughout. as i write that i feel i’m being harsh though because ‘coming down’, with its long drawn out vocals and guitars that just ask to be swayed to, has come on and i fucking love it. i know perfectly well that as soon as ‘wasted away’ comes on in a couple of minutes i’ll have something to say about that as well. shit. i’m going to end the review now and stick with the mark i was going to give it. otherwise i’ll just get overexcited. again.

8.5

i’m finally back online. at fucking last. it’s been two weeks without no access to the internet online because somebody had stolen my phone line. the utter shits. to apologise for the serious lack of posts (or to apologise for me starting again and boring you – which ever way you wish to take it) i have loads of free music for you though. they are all represented by the brilliant planetary group. they’re an online pr company and dany who used to write exitfare works there. exitfare was one of the blogs i used to read that made me want to start sockformation. blame dany then.

first up we have ‘capsize’ by big black delta. if i could remember who the voice sounds like i’d be a lot happier, but it’s damn good. damn good indeed.

coming from the sort of dreamy electronic side of things is echorev. my writing (*laugh*) head seems to have left me during the break so yet again i’m not really sure how to put a better description to you. i’ll let the music do the talking instead again.

the jezabels give a definite nod to the eighties. you can tell that from the very first note and it’s no bad thing. for some reason i can’t get the image of ‘endless summer’ playing over the closing credits of a series finale of baywatch out of my head. again, no bad thing.

this one, from red eye fugu, i fucking love. this is my sort of thing to a tee. i don’t need to even try and describe it because if you like most of the music posted on here you’ll love it too. i’m going to try anyway. poppy. synthy. fun. dreamy. awesome.

i had to include somebody a little bit mental. i believe that sleeping in the aviary tick that box. it’s like weezer by on lsd. not that i’m saying they are on lsd. if i had a lawyer i’m pretty sure he would have advised me to ensure that i emphasise i am not suggesting sleeping in the aviary take lsd. i’m pleased we’ve sorted that out.

and with that, i’m back. i hope you enjoy the music above. remember to thank the planetary group if you do.

i missed breton when they supported tom vek earlier in the year. i can’t remember why i missed them but it would have been because i was running late for some reason that is very boring. i’m a bit gutted about that fact though because their debut album is already quite near the top of my most anticipated list of 2012. the video to ‘the commission’ can only really be summed up in one word – stunning. both the music and the video are stunning. i won’t miss them next time i get the chance even if it does mean missing checking out the wasp report at work the moment it is published.

i haven’t been having a good day. it’s raining. my internet at home is still dead. spurs put in a less than stellar performance yesterday. and worst of all i hear that tulisa, chipmunk and some other no marks are covering massive attack’s ‘teardrop’. a seminal track from my teens. what could possibly make this day better? confirmation that charlotte gainsbourg is back with a new album in november. that is what. it will be some studio tracks that didn’t make irm and some live tracks. the album will be called terrible angels and a video has been released of the title track. i assume you’ve watched it above already? if you don’t want to watch the coolest woman in music (sorry kate jackson) and would rather just concentrate on her voice, you’re in luck as i also have the soundcloud link for you.

do you remember about a fortnight ago when i posted a video from marina and the diamonds and it was just part one? if not, you can read it here. anyway, we now have part two. it has marina don a blonde wig, grab a chainsaw and put on a mask. it’s all a bit natural born killers meets breakfast at tiffany’s. i like it. i still don’t get why it’s two parts though.

those guys at art is hard always do things slightly differently don’t they. whether they’re giving away charity shop cassettes or photos from a local artist you know you’re buying more than just some great music. for aih005 (confusingly released just after aih006) they have gone all modern and high tech on us as well.

the release itself is a compilation of some of the most exciting music coming out of that little south western corner of england. what you’re actually buying though is a map. or a map and a t-shirt. on the map each band is plotted along with a qr code. that’s a square barcode for those that don’t read mashable every day. get your smartphone to take a photo of this barcode and you’ll be transported* to the world of the band with loads of info plus the track in question. if that’s not 21st century, then maybe it’s time to trade in my hoverboard because i don’t know what is.

i’ve been invited as one of the label’s favourite blogs (that’s right motherfucker) to introduce one of the bands included. i’ve gone for a young five piece called big wave. you will know from the first time you hear them that big wave and sockformation were made to go together. you could take my favourite bits of all the bands i love, put them together, move them to torquay and you’d have big wave. you can hear (and download if you’re quick enough) ‘wild strawberries’ below. once you’ve done that go here and order aih005. i’ve taken the option that comes with the t-shirt because i love the top that came with aih001.

*(disclaimer: you will not actually be transported anywhere. this purchase does not include a trip.)