Look at the sun, stare in the mirror...

It's not me, it's her!
If I mentioned an artist who, to be fair, has lived much of the last two years in the lime-light of tabloid newspapers you might think that I was referring to Amy Winehouse but I'm not.
I'm referring to one who has comedy in her blood and the presence of mind, given that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit and that flattery is little better, to turn the tables to her advantage. The double double-entendre of the title, which is a lyric, is a case in point.
While rather updated for the 21st century it is a trait that harks back to the heyday of British comedy film. If she were to wander into a 'Carry On' comedy, in a retro-inspired dress of the kind she favours anyway, and then tackle the character that Sid James happened to be playing at the time with some leading questions...

It's Not Me, It's You is released in the UK on February 9, 2009.

In a recession everyone needs a bit of old-fashioned smuttiness, innuendo and the feeling that everything bad is actually someone else's fault and, while politically correct for purists it is not, neither is it generally offensive (although sometimes rather lyrically graphic).

Added: February 6, 2009
For those of you on the far side, who are lucky enough to be at the Bowery Ballroom on February 10, enjoy...


It is unlikely to be timeless but few albums are and given the here-and-now it is essential listening. It is not the first album of this name to appear on this blog so here is a link to the previous one:
http://rpgreenhalgh.blogspot.com/2008/05/its-not-me-its-you.html

Curioser & curioser...'Want to Listen' Music - Part 7

This may, or it may not, be the last in this 2007 series but with most supposedly significant new album releases now suspended owing to the festive season I have found a little time to look into the things I have put into the "to check later" folder in the last six months or so. First discovery: there are a lot more of them than I thought. Second discovery: there also are a lot more than just those that I had already underestimated!

Today the semi-centennial Grammy Award nominations were made public - and on them I intend to comment tomorrow - but in the meantime here are two (well, actually three) more items from the as yet unplumbed depths of my 2007 wish list and it seems very appropriate to start off with one from America which, as far as I can tell is not nominated in any of the myriad categories. It wins my 2007 award for 'Nominative Curiousness' and perhaps more importantly also proves that American indie is alive, well and also available in the UK!

The 'prize', just in case you were wondering, is simply to be mentioned here and the 2007 winner is... [drum roll]... Andrew Jackson Jihad.
If that wasn't enough the clinch is surely that the album is entitled People Who Can Eat People Are The Luckiest People In the World, which might also be in the running for the award for 'Longest Album Title' of 2007.

This discordant American punk-folk outfit hail from Phoenix, AZ and are signed to Asian Man Records (a rather tiny indie label run from Monte Serreno, CA) and yet amazon.co.uk both list and stock it!
So what is it about the rabbit on the album art? Well, I kid you not, track 8 is entitled Song Dedicated to the Memory of Stormy the Rabbit and guess that might be a clue.

Here is another oddity but one that is from closer to home. I know I risk getting a reputation for championing French music but I've decided that should it happen it's just something I'll have to learn to live with. WatooWatoo (a link to their MySpace page) come from Bordeaux, having started life in Paris, and the album La Fuite was released on 11 June 2007.

This album is released by Letterbox Records, based in Whitehaven, Cumbria. Click the above image to find the band's own website. It's French pop but with nods to all kinds of other, almost always older, genres such as lounge pop while it is actually mostly electronically written. France does this sort of thing very well indeed but, surprisingly, isn't too good at exporting it.
Here is another slightly older example, this time from 2005 and released by EMI, that I'd also really like to hear.

Coralie Clément - Bye Bye Beauté

The battle is over...

As of today EMI finally has a new owner: private equity group 'Terra Firma' announced shortly before the 1pm August 1st deadline, set by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, that it has secured acceptances from shareholders representing more than 90% of EMI shares, which allows it to now forcibly purchase the outstanding equity. The deal values EMI at approximately £2.4 billion.

This will hopefully put an end to the turbulent times at EMI; although one of the 'big four' it, like the rest to be honest, has been struggling with the fast changing nature of the music market. I have levelled criticisms at all the major players previously in this blog and do not plan to repeat them. What I will add here is that I believe (and indeed hope) that this outcome is far better than had EMI been swallowed up by Warner Music, which looked a distinct possibility a few months ago. Bigger and better together is now looking like a suspect policy in the current situation - and two wrongs certainly don't make a bigger right.
The boss of Terra Firma, Guy Hands, has a reputation for his hands-on approach and hard work. He is also something of a maverick - while still at school he was allowed to choose any rôle to play in 'Macbeth'. Remarkably, he chose to be Lady Macbeth!

For a very brief history of EMI (and thus of HMV too) I suggest the following link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/616485.stm