Reasons to be cheerful...

..The Weepies in somebody's kitchen...

Having managed a heroic half-dozen shows last year before retiring, knackered, sparkling Belfast/Manchester/London popsters Language of Flowers could've reconvened just about anywhere in the UK for their first '05 outing. Rather beautifully, they've opted for the Windmill in Brixton, a 15-minute scoot away for this blog - ta v. much! So then, it's official: June 10, first day of Summer...
Language of Flowers / buy / HowDoesItFeel

The Windmill was also where this blog spent the evening of the hottest day of the year so far, last Friday, furthering it's research on.. The Research. It's hard not to love this trio and their smart, bashed out, between-the-eyes pop songs. Presuming he's behind all these top tunes, 'Russell the Disaster' is anything but: True love weighs a ton, Lonely hearts still beat the same, Codename: (something or other).. bruised, Casio-tastic indie thumped home by li'l Sarah's uncomplicated, rigid-armed drummin' and Georgia's rockin' bass. In another context a title like I love you but (I think I'll fuck it up) might suggest yet more lovelorn, 'hopeless case' wimpery but with all hands to the vocal pump The Research quickly undercut any such notions. Do some of your own and soon...
The Research

Not that it takes much doing but the Windmill was sold out that night, local heroes Clor being the main draw. reallyrather left the balmy outdoors and ventured back inside out of respect and mild curiosity.. and was properly rewarded. Hard-boiled Kraut-y electro-dance rock with occasional muso flourishes is what Clor is about. And it's tasty, very tasty. Apart from the recent classy single Love & pain, can't tell you what any of the songs were called but at least half of them demanded your complete attention. Resembling rather a force-fed John Power, the singer/guitarist guy has the ease of someone who knows that he and his serious-faced hombres are onto something...
Clor / Love & pain see hear

..as, it would seem, are Sheffield's Arctic Monkeys at least if recent ebay dealings are any guide. With just the sold-out-in-a-flash first single Five Minutes with Arctic Monkeys to their name, a single ticket for these Domino signings' little London show next Monday sold for more than ten times face value...

Atlases out for The Great Trek North: Barden's Boudoir, Stoke Newington High St. June 16: Mirah + I Know I Have No Collar + Francois...

..and, if you have a moment, say hello to Francois...

The lengthy 'underrated albums' feature in the latest edition of Word magazine is mostly a disappointing list of already familiar names. What they should've asked their subjects for were great records by acts they think folks mightn't have heard of (next time, chaps?). reallyrather humbly suggests stuff like: Mother Hips' Green hills of earth [2001]; Denison Witmer's enduring acoustic debut, Safe away; the lovely Eg & Alice's timeless English urban pop one-off, 24 years of hunger [1995]; a superfine pair from last year, matt pond PA's Emblems and Darby & Joan by Gentleman Reg (both still scandalously unreleased over here - if reallyrather was a label, they'd be on it); and James William Hindle's Prospect Park...

...which was excellent in almost every respect [see rr 14/9/03]. And what are we to make of James' new release, Town feeling, just out on Badman? Well, a bit of a fuss, really. Not a great shoulder-shaking hoohah or anything you understand, but a li'l bit of a fuss nevertheless. And reallyrather will.. soon.. ish...