Cloud Cult live / Pet Shop Boys / SOUND team etc...

(Cloud Cult live @ Varsity Theater 5/20/06)

All photos from Cloud Cult here. Slideshow here.

Well, it was just a question of time, it's bound to happen... Not all my reviews can feature the words "amazing", "brilliant", "blew me away", "spectacular", and so on. Once in a while I catch a show and I really don't feel the vibe. Forgot to tell you until now, that's what happened at Cloud Cult's (MySpace) homecoming show @ Varsity Theater last Saturday. Get this... I left 30 minutes into Cloud Cult's set! I just couldn't take it... While the music, light-show, and on-stage painters were pretty good, the lead singer's voice and stage demeanor just really bugged me. When he dedicated a song to his his young son which led into a cover of "You are my Sunshine", I said "I'm outta' here"... Sorry folks, I just don't get it. Don't get me wrong though, these guys are really talented, just not my cup of tea. My buddy Brody (who I couldn't find in the packed venue) absolutely loved it. You can read his review here. He's also got nice reviews, photos, and videos of Matt Costa and Imogen Heap, which I skipped. Head over and leave him a comment...

mp3: Cloud Cult - Living on the Outside of Your Skin
mp3: Cloud Cult - Car Crash



If you've read my blog for a while (I'm really sorry), you probably know I'm a pretty big Pet Shop Boys fan. Yes, I may be the only heterosexual male. Easy target I know... Anyway, they just released their 9th (!) studio album Fundamental and it's starting to grow on me. A few more listens and I should know where it fits in their discography (Update: it's pretty awesome). Until then, here are a few remixes I really like from the Special Edition of their new CD:

mp3: Pet Shop Boys - Fugitive (Richard X Extended Mix)
mp3: Pet Shop Boys - Flamboyant (Michael Mayer Kompakt Mix)
mp3: Pet Shop Boys feat. Elton John - In Private (Stuart Crichton Club Mix) (highly recommended)



SOUND team (MySpace). Yeah, I realize they've been well covered in the blogosphere. Here's why I'm posting on them:

1) My sister recently temped a day for EMI in LA. She got to take a bunch of free promo CDs and asked me "Is SOUND team any good"? I replied "Hell yeah, that CD is not even out yet!". As I still don't have the CD, I'm pretty jealous...

2) My friend Amy messaged me on MySpace "Steve, you really have to change your profile tune... you've had the same tune for ages now". OK, I did... check the updated profile here.

3) Great new bands need to be posted on! These guys from Austin definitely get my vote of approval. Sounding a bit of an electronica version of Spoon I just can't resist. Plus, they're blogger and internet friendly. A lot of tunes are available for sampling and downloading via their website and MySpace page. Check it out. Looking forward to their gig @ 400 bar 6/26/06...

mp3: SOUND team - Movie Monster (highly recommended)
mp3: SOUND team - Your Eyes Are Liars
mp3: SOUND team - Don't Turn Away
mp3: SOUND team - The Fastest Man Alive

Their new album Movie Monster drops 6/6/06, National Day of Slayer.

Crazy... I just realized I missed Gnarls Barkley on Conan while typing this post. Ahhh, it's ok, should be on YouTube shortly. Update: Here it is.

Are you ready for World Cup Soccer action soon?! C over @ Scatter o' Light has a fantasy league going for any of you bloggers who are interested. See, she does things other than reporting on Bono's latest hair cut(s) once in a while ;) I've said it before, and I'll say it again "she rocks"!

Last but not least... Locals, what are you doing this Saturday? You should be going to this:



More info on the event here. Stop by, you can tell me how "gay" I am for liking the Pet Shop Boys...

Have a nice Thursday everybody!

- Steve

P.S. You may have heard about Arctic Monkeys' bass player Andy Nicholson leaving the band temporarily due to "exhaustion" (at least it didn't have the "nervous" part in it). Well, this is the same bassist who outdrank Noel Gallagher recently... Since I love posting Oasis quotes, here's what Noel had to say about the evening:

“I ended up in their aftershow and the bass player goes to the bar and comes back with this tray of tequilas.

" Normally when somebody asks if you want one you say ‘no’ but this kid just went up and bought them. I thought ‘I can’t be drinking that, it’s nearly two in the morning.’ I couldn’t say no though because I didn’t want to let the side down. He was banging them down. I was about to urinate.

“I was speaking to my missus through semaphore to get her off the dancefloor and rescue me.

“She came over saying ‘we’ve got to go home’ and I was acting all surprised, saying ‘What, already?’

“I can’t remember getting home.”

P.P.S. You can stream The Walkmen live on NPR tonight.