Blame it on the Black Star

Radiohead have emerged once again from that small cramped little monster hole in england in which they reside. Went to their first US show on Thursday and their new material (they played 9 new tracks in the set!) is great. Its all over the place as far as the sound goes: breakbeats, jungleesque brit rock, alt rock, jazzyness. It feels like a return to Pablo Honey through the lense of what they have learned in the interveening 13 years. There is currently no release date set for their 7th LP - seeming called Xendless Xurbia (its on the tour posters and on the website) - as they are tweaking the tracks on their current tour which is in the US through the end of July followed by a month of festivals in Europe. So it looks like fall may be the earliest we will see it. They are headlining the Bonnaroo fest this year as well which will be quite a difference from the 1500 seat theater they played in Philly and I can't wait for that. Even if you have to pay triple face value for a ticket it will be worth it to see this tour - though hopefully they will swing back again next year after we've all memorized the new tracks. On another note Thom has a solo disc out next month called The Eraser. Set list for the show:

01 You And Whose Army
02 The National Anthem
03 2+2=5
04 Open Pick
05 15 Step
06 Exit Music
07 Kid A
08 Nude
09 Arpeggi
10 Street Spirit
11 Pyramid Song
12 Myxomatosis
13 House Of Cards
14 Spooks
15 Idioteque
16 Bangers And Mash
17 There There

Encore 1:

18 Airbag
19 No Surprises
20 Bodysnatchers
21 Everything In It's Right Place

Encore 2:

22 4 Minute Warning
23 Karma Police

Here is a video of one of the new tracks ("Arpeggi") from the show (good audio quality):



This is for "Open Pick", audio not as good:



O, and the Final song of the night, "Karma Police", again sketchy audio:



ok so mptrees!
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Psapp - Hi

New genre alert - you can now add "Clunktronica" to your list. This is the sound on London's Psapp. Its a kind of blips and beeps combines with bossa and bits of other beautiful live instrumental bobs. All mixed together to make a clunktronic stew! A bit Groove Armada, a bit Esquivel & a bit Combustible Edison. This is the first track off their second set, The Only Thing I Ever Wanted, which comes out Tuesday .

Youth Group - Skeleton Jar

Another aussie group but no revivalist tendencies here. They lean toward the indie side sounding clean and ernest like The Shin, The Stills, Phoenix, and Death Cab for Cutie. Great summer nightime drive song.

Trashcan Sinatras - Welcome Back

Literate Scottish rock in the vein of Doves, British Sea Power, Snow Patrol & Keane (all of whom they preceeded by at least a decade). You may remember their single US hit "Heyfever" off 1993's I've Seen Everything. This is the first single from their 4th album - released in '04 after an 8 year hiatus during which their style became huge. This is a soaring uptempo number that deals a bit tounge and cheek with their down time: "I hid my head in irrelevant books/tell me is that where catastrophe looms & everyone's alive/everyone's surprised." Unfortunately when I saw them last year the energy in their live performance didn't live up to the record. Maybe they just needed a few more pints?
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Auf Wiedersehen.