They’ve become something of a trend recently, and being a student a free gig you can watch from your bed whilst eating cereal very much appeals. Big names to webcast have been Arctic Monkeys and U2, my favourites have been The Indelicates and The National. However all have been eclipsed by a fantastic evening from The Divine Comedy.

Shortly after seven the Alela Diane Duo took to the stage. This was just Alela Diane and her father, which sounds like it would be uncomfortable, but it wasn’t, it was wonderful. I had not encountered the music of Alela Diane before, but I will certainly be encountering it in the future. She played a beautiful and captivating set for just shy of an hour. This was the first webcast I know of to have included a support act, and most people weren’t expecting it, but none were disappointed. In the unexpected absence of Neil Hannon for the first hour we were kept in more than adequate company as Alela wove delicate tales wrapped in soft, harmonic melodies accompanied with a frankly beautiful voice. I was so mesmerised that the cheese toastie that constituted my dinner for the evening had been left unattended and resolidifed as I stared at my laptop screen captured in some fine folk tunes.

However that set had to come to an end, and with it as per usual the audience were granted an interval. For those watching at home, we didn’t really need an interval, we could go to the loo and get drinks when we wanted, and I personally didn’t want to risk doing so then as I had no idea when Neil Hannon would be coming on, as no announcement was made to those of us at home. This was a rather dull half hour of the evening, but it was more than made up for by what followed.

Neil Hannon strolled onto the stage, he sat at the piano, and he launched into a fantastic solo rendition of Our Mutual Friend. My favourite song in the world at the top of the show, I didn’t think it could get better, I thought surely it was all downhill from here. But Hannon rolled out all the hits starting with a rousing rendition of Tonight We Fly. Hits followed, as did a surprising few rarities such as Your Daddy’s Car which I hadn’t heard in far too long a time.

Highlights included If, I Like, Don’t Look Down and a marvellous cover of MGMT’s Time To Pretend, which has left me with the distinct impression that there is no song this man couldn’t cover spectacularly. A personal favourite was a tangent in the middle of At The Indie Disco where he embarked on performing the intro to Blue Monday a capella.

Throughout the evening his banter was a delight as always, an effortlessly charming man. No other artist could get away with putting disclaimers at the beginning of his songs for shoddy playing, forgetting lyrics on a few occasions, and spending five minutes emptying a bag of old tissues, train tickets and various other tat and yet be so wonderfully entertaining at the same time. You find yourself almost wishing for a mistake if only to hear him comically recover.

At the end he received a standing ovation not only in Paris, but also in the living rooms of many following it on Twitter. He came on for an encore dressed in a rather splendid bowler hat to perform The Complete Banker, one of the few tracks to be performed from the new album, but also one of the best. Followed by a superb version of National Express. A song usually defined by it’s big brass refrain and guitar solo, converted to Neil sat at a Grand Piano, and it was one of the best versions I’ve heard of it.

Surely that would be enough, but he came back for yet one more final encore where he performed Can You Stand On One Leg from the latest album Bang Goes The Knighthood. A song which to me sounds like a cross between Serge Gainsbourg and Morecambe And Wise. It was a perfectly jovial way to end the three and half hours I had spent watching. And for those of you who are curious he held that note for just as long as on the album.

Divine Comedy are without a shadow of a doubt my favourite band, and this webcast only served to further establish them as such. I have never managed to see them live yet, but with events like this I certainly will be making the extra effort to attend in future, even if it means going to fair Paree.

Sam Schafer

The question I posed to myself the other day; what would happen, and how would the cyber music community react, if file sharing over the internet became impossible, say, with the certainty of being prosecuted? My immediate answer was that the online music community would simply adapt to the new situation, for it is fair to say that the sharing of music over the internet is so deeply engrained into music and internet culture today that it cannot be stopped, no matter how powerful or determined certain organisations may be.

To try and make my idea clearer, I am going to present to you this metaphor which I think best describes what I am trying to say. When the main route is blocked and the fallen tree which has crossed your path is un-moveable and too dangerous to climb over, one will seek a new route and try to clear the foliage to use an old, less accessible path. Some may head back completely. This old and rugged path may not lead you to your destination the quickest, but nevertheless, you may make new discoveries or see sights you would not expect to find on the usual, worn path. Someday, this once old and desolate path will become the main path once it is clear enough for the unsure to use.

Physical file sharing is that old rugged path which may be forced to be re-opened and explored if file sharing over the internet was to fall.

The sharing, lending and copying of CDs and before that, cassettes, has always existed, with it coming to a steady decline in recent years. I now wish to post the image of people file sharing physically, in other words face to face, using portable storage mediums such as external hard drives, as a result of living in a world where file sharing over the internet is not feasible.

To extend this idea, as part of this method of sharing, imagine people forming their own real life music networks and communities, meeting up to plug their external hard drives into one another’s laptop to copy files and share, discuss, recommend and enjoy music with each other together, face to face. Facebook, online music communities and forums would give people a way to organise meets where people of similar musical interests come together to share, recommend, discuss and enjoy the music they love.

The social implications of this would be incredible. Music would become more ‘personalised’ as people seek out ‘that guy who has the extremely rare first release by…’. People would be socialising themselves around music. It would be a wholly interactive experience, as opposed to downloading a file from the internet which requires minimal thought or effort. Music would also become more valued as certain material becomes harder to find, and people are forced to put considerable effort in to finding a person with similar tastes. Of course, it would provide a great platform for meeting new people and expanding social reaches.

What could the wider social outcome of this be? I certainly see some merit in the assumption that it could become a significant part of youth culture. The deviance of it, similar to the sort of kicks people get from illegal downloading, would whip up a sense of counter-culture and ‘sticking it to the man’, further fuelling people’s desire and enjoyment in sharing music.

The effect this would have on record sales is hard to sketch out, but it seems fair to say that in a world where it is harder to obtain music illegally, record sales would increase. As it has already been said, music would become more valued. Surely this would entice people to buy music, both the file sharers and those who usually obtain music legally.

I understand that this is all a somewhat romanticised idea, but I truly believe a dramatic increase of file sharing by physical means would be the outcome if file sharing over the internet as we know it today became impossible. I once heard someone describe the situation between the music pirates and the RIAA as “like a thousand speeding cars shooting past one police officer”. If this is the case, I can’t see the situation changing any time soon.

I would like to sum up with this. File sharing will always exist. There will always be people who have the knowledge, desire and creativity for it to exist. If it was forced to change, reverting to sharing via face to face interaction would seem the most logical solution. If this was to take form and gain momentum in the music community, it could have a serious part in shaping how music is consumed and accessed. Music will be enjoyed and people will be brought together through music in a completely new and revolutionary way.

Daniel Proudfoot

Hello, here we have the podcast for the show broadcast on 23rd May. This show is rather special as it contains our very first face-to-face interview. Our interviewee was Jim Bob; former frontman of Carter USM (or Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine), solo artist and writer. Along with this, we have our featured artists and general wiffle-waffle; this week on the topic of bad band names. Considering it was the first of its kind, the interview went very well, and Jim Bob had some very interesting things to say on the music industry today and his various endeavours.

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Artist I Found Between Last Week’s Show And This Week’s Show:

Sam’s choice: Holly Miranda – Waves

Holly Miranda, a former solo artist, now solo artist again. She fronted the band Jealous Girlfriends for a considerable chunk of the noughties and now she returns to singing by herself in The Magican’s Private Library. A gorgeous album which gets better each time you hear it as you’re allowed another glimpse into the rich tapestry of sounds she weaves. From folk influences to electro sounds this album has it all, and it’s been neatly tied together by the phenomenal producer that is Dave Sitek of TV On The Radio. Any of those sentences would make me want to listen it, and it lives up to each and everyone one of them. You can find out more on her MySpace here.

Dan’s choice: LSD and the Search for God – I Don’t Care

Anyone who has any sort of musical leaning towards shoegaze will find this band an absolute delight. Their delicate boy/girl vocals, warping guitars, subtle hooks and solid drumming will capture the heart of anyone who sees themselves a fan of My Bloody Valentine, Ride, Spacemen 3, and anything coming in a swirling, dreamy, noisy bundle. The 5-piece from San Francisco have only put out one E.P, released early 2007, which is quite frankly faultless in its five tracks. If this self-titled E.P is anything to go by, their future releases will see the band hammer down their flag amongst the greats of the shoegaze genre. I just hope they are in a shed or recording studio somewhere, finally ready (after 3 years) to deliver that oh-so-awaited album. You can check out their Myspace here.

Hello, here is the much belated podcast from the 16th of May. In this show we were rather flustered as for the first hour of the show the mics weren’t working and thus we were rather panicked and rushed during the rest of it. But even still we managed to discuss our featured artists, The National’s YouTube broadcast, the music output of the BBC, the future of the BBC, and the music industry as a whole.

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Artist I Found Between Last Week’s Show And This Week’s Show:

Sam’s choice: Paul Baribeau – Christmas Lights

Do you like things which sound DIY and Lo-Fi? Do you like the sound of a man making rickety music with wonderful poetry over the top? Do you like beards? Then you may well love Paul Baribeau. The Michigan native creates some of the finest folk-punk currently out there. His music has a ramshackle charm reminiscent of some of his contemporaries and collaborators such as Kimya Dawson and Matty Pop Chart. With warm and witty lyrics he conjures up stories that most people can relate to, about loneliness, hometowns, unrequited loves and regrets. Some of the best examples of this come from his album “Grand Ledge” which includes the notable tracks “Christmas Lights”, “Falling In Love With Your Best Friend” and the utterly sublime “Ten Things” which is a lament to living while you’re alive. And believe it or not Paul Baribeau is better at it than Bon Jovi. Also worth checking out is a very interesting album of Bruce Springsteen covers. Paul Baribeau is signed to Plan-it-X Records. You can check out his MySpace here.

Dan’s choice: Yiruma – River Flows In You

Here we have a lovely little piano ditty from globally successful South Korean pianist and composer Yiruma. With a delicate, almost soppy romantic tinge, this fluttering piece should have a good ol’ tug on the heartstrings, or alternatively, it may just leave you peering into horizons or bringing up those wisps of lost love. It’s not music to kick down doors to, nor is it one to play when rolling with the windows down, but it is music to recline and escape with, and for that, I can’t help but let such a piece tip-toe around my mind. For more Yiruma you can find him on MySpace.

The National And Red Hot:

For video highlights of The National’s Vevo event visit their YouTube homepage.

For more information on Red Hot visit their homepage. They do fabulous work for fighting AIDs through popular culture. The album  Dark Was The Night is a wonderful album. You can listen to it via Spotify or you can buy it and a film of it from Red Hot’s homepage. Please purchase the products they put out, they are brilliant and the money goes to a very good cause.

To keep this blog ticking over whilst we’re at work editing podcasts and the like, Sam and I have put together a little summer mixtape for you guys to enjoy. Hopefully you will listen to it whilst looking into a sunset, running through a field, or cruising along the seafront (or something), but in your bedrooms will do fine.

The A-side has Sam’s picks, and the B-side has my (Dan’s) picks. I hope you enjoy it!

A-side:

B-side:

Tracklisting

Boy Least Likely To - Hugging My Grudge
Sufjan Stevens - The Predatory Wasp Of The Palisades Is Out To Get Us
Beirut - Postcards From Italy
My First Tooth - Honesty Honesty
The Duckworth Lewis Method - Mason on the Boundary
The Beach Boys - Don't Worry Baby

Priscilla Ahn - A Good Day (Morning Song)
Washed Out - New Theory
Memory Cassette - 50mph
My Bloody Valentine - Soon
Delorean - Simple Graces
Vashti Bunyan - Here Before

- Daniel Proudfoot

You may have noticed the distinct lack of activity here as of late, well that’s because both me and Dan have had Uni exams and thus have got a bit backlogged with the podcast, but we shall be back soon.

Also coming up we have the launch of our first non-radio-show-based podcasts in a couple of weeks.

In July we shall have the launch of our special Mercury Music Prize blog and podcast.

We shall have more reviews and interviews coming up, some of which I am excited about (namely the Divine Comedy’s new album which arrived in the post today).

So stay tuned for more news on all of that, but right now we have the launch of something special you can all get involved in:

FESTIVAL SPIES!

We want you to get in contact if you are going to any music festivals over the summer. If you are then we would love to hear from you so that we can get you to report on it for us. Give us your reviews and hot tips from all this years festivals, either on the podcast or just on the blog its up to you. So get in contact.

If you want to be involved in this then why not email us at irregularbroadcasting@hotmail.co.uk

That is all for now, we shall be back soon with some actual proper content.

In the meantime keep it Irregular. Actually don’t, that’s a terrible sign off.

Bye

Sam

It’s not a reinvention by the band, it’s not even particularly experimental, but what it is is a honing. With “Alligator” and “Boxer” they found their sound, now they’re going into the corners, finding the niches and making it precise. The result in “High Violet” is a highly literate melancholic effort full of slowly swelling build-ups and gloomy dwells to brood in.

Tracks such as “Anybody’s Ghost” and “Sorrow” clearly demonstrate the gloomy angle to the band’s output. The combination of the dark baritone of Beringer and lyrics such as “Didn’t I see sorrow build? / It’s in my honey. It’s in my milk.” Engulf you in the mood of the album, making your heart ache as it goes on. Even when the album approaches something resembling uplifting, such as on “Runaway” or “England”, it serves more to indulge the downbeat stories that Beringer weaves.

And that’s the beauty of this album: It isn’t a depressing album, its melancholic. If you feel slightly down or alone then this album will indulge it and carry you through with it. It almost acts like a musical support group, travelling through these tales of normal people whose life is disappointing, and coming out the other side feeling slightly reassured about your own existence.

I have listened to little else bar “High Violet” in this past week, yet the perfect moment came last night when I was walking home at eleven o’clock in the dark and the cold along empty streets with The National ringing in my ears. And it was marvellous. It’s the kind of album you will listen to when walking home from a gig, or sitting in a bar alone drinking whiskey, or just fancy a good brood.

As I’ve already said, it’s melancholic and serves to indulge, but really how sad can you be when you know you live in a world that has The National in it.

Sam Schäfer

You can listen to the album on Spotify here:

We’re back with another edition of the podcast. In this one we have an interview with Tom Filepp who creates music under the moniker Cars And Trains and also runs the record label Circle Into Square. Our regular feature “Artist I found between last week’s show and this week’s show” returns this time with a look at Laura J Martin and Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3. As well as all of that we discuss The Hold Steady, FHM, Brixton and The Pogues. Don’t we just spoil you.

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Artist I Found Between Last Week’s Show And This Week’s Show:

Dan’s choice: Robyn Hitchcock And The Venus 3 – Sickie Boy  

The well-established British singer-songwriter Robyn Hitchcock returns with a new project; The Venus Three. The Venus Three are Peter Buck of R.E.M., Scott McCaughey of Young Fresh Fellows and Bill Rieflin of Ministry. As well as these collaborators the album features a variety of special guests including John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, Johnny Marr of The Smiths, Modest Mouse and The Cribs, and Nick Lowe. With such talent all under the lead of the wonderful Hitchcock it is little wonder that they have produced such a fantastic album. Propeller Time is out now on Yep Roc records. For more information visit robynhitchcock.com or visit Robyn’s MySpace.

Sam’s choice: Laura J Martin – Doki Doki  

Laura J Martin is an undiscovered gem within the British music scene. Based in Leeds she creates wonderful chirpy folk songs. Full of pop and pep she conjures up magical songs that are perfect to sit and listen to in the sun. If ever there is an artist to make you smile until it hurts it will be Laura J Martin. A phenomenal use of flute mixed in with some worldly percussion and enough xylophone to make The Boy Least Likely To jealous makes sure that Laura will be a part of anyone’s record collection who likes twee, Currently unsigned (why?) her new single The Hangman Tree is released on the 24th of May. Doki Doki is out now. You can check out her MySpace here.

Circle Into Square Records:

In this week’s podcast we interviewed Tom Filepp of the band Cars And Trains and the record label Circle Into Square. Based in Portland Oregon, Circle Into Square is an artist led label aiming to give the best representation and support to those it has signed. A large electronic and folk sound to its roster, it also has a significant hip-hop side to its output, largely due to its partnership with Fake Four Inc. For more information visit their website here. For more information on Cars And Trains visit their website or MySpace or see last week’s post where they featured as Sam’s choice for “Artist I found between last week’s show and this week’s show”. Circle Into Square’s first compilation is now available as a free download here.

The songs played during the interview are, in order:

Cars And Trains – The Leaves

The Harvey Girls – Hey, Little Sprout!

Boy In Static – Toy Baby Grand

This is our bright and shiny new blog to accompany our new series of podcasts of the same name.

But what are these podcasts you ask, well be quiet and let us tell you. These podcasts are from our student radio show and they concern themselves with all sorts of lovely ‘alternative’ and sometimes obscure music. Each week we have a regular feature called “Artist I found between last week’s show and this week’s show” which is exactly what it says it is. We also have general banter about music, new releases, new bands and anything else vaguely related to the topic.

But what about the blog? Well the blog is a companion to the podcast and the show. On it we shall post the podcasts themselves as well as various reviews and bits and bobs such as custom playlists and the like.

In the future you can expect more interviews, reviews, documentaries and general sub-par brilliance.

That’s the future, but we’re still in the present, and in the present we have the first instalment of our podcast.

Podcast 1: 02-05-10 | The First One!

In this our very first podcast we talk about all sorts of things. And those things are: James Summerfield, She And Him, Pitchfork, hipster babies, I Am Arrows, Sarah Records, Cars And Trains, Anaïs Mitchell, our first albums and everyone’s favourite; swearing. So listen and enjoy. Please.

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Artist I Found Between Last Week’s Show And This Week’s Show:

Sam’s choice: Cars And Trains – Intimidated By Silence  

Cars And Trains is the work of multi-instrumentalist Tom Filepp, an Oregon based outfit who makes wonderful hypnotic electronic music, full of glorious drones and blips. However there is also a folky edge to it making it reminiscent of bands such as The Microphones and Tunng. Bathed in lo-fi production it has an earthy charm to it. Their second album The Roots The Leaves is out now and is available from www.carsandtrains.net also check out their MySpace.

Dan’s choice: Anaïs Mitchell – Way Down Hadestown  

A folk musician based in Vermont, who’s popped out of relative obscurity to slap down on the table a ballsy, swaggering, jittering folk opera featuring Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), Ani DiFranco, Ben Knox Miller (The Low Anthem) and Greg Brown. Based around the Ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, the album Hadestown has received an extremely positive reception, being rated 10/10 and 5/5 from numerous sources. Expect to see this album at the top of “Best of 2010″ lists come winter. The album Hadestown is out now on Righteous Babe Records.  For more information visit anaismitchell.com or her MySpace.