From Submarine to Trainspotting .... Films with the BEST Soundtracks.

A film's soundtrack can make or break a film. A film with a slightly above average storyline can be greatly improved to something watchable using the choice of music. It takes a skilled song writer to create music specifically for a film, and a skilled song selector to choose from the outstanding number of songs out there to find the perfect ones for that film moment. Here are my personal favourite films, based on their soundtracks....

 Submarine 

Submarine is this generation's emotional indie film, directed by Richard Ayoade, and with a beautifully written soundtrack by Alex Turner. This soundtrack consists of four, fairly slow songs that reflect the atmosphere of the film absolutely perfectly. I think the songwriting skills here are what makes me think Alex is an absolute genius. Stripped of the rest of the Arctic Monkeys, its just Alex and his guitar. You can hear emotion in his voice as he sings the words songs filled with beautiful imagery.

Lord of the Rings 
The soundtrack for Lord of the Rings heads in a completely different direction, as the whole thing was composed using entire orchestras for use in the film. However, I think it should definitely be credited as a soundtrack genius. The choirs of people singing and the build up of the instruments really reflects the trials and trauma of the films storyline! Whilst it is a very stereotypical sound for a fiction film, it is done so perfectly. You can hear uplifting sections in the music, which builds up to catastrophic ends.

 Trainspotting 
Trainspotting is an absolutely amazing film with some real britpop hits. The whole film has a very 'screw everything' attitude to it, which is reflected with its 80s and 90s pop songs. This films wins with its soundtrack purely with the use of Lou Reed's Perfect Day as Mark Renton enters a heroin induced state in which nothing everything is distorted. I can't say I've ever found myself in that state, but I can say that's one of the songs I can imagine playing in my head. And, saying that, if anyone can be trusted to write a heroin song it's most definitley Mr Lou Reed.

Record Stores Are the Way Forward

I am here to talk to you about the importance of vinyl. Last year I was given the gift of a record player, something I had wanted for some time. I got a reconditioned vintage one on ebay and started checking out record shops, something I only ever did to buy posters before hand. I feel there is something really special about owning vinyl. The only way I can think to describe it is that it is the most physical form of owning music. There is nothing more exciting than waiting till the day an album is released and heading to your local record shop (personal favourites being Jumbo Records and Crash Records in Leeds) and leaving with a bag containing your new record. That, compared to downloading the album off iTunes, or even buying the cd, is less personal in comparison. You really feel as if you are making your best effort for this album that you have been so desperate to hear.

I also draw on the atmosphere of a record store. The feeling of heading into a shop that is wall to wall with good music. Posters on the walls, gig adverts pinned to the boards and shelves and shelves of plastic wrapped vinyl sleeves in badly organised alphabetical order that you must trawl through to find your record. You then have the pride of taken your chosen record of immaculate music taste to the till and chatting to whoever works there about records/music/gigs and feeling really involved.

So, you've done the shop thing and you then have the excitement of getting home to listen to your record. Another great thing about vinyl listening is that you must be there to physically interact with the music listening. It is not enough to just press a button as you would with a computer, you must turn it on and wait for it to speed up, then delicately treat your record when turning it over half way through the listening. This, I've found, means you end up stopping to listen to your music more. Rather than putting music on in the background and doing something else you are actively sat listening to your music. It gives you more chance to experience and appreciate the music without being distracted by other things!

Finally, if there is anything better than having a good CD collection, it's having a good record collection. It's something to be proud of, something to display and show off about. I always tend to have the album I last listened to proudly displayed next to my record player, and in years to come when I believe I will really appreciate my signed records, the sounds of my teenage years!

Why The Cribs could be one of the best bands ever.

If I'm being truly honest, this post comes out of watching about 20 Cribs videos on youtube and getting a bit excited, but let's just go with it.

I think The Cribs are absolutely amazing. The three brothers started about ten years ago in Wakefield, making their main gig city Leeds which is oh so conveniently where I live (kind of). They have five albums and a 'best of' album out. Each album is absolutely full of amazing songs, and not one album they have produced has been considered a bad album. I think one thing that really sums up how amazing they are is that the one album that they did with legendary guitarist Johnny Marr (Ignore the Ignorant) has been considered their worst album they've made! Now I believe that that is saying something!

Another thing, I love the bands loyal to their favourite venues. Brudnell Social Club in Leeds is probably the smallest Leeds venue, but it is at the same time probably the best. The Cribs played a bunch of gigs there, including a christmas show in 2008. I would like to point out that this is after releasing two albums, whereas most bands who play there are still on their EP's and debuts. They knew they could have sold out a bigger venue, but they stuck to their favourite place! And from what Ive seen it was a pretty decent gig (I didn't go because I was 11, bad excuse I know).

NEXT THING. Their gigs are done on their own terms. No encores (I actually hate encores at gigs - waste of time) They hardly talk to the audience and they just power through each song to fit as many songs in as possible. ALSO, their front man (obviously Ryan) isn't their lead singer (Gary) which is pretty damn cool. And those haircuts are ridiculous to the point of being awesome.

I think I'm done with my positivity-rant on how much I love the cribs. Also bummed that I'm missing them in Leeds this month, in fact that is a very raw patch on my life right now.

Peace // Leeds The Met 02.12.13

The last time Peace were in Leeds (bar Leeds fest) was for Live In Leeds, which was an amazing day but slightly bad organisation meant that they were put as a headliner at the cockpit, and a large amount of people didn't get into the venue, or had to leave early to go get trains. So hopefully this would be better (it was). 

They opened up with Sheffield brothers Eoin and Rory in Drenge. Drenge seem to be a very you love them or you hate them band, and the crowd was split between people who couldn't wait to see them and people who were gutted they had to stand through them. I was in the first half, and was happy to see the crowd jumping up and down and really going for it. They played a bunch of songs from their debut album, all whilst staring intensely into the crowd. At least five songs had passed before Eoin looked up and said "Hi Leeds, we're Drenge". I'm sure the guys are lovely when you talk to them, but I must admit that they're angry stage presence leads me to believe that the reason they're a band of just two people is because they don't like anyone else! They ended by playing Face like a Skull and throwing guitars on the floor and standing on them. 

Peace played a great set list, playing majority songs from In Love, and Bloodshake and 1998 from their old EP. Every song was full of energy, and with Harrison Koisser informing Leeds that we were a good looking bunch, and that we smelt pretty good? I was happy to see that Doug Castle had still not lost his guitar-moves despite having most likely spent the lest few months up all night with his new baby (the only time going on tour will be considered a rest), and that Sam Koisser was still as lovely and sweet as ever, blowing kisses to the crowd as he left the stage. Their encore consisted of my personal favourite, California Daze, a slow and beautiful song that made me fall in love with the band at first listen, and then shambolic indie pop song Bloodshake. We only heard one new song, Money, but it was worth a listen and a good sign of what is next to come from the band. 

Unfortunately, the band took far too long coming out afterwards, but we did meet bass player Sam before the gig (he was very lovely). I was disappointed not to hear the bands new Last Christmas cover, but over all it was an amazing enjoyable gig.