music for pleasure

my big favourite listening thing at the moment is the first three or four songs on open season by british sea power. that's not to say i don't like the rest of it, but i rarely hear it, modern life being what it is. it's pretty simple stuff, the way i like it, poppy with guitars, idiosyncratic singing which sounds a bit like the bloke in the psychedelic furs but i've got used to it now. i like the aura that bsp give off. i've not seen them live, but i wish i had and i fear it is now too late. i've missed early british sea power. they dress up in military uniforms on stage which has to be a good thing. i miss dressing up. i like those groups who make an effort yet still manage not to look showbiz.

i've also been listening to the first three or four songs on some cities by doves. please note that isn't the doves, just doves. like two bars of soap. or two ice creams. or the drugs that they get their name from. oooh, how risque. doves are sort of the antithesis of british sea power, and as a group i don't really like them at all. i don't like the way the singer sings. but somehow this doesn't matter with the songs i like. there are three of them. i don't like that. you need at least four people in a group, even if one is only standing there reading a newspaper. i don't like lead singing bass players either. it's just not right. and i hate their not-trying, take us or leave us, meat and potatoes ordinary appearance. the singer should have a shave and lose at least two stone. but i like the first three or four songs on the new disc, anyway.

low have a new record out, it's called the great destroyer. i like the first two songs on this. i really like low despite there being only three in the group. and i really only like one or two songs on each record. the rest i can completely leave. they do good harmonies but sometimes it just goes on a bit. i'm not into long songs, unless they're really long. i hate intros that go on forever. but sometimes you like people despite all the evidence against them, innit?

and the other thing i've just got hold of, which is very good, is a compilation of yo la tengo stuff. they control their feedback really well, i think. they play it. it tells me that they spend a lot of time on their sound. there are only three of them too, i've just realised, but it doesn't matter.

i want to get the new damon & naomi(2 people) disc when i've fully digested the above. stereolab(4? 5?) have a new compilation out next week of b sides and things, with a dvd too. i like to look at moving pictures of groups. and last but not at all least, the fantastic go-betweens(4) have a new lp out next week. i'll have to get that. don't know if i'll have enough money to feed the children(2).

hold on though, i won't be buying the bruce springsteen(1?) lp, so i can get them beans on toast.