A Mothers’ Day Victoria Sponge, Against the Odds – Introducing 'The Victory Sponge!’

This mother’s day I decided I’d try and do something a little different, whilst challenging myself in the process. I decided to try baking. After all every Mum loves a cake, and good Mums like anything that their kids do, no matter how badly they do it. Luckily, I’m blessed with a great mum, with fantastic patience despite having been tormented for 23 years with shitey crayon drawings and bad jokes. Surely, she’d love a cake to celebrate the completely non-corporate festivities of Mothers’ day - no matter how woefully un-cake-like it could turn out?

So it was decided. I shall bake! And that is what I did.

The only real problem was, I’ve never really baked, well not solo anyway.  I think my lack of baking to date is down to the fact that I’m quite choosey when it comes to the cakes I like. I have a pretty rigid idea of what I think constitutes a cake. Also there are a number of luscious cakey varieties I just don’t think I could stomach, let alone bake. For these reason I decided to avoid the mothers’ day cliché of chocolate, and bake a Victoria Sponge - but give it a unique and personal twist. This cake I would later dub, the Victory Sponge! A cake baked against the odds.

The Recipe:

I actually stayed fairly loyal to the Victoria Sponge recipe I sourced on the Big British Castle website which you can find by clicking here. Well, I say I stayed loyal, loyal in the first instance anyway… excluding cock-ups. I followed the recipe and directions to bake the sponge element of the cake, then I went off road. I guess this makes me some sort of a cake maverick.

Instructions for Baking a Victory Sponge!

Put on the Atoms for Peace’s debut album ‘Amok’, loud.

Measure out the ingredients.

Add the margarine to sugar.

Add the Flour, the Eggs, and the vanilla extract to the sugary marge puddle you just made.

Stir, whisk, and beat the mixture until you get arm ache - because baking is strangely physical.

Go out for 3 hours…

Wait a minute. What?

Come back home after wandering around aimlessly until you remembered you’re actually supposed to be baking.

Re-pre-heat oven.

Dollop the mix into two cake tins. Cook for 28 minutes at 180 degrees because you can’t wait two minutes longer.

Place your awesome cake on a cooling rack, and marvel because you haven’t re-baked ‘Grey Cake’ - that tasteless cakey sensation you baked with your younger brother when you were 14.

Shut your laptop hiding BBC food, fasten your seatbelt, tighten your jam roll cage, and switch to 4x4 mode. It’s time to go off the rocky road.  << These are terrible cake jokes. But, I bet they’d be funny if I had said them in Greggs.

Cut the two cake bases in half – providing 4 layers of cake, not a simple sandwich cake like the BBC website wants you to have. You’re a rebel, f*ck instructions.

Consult your Mum because you’re not that much of a rebel, and you’ve got lost in the perils of the cakey outback after going off road without a map.

Bin the intended 4^th layer of cake because it doesn’t look to have cooked as well as the other 3 – you’ve still got a double sponge sandwich on your hands, so you’re also still a rebel. Pow! Take that Merry Berries.

Prepare fresh strawberries (which you lightly sugar), and blackberries that you hope are both tart and tangy.

Add clotted cream to the 2 bottom layers (because you want this to taste like a giant mega scone), and seedless jam to the underside of the 2 top layers.

Decorate and fill the bottom sandwich with strawberries, and the top sandwich with blackberries.

Place on a square plate even though the cake is circular because you’re edgy.

Pre-maturely tweet a picture of the cake because you’re super proud it looks like a cake and not an undercooked yet fruity pile of vom.

I baked this cake - super #proud of my first cake attempt! twitter.com/SirScottofMac/…
— Scott McLoughlin (@SirScottofMac) March 10, 2013

Feel your heart sink as a friend informs you it looks like a “Big Mac”.

Die on the inside when another chimes in asking “do you want fries with that?”

@rossmcgeown @sirscottofmac Do you want fries with that?
— Craig (@Craigloves) March 10, 2013

Feel renewed hope when you are informed you forgot to frost the cake.

Add the missing frosting, and once again ‘feel the biz’.

Serving the cake:

I went with a sideplate full of cake, with extra fruit and a pot of tea for good measure.

Oooh yeaaa. You’ve arrived at the taste party.

Did it taste good?

Well there wasn’t any left. So either it was unbelievably good, or my Mum once again proved she is a lovely lovely person, willing to eat cakey nonsense to see me smile. 

Music Power: An exploration of culture in search of the ultimate snowboarding playlist

Music and snowboarding - my two great passions. The first and last thing I think about each day. Effortlessly complimentary, with one infinitely enhancing the other when a perfect match of track and snow is made.

If you're as much of a musical purist as myself, choosing the tracks you ride to is no small matter. There’s a lot to think about. After all, the songs you listen to ultimately soundtrack your truest moments of freedom: the time you spend closest to nature, and the time you spend defying it. The tracks you shred to will inevitably score the best days of your life - that day you conquered the mountain, that perfect power day, the day you stuck the landing clean, and the days you forgot you had 9 – 5 stresses. No pressure then.

Profoundness aside, I do believe that snowboarding and music just make each other better. Not only can music help your performance on the board, it can help you recall and remember the good times with more fondness. Music can carry you up that freezing chairlift, or give you an energy boost to trudge through the deepest powder to hit that once in a lifetime spot. As Richard Ashcroft says many many times over 4 minutes, music is power.

As I’m sure you’re all well aware, there have been countless scientific studies into the ‘power of music’. In truth there are a way too many disciplines and approaches examining this concept to discuss at length here (though this viral video is one heart warming example). Extreme sports athletes particularly seem to draw power from music. Almost every snowboarding video you see these days shows at least one rider directly plugged into their MP3 player as if its an actual power source. Of course, these same riders are then shown dropping some "next level shiz". This isn't merely coincidence, is it?

Pro Vox - Jenny Jones

"Do you have a track you can’t stop listening to when you ride?"

@sirscottofmac two songs from drive soundtrack, rad for first runs in the morning
— Jenny Jones (@jennyjonessnow) January 1, 2013

I personally ride with the vain hope that the ‘Mozart effect’ will magically help me stomp a perfect switch back 9, but considering I still find button lifts an unexpected challenge, I think that this hope is a little bit pipe dream. Nevertheless, our apparent need to harness and utilise the power of music at a personal level has emerged as lucrative market. Sadly, the technology that enables us put good music to good use is valued much more highly than the music itself. People are more than happy to spend their money on a smart phone or a music player. Disappointingly, many of these people then cringe at music prices, and hunt out the nearest torrent. I do find it a little bizarre that people have such an eversion to supporting the artists and musicians that give such desirable pieces of tech a purpose and a soul. Our society seems to crave technology, but it fails to see that its the creative content produced by artists, not the gadgets themselves, that makes their lives more fulfilling.

2012 was yet another year where music sales struggled, but almost counter-intuitively headphones sales appeared to grow exponentially. 2012 could easily have been dubbed 'the year of headphones'. Snowboarding, like mainstream fashion, has seen a huge increase in the number of dedicated brands providing stylish cans to wear whilst you get it done on the slopes. Mercifully snowboarding/headphone crossover brands, such as ‘Frends’ for example, have adopted more bespoke approaches to audio gear. With snowboarding culture acting as the foundation for these brands, they seem to go about their day-to-day business with a reverence to the unwritten rider's ethos of 'independence'. This is stark contrast to the Beats by Dre cash cow, for example - a brand which seems to reek of  ‘look the same’, ‘fit in’ and ‘be like everyone else / Justin Bieber’.

Dr Dre's 'Beats' headphones gate crashed the London 2012 Olympic games setting the standard for mass audio-fashion

Image from (http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/business-london-2012-olympics/19275-dr-dre-beats-strict-olympic-marketing-rules-giving-his-high-end-headphones-athletes.html)

Of course, the 'on board' music experience isn't the only way boarding and music combine. Snowboarding, like skateboarding before it, is cultivating its own exciting and unique fringe music movements and arts culture. Increasing numbers of snowsport-centric acts are appearing. Its interesting that whilst the snowboarding community at large continually fights to maintain its own 'alternative' identity, paradoxically it also appears to be easing itself into mainstream culture. Snowboarding is slowly but surely co-opting big name DJ’s, as well as numerous producers and acts who wish to differentiate themselves from the charts, or be associated with snowboarding's lifestyle choices. Of course some just want to play the unique events and festivals (like Snowbombing for example). It may even be the case that snowboardings' 'counter-culture' is just becoming more accessible. However, this also seems to be true for other 'energy drink affiliated sports' and their unique cultures. Coincidental? I think not.

If we're honest, its no big surprise that the free market economy has found a discreet way to infiltrate extreme sports' largely defensive and cliquey sense of identity. Its just a little strange the market intruded via the medium of energy drinks of all things. This is not to say the presence of energy drinks is a bad thing, the jury is still out. Sure, they might not be good for you, but they finance a lot within the extreme sporting world. Not only do they sponsor live events, and pump money into action sports, these fizzy caffeine brands also do exactly the same sort of things for music. Energy drinks are essentially a self appoint 'culture fuel'. Red Bull even have a record label. Rather cleverly Red Bull use their own artists to soundtrack whatever "Whoa! Cool!" ad campaign they then wish to push. Case point - AWOLNATION (aka, abuse of caps lock) provides the song for this frankly inspired video / advert in disguise:

As the above video demonstrates, it seems that Red Bull have learnt one thing from extreme sports culture: a good choice of song can make a video edit great, and great videos and great songs get remembered - the Art of Flight, anyone? The awe inspiring big mountain epic / Red Bull über ad? (Who knew helicopters had so much ad space on them?)

Cynicism aside, the soundtracks on shred flicks have always been, and continue to be a point of artistic and personal expression. Soundtracking an edit still remains a potent channel for musicians to widen their audience reach, or claim endorsement by revered sporting icons. You could also argue these films map the socio-cultural borders of where snowboarding culture and popular culture overlap. The Art of Flight is particularly interesting in this regard, as it is arguably the most commercially orientated pure snowboarding film ever released - its soundtrack indulges popular culture whilst simultaneously thrusting lesser appreciated artists onto new audiences and unsuspecting potential fanbases. 

So I know what you’re thinking, “Blah Blah Blah, music is great, or at least it used to be before I read this long winded obituary of an article. When will this now legnthy article get to a list of tunes I can cruise too?!? Blah.”

Well, that’s a good question, if you’re going for a cruise… What if you’re hitting the backcountry, or sessioning the park? Music can absolutely make riding better, but only if you make good musical choices to ride to.

So now, take a quick moment, and ask yourself - what do you need the music to do for you? Do you need inspiration, or just a beat to hold your flow to? Are you hoping to emulate a hero? Will riding to the music from their latest vid part really push you to their level? Or do you just want to loose yourself completely in the moment? So much to think about… and over think about.

Personally, I’ve found that certain genres match certain riding styles and moods. So, I have rustled up a couple of ‘Match my mood and/or style to a genre of music’ info graphics (click here to use them). These hopefully will offer some playlist inspiration, or at least get you thinking. Ultimately, any given day, you know yourself, and your mood, what you want to ride, and which tunes get you going. So without any further ado, here is my list of:

Scott's Top Ten Tracks To Ride To

Of course these are just a few tracks from a much longer (constantly evolving) playlist, but they are my most played. I’ve also put a bit of an explanation about why I’ve chosen each; part sentiment, part taste. 100% bliss. Enjoy.

1. Hybrid - Finished Symphony - My first exposure to snowboarding was through playing SSX tricky. I gave the game a go because it looked a bit like skateboarding. This track was used on the back-country level "Untracked". Ever since hearing this song whilst cruising the virtual off-pieste I knew that one day I wanted to do that.
2. Skrillex - Summit - The soundtrack to my first off-pieste expedition.
3. Eagles of Death Metal - I Want You So Hard - Something to ride fast and angry to.
4. Pretty Lights - High School Art Class - Musical inspiration and wishful emulation - this track is used by Torstein Horgmo in an edit for DC. The music made that video part something especially inspiring.
5. The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary - I first heard this whilst playing Dave Mirra, I couldn't get into BMX but I've skated and snowboarded to this track ever since. 
6. Bon Iver - Skinny Love (Das Kapital Re-Rub) - I first heard this on a short but steezy edit by Torstein Horgmo (he curates his vid's music really well). The beat is big and consistent, and the song has a gentle flow. Its just great to ride to. 
7. Placebo - Every You, Every Me - I first heard this song watching the Flip Skateboards' film 'Sorry'. Mark Appleyard hits a perfect Kickflip over a barrel in his first line, and goes on to hit some of the best looking grinds ever seen. I've associated this song with style ever since. Style is style is style.
8. Coldplay - Paradise - I guess this will be a contentious choice because it is cool (and easy) to hate Coldplay. I get that. However, when riding in 'all time conditions', its not worth the effort to hate the beat and sentiment of this song. Its soundtracked some good times. Plus, getting Brian Eno in as producer was tantamount to buying surplus cool points so you can give them out free to haters. 
9. Two Door Cinema Club - What You Know - This band is so full of energy they effortlessly breathe an extra few runs into any day on the mountain. In truth, I probably could have chosen any of their songs because they're so hook happy, but 'What You Know' is still the first and last track I ride to from their albums. 
10. The Wombats - Tokyo Vampire and Wolves - Is a story about escapism, and feeling free from yourself. It also reminds me that I absolutely need to go to Japan, and sample their back country powder. No, this is not a drugs reference.

So, there you have it. I hope this article has helped you on your quest to enjoy music and riding even more than you may have done before (assuming that was your quest). But, you know what? Sometimes you just don't want to listen to anything other than the sound of your descent - the sound of the mountain, and the tear of snow under you as you ride. We spend a lot of time listening to that which people have made. Sometimes, silence is golden, and other times we should just lend our ear to nature. So, in the exact opposite spirit of this entire article. When you're next riding a majestic unspoilt decent, make time to listen to nature as well.

And now time for an inconclusive, unnecessary and somewhat wanky final paragraph:

Humans may be nothing more than the sum total of all they've experienced in life to date. As a consequence, our personal tastes in music may also be nothing more than the product of circumstance, society, and nurture. One thing is for sure, times change, and I know my playlist will change with it. In an age where technology and music can be omniscient we search for our few timeless moments. If we live these moments with a soundtrack, we also compile our greatest playlists. Let the snow settle, but never let the music settle... until its perfect.

Please comment and suggest tunes for me to listen to. I’m always looking for new tracks to leave tracks to.  

Scott's 'What Music Should I Go Snowboarding to?' Problem Solving Musical Identifier Venn Diagrams!

Simply identify a colour by isolating your mood and/or riding style - then check out the suggested genres, and a few example bands to help you on your way to some new tunes. 

By Terrain and Style

By Mood

Feeling Green? When feeling at peace or overawed by those good vibes given off by nature maybe try a 'new old' combo - classical sounding music underpinned by a big beat, for that cinematic ride. Or alternately, maybe source something liquid, or with a haunting ethereal chill... 

Why not check out a few of these for starters?: 

Hidden Orchestra - Flight

Hybrid - If I Survive

Sigur Rós - Hoppipolla

The Glitch Mob - Bad Wing

Logistics -The Trip

Yppah - R.Mullen

Bonobo - Prelude + Kiara

Andrew Bayer - Paper Cranes

On the Piste everyone is equal... and equally in your way. Cut your own path and cruise to what gets you going! These songs in an ideal world should make you speedy and steezy. Such fun enhancing properties can be found in many genres: Motown, Up tempo Indie-Pop, Dance, Reggae, Jokey Metal, Jazz or Blues. There are no right or wrong answers on these slopes. Why not hit shuffle and see where the day takes you? 

If you just need to ride fast why not crank up the BPM and blast some thrash metal, or drum & bass? Racing down the hill for a drink before the party? Start the party on the way down! Go on, crack open the Dance, Trance, charts and those indulgent aprés ski euro-pop farty party bass blasters.

Thrashy ideas:
DFA 1979 - Go Home, Get Down

Queens of the Stone Age - You Think I Ain't Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire

Motley Crew- Kickstart My Heart

Entry level Drum & Bass boosters:

Pendulum - Hold Your Colour 

Empire of the Sun - We are the People (Sub Focus Remix)

Got a hankering for Style points? Do you see your self hitting rails effortlessly. Then you've got Soul, and so should your music. Either your a purist and like your soul food undiluted, or you carve the new wave, flowing to remixed grooves. You probably enjoy Old School Hip-Hop, breakbeats, Northern Soul, Chilled Reggae and hitting shapes after getting your Jib on.

Pretty Lights - Finally Moving

Gil Scott Heron - Gun

Curtis Mayfield - Get On Up

Run DMC - My Adidas 

Jurassic 5 - Break 

Cut Chemist - The Audience Is listening

Hitting the mean streets (of a completely non-ghetto snowy mountain resort) for a jam session? Or are you just in a wretched mood and need to blow off some steam? Either way, grimey, swear happy or generally angry music (ranging from emo, via screamo, to just hating rails and life etc.) is probably the medicine you're after?

NWA - Straight Outta Compton

Hadouken! - That Boy That Girl

Tinchy Stryder - Game Over

Plan B - Ill Manors

The Blackout - Fashion Conscious Suicide 

As I lay Dying - The Darkest Nights

Cat wants a sausage

My cat Spud wants a sausage...

For more videos why not check out the Usual Writing Troop's 'updates page'.

Field Day and Applecart 2012 Review

2012, the year of sport, royalty, and a distinct lack of Glastonbury. What infinite joy.

On the bright side, 2012 is an opportunity for music loving festival goers to do something different; a chance to dodge the events everyone is over-hyping, avoid any traditional festival pilgrimages, and find excitement in something you never usually would.

With these ideas at heart I started my quest for fulfilling distraction at two of London's youngest inner-city festivals: 'Field Day' and 'The Apple Cart'. Could a weekend of music and comedy prove to be the perfect get away from Jubilee celebrations? Surely?

Field Day 2012 

If festivals were judged on first impressions alone, frankly, Field Day would suck. The organisation behind getting people into the festival site was shocking. People were queuing for hours to collect tickets bought online, whilst those who brought cash with them on the day could pick up tickets in a matter of minutes. In short the event organisation penalised revellers for forward planning, rewarding them with delayed entry to site and diminished time to have fun. Furthermore, the security on the entrance gate was more extensive and intrusive than a trip through airport security during a terror alert whilst wearing fused underpants. My wellington boots were metal detected (yes, rubber wellies) and I was frisked. Combine the queues with the feeling your unopened bottle of water could be a criminal offence, you arrive at a pretty gloomy starting point for festival fun.

In spite of a rubbish first hour, I have fond memories of Field Day. Sure, getting into the festival was horrendous, but I'm not one for judging a book by its cover, even if the cover is particularly painful and difficult to open. For the most part, the festival sun was shining, the stages all sounded good, and the line up was diverse and exciting. I don't even recall watching a poor performance... though 'Blanck Mass' did keep staring disconcertingly at the audience.

The real reason I went to the Field Day festival was the music. So, here's a round up of the acts I watched, some pseudo-informative spiel about them, plus a few links for the more inquisitive reader:

* Blanck Mass

As his name suggests, Blanck Mass broadcasts an ambient weight of sound. A core of noise that feels almost tangible. Processed beats interplay and build over heavy omniprecent bass. Blanck Mass tracks aren't short, and evolve one subtle layer at a time. If you enjoy immersing yourself and swimming in sound you'll appreciate his work. If not, Blanck Mass might feel quite empty despite the hulk off noise he crafts.

* Andrew Bird

The multitalented Andrew Bird and company took the breezy haze in London's Victoria Park and gave it a blissful soundtrack. His latest album 'Break it yourself' is brimming with light Americana chill out, sunshine, and mellowed summery vibes. True, he might be a little clever for festival crowds who are  unaware of who he is, or what he's about. Nevertheless, on a summers day it is easy to get lost in the complexities of his song writing, and mistake clouds for mountains. Highly recommended.

* Grimes

Grimes is a captivating, stylish, electro-witch - she's kind of like Luna Lovegood with a synthesiser. Though her performances can be a little short, and sometimes rough around the edges, she always leaves you wanting more. Catchy electro-pop, with a mystical ancient feel.

* Chairlift

Though at times it felt like I had momentarily slipped into the '80s, watching Chairlift was an uplifting experience (lol). Airy electronic pop with a sophisticated (even country and western sounding) female vocal. Fans of the Postal Service, and maybe even adventurous fans of First Aid Kit or the Top Gun soundtrack should enjoy.

* Beirut

A gentle and heartfelt soundtrack to summer nostalgia, with brass that gladdens your spirit.

* The Vaccines

Energetic driving surf rock... from London. The Vaccines probably got the best of any reaction I saw from the Field Day crowds with their song "If You Wanna". They're well suited to festivals, but their songs are a little bit same-y. Nevertheless, when you're in a Vaccines crowd you don't care, you just want more. The Vaccines are infectious, ironically.

* Franz Ferdinand

These pioneers of alt-indie rock still sound fresh and relevant. Sadly the weather at Field Day turned, and they were one of only a few bands who's parade got rained on. Despite the impromptu umbrella party, it was a little bit of a wash out. Unexpectedly Franz worked a modified cover version of Donna Summer's electro anthem 'I feel Love' into there set of new material and crowd pleasing classics. It is genuinely hard to imagine Franz Ferdinand putting on a bad live show.

The Apple Cart 2012 

Unlike Field Day, getting into the The Apple Cart festival was a much more relaxed affair. In fact the general atmosphere around the Apple Cart festival as a whole was more relaxed (despite the event getting a bum deal on the weather). The heavy rain could easily have left the punters bobbing (yes, like apples... poor apple puns 2 for a £1), but mercifully pretty much every stage was undercover.

Whereas Field Day felt like it was catering for cheery scensters, Apple Cart felt like it wanted to cater for families, but families preferably without kids. I reached this opinion as there were numerous tents marked "warning - adult content", I heard lots of adult language, and I saw a drag queen wearing just a wig and a liberally stuffed bikini... Super child friendly. Cynicism aside, if I was taken somewhere like Apple Cart as a kid I'd probably have turned out a lot cooler than I did; though perhaps with a latent fear of beards, jokes, loud noises, and budgie smuggling apparatus.

Ssssh! Enough chat! Who did you see? and were they any good?

* Billy Bragg

As someone who was keen not to stare gormlessly at the Queen drift disappointedly past in a canal barge over the Jubilee weekend, I was made up to see Billy Bragg and his opinions. Luckily he'd brought lots of opinions. Refreshingly he wasn't overtly militant, but rather provided a pleasant and informed juxtaposition to the blind celebration of what it means to be British. He posed some interesting ideas in his newer songs, waxed political on a number of topics, whilst all the while commanding the stage and being fun. The great thing about Billy Bragg is, whether you are sympathetic to his views or not, his lyrics are often deceptively clever and he sparks debate. He also sometimes brings balloons.

* Charlie Baker

I saw him, that tappy man. He didn't say much 'cos he was comparing the comedy tent. He was there though, and I guess worthy of some sort of note? What do you mean, no?

* Sean Lock

The prospect of seeing Sean Lock excited me a lot. He just sort of ruined my illusion of what he'd be like when I actually saw him perform. He was good, and I'm a fan of his mild surrealism and tangent loaded comedy. Yet, it seemed he indulged a little too much in the cheap laugh. I laughed lots throughout his set, but perhaps once too often with a sense of guilt, that feeling of: "am I condoning this view by laughing?" Maybe that was his aim, to co-opt an audience into illogical or un-held world views by means of a 'shock laugh'... Maybe it wasn't. Maybe I should have thought less, and laughed more at the funny man.  Its clear his material is grounded in intellect and interesting notions, but I can't escape thinking his set did feel a little too comfortable with easy social, gender and race stereotypes. His material sat on an a blurred border, somewhere ambiguous between observational and critical humour. I'd go see him again, but perhaps as much to understand what I'm actually laughing at, as to be entertained.

* Beth Jeans Houghton and the Hooves of Destiny

Harmony heavy, arty folk-rock music. A little on the marmite-y side. You'll either love it, or just never buy it.

* Rich Hall's Hoedown

Essentially the renowned comedian Rich Hall and his troop of musical friends play ditties with a humorous twist. The music is pretty darn tooting, and I really enjoyed their rendition of 'Kung Fu fighting'.

However, the Hoedown version of 'Bitches Ain't Shit' didn't sit well with me. Not because it's unspeakably rude. I'm fine with that. Rather, it is my understanding that turning a Dr. Dre song into a piano ballad was Ben Folds' joke? I'm not saying no-one else should cover the song in this way. What got me was when the song was performed at the Hoedown, the origins of the joke were alluded to yet glossed over. Almost bequeathing all the credit, rather than just the performance credit, to Rich Hall and co. Comedians fear joke theft, so I ask: do the same rules that apply to jokes, apply to the use of semi-comedy songs? Meh. I guess they should just fight to see who's is better:

* Rich Hall Vs Ben Folds

(No bias or anything, but its clearly Ben Folds... or is it Dr. Dre?)

* Cabaret: Up and Over It and Feral is Frisky

Up and Over it beat a table to an immense rhythm, with intricate choreography, whilst providing a truly enthralling 4 - 6 minutes of entertainment. Oh, and they were on that Britain's Got Talent program.

Feral is Frisky sang a bit over dance music. It was good.

* Adam Ant and the Good, the Mad and the Lovely Posse

The Dandy Admiral, Captain Jack Sparrow... There are many names you could give to Adam Ant based on his appearance nowadays. However, they would all be mightily unfair and cruelly miss the point. The guy, and his band put on a mighty fine show. Ant's dress sense just ads to the experience. Listening to the band's two drummers playing in unison is utterly amazing. The only blip I saw in their performance was a minor crowd participation fail during Prince Charming, which, in fairness is quite a difficult song to sing anyway. I was genuinely taken aback by how good they sounded.

* Gilles Peterson

The 6 music maestro played some tunes.

* Josh T Pearson 

Josh T Pearson is a difficult character to summarise succinctly. He came across as genuine, polite, funny, and endearing. Its evident he can control a crowd whist remaining quiet and softly spoken, yet, he's also powerfully charismatic, and can hold a commanding presence on stage. Against the odds of a noisey festival, full of noisy people, Pearson forged a mood of serenity and calm. The heavy evening rain beat rhythmically on the festival tent whilst he performed, adding natural texture to his haunting, chilling acoustic tones. If Pearson consistently can create an atmosphere like the one I experienced, he's definitely something special.

An Evolution of Sound - Etta James to Skrillex

So, like me you've probably heard the same 'Ooh oh sometimes' vocal hook being recycled a lot recently. This hook was originally sung by the late great Etta James, and it only seems to be adding to her already sizeable musical legacy. The evolution of this one hook, and how it has recently been incorporated into a number of musical ideas and styes is pretty interesting. So much so, I've written a couple of sums using youtube videos to make this evolutionary process audio visual.

Yes, this exercise is possibly a bit lame, but it does highlight how modern pop music is able to spin something released in 1962 (making it 50 years old this year) into one of the freshest sounding chart successes in recent times. Having said that, maybe this hooks ability to span a half century whilst sounding timeless is more a testament to talent and great song writing, rather than a producers ability to reinvent the past. I guess if something just sounds good, it will whenever you hear it. Either way, next time I'm in a club I might just sing 'Ooh oh sometimes I get an old and familiar feeling' in protest. Well, I might if I were older, and that hook wasn't so damn catchy...

1:
Etta James - Something's got a hold on me

2:
Etta James Something's got a hold on me + Judy Clay and William Bell Private Number = Pretty Lights Finally Moving

+

=

3: Etta James Something's got a hold on me + Avicii = Avicci Levels

4: Etta James Something's got a hold on me + Flo Rida =  Flo Rida Good Feeling

5: (Etta James Something's got a hold on me + Avicii = Avicci Levels) + Skrillex = Levels (Skrillex Remix)

Soundtrack of 2011: The Year in Review

So, 2011 is behind us, and depending on how much stock you put in the Gregorian calendar (or maybe even Boris Johnson’s ability to safely plan global sporting events), the best part of human history has probably passed us by as well. All told 2011 has been a strange year; infamous people died all over the shop, and the members of McFly found out people like them more when they’re not playing music. The population of Great Britain got overly excited as two people they don’t actually know got married, whilst Arabia experienced the longest spring since records began. On top of all this an American Presidential hopeful quoted Pokémon in a political speech... Progress truly is a beautiful thing.

Musically, 2011 also ended up being a bit of an odd year. Innovation was seemingly confined to expounding upon dubstep, a genre that slowly started saturating the pop music market place at the beginning of the year. By the end of 2011 however, chart music had co-opted dubsteps’ double time beats and wavey bass forms into a formula for mundane and unfulfilling chart success: 'Flo Rida'  anyone? What made the charts of 2011 all the more unbearable was the abundant and cheap use of sampling, often without imagination.

2011 for all intensive purposes was the year of the remix or re-hash, depending on your sentiments. In a year in which dullards churned out duller tunes, it was largely down to Producers to rework spoilt canvases into something worth appreciating. Indie music provided a wealth of all right tunes, which, when revamped by creative minds (usually adding this years bassy flavours) felt exciting; well, on first listen at least. With so few memorable tunes coming directly from the original artists themselves, 2011 proves difficult to remember fondly; it sort of felt like one huge megamix: most of which was filler or the DJ messing around with that phaser effect before unleashing the killer drop. 

Of course, talking in generalities is dangerous, and there are always exceptions to the broad statements and theories like those I'm spewing. In fact, I’m pretty sure over the last 12 months I have seen and heard a number of exceptions. I'm also pretty sure I quite like remixes... So! Enough with the negativity! Here are some tunes that did make me smile, and hopefully will make you smile as well. Furthermore, they are neatly listed in vaguely logical and intelligible ways, so everybody wins. Except Charlie Sheen. He wins waaay to often.

POP

Regardless of your opinion about ‘Pop Music’ (the most contentious categorisation in modern music) sometimes it is quite fun. Thus, in no particular order here are 10 of the best ‘Pop indulgences’ of 2011:

1. Madeon – Pop Culture
2. 3lau – All Night Long
3. Coldplay – Paradise
4. Krewella –  One Minute
5. Olly Murs ft. Rizzle kicks – Heart Skips A Beat
6. Emeli Sande – Heaven
7. Group Love (Captain Cuts Remix) – Colours
8. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (Whole Z Remix) - Home
9. Mausi – Sol
10. Patrick Wolf – Time of My Life

Worthy Mentions

Adele - Rolling in the Deep
Katy B - On a Mission

Live Music

I was fortunate enough to see loads of live music in 2011. Not only was I was lucky enough to attend Glastonbury for a 3^rd time, I also got see a studio recording of ‘Later.. with Jools Holland’. Not forgetting the countless gigs I managed to attend. So, below you will find 10 live highlights of 2011 with a brief and less than illuminating explanation. Regardless of the ordering, they are all definitely worth seeing if you get the chance.

1. James Blake - Bass, so much bass
2. Morrisey - Still controversial, still a genius 
3. Queens of the Stone Age - Josh Homme = the epitome of on stage cool
4. Pretty Lights - Big beat bliss
5. Wild Beasts - Chilling and haunting 
6. Ben Folds - All round awesome-ness
7. Barenaked Ladies - Showmen, and the best fun
8. Dananananaykroyd - Inspired crowd control 
9. Bright Eyes - Amazing songwriting, only lessened by his choice of cape
10. B.B King - Owner of the greatest guitar tone ever

Worthy Mentions

Flying Lotus - Electro, but not as you used to know it
Duke - Guitar and beatbox fun 
Bo Ningen - Eccentric J-Rock with attitude and a unique dress sense.

10 Albums of 2011

This year, just choosing 10 albums has been incredibly difficult. In the last year (to my infinite shame) I’ve bought a lot more digital singles, individual tracks and E.P.s than ever before. I’ve also probably seen more music than I’ve actually bought. These two factors combined have definitely not done my album collection any favours.  Regardless, I did buy and enjoy a good number, the highlights of which are listed below. I’ve also put a small description, and a representative track to try and persuade you they are all really pretty good.


1) Cloud Control - Bliss Release

Chilled out, arty and down right summery Aussie vibes 

Representative Track: There's Nothing In the Water We Can't Fight


2) Wild Beasts - Smother 

Probably the most distinctive and imaginative outfit in the UK right now... Every track on this album is sublime 

Representative Track: Bed of Nails


3) Bonobo - Black Sands 

Originality and genius that remixes itself. 


Representative Track: Eyes Down


4) Bon Iver - Bon Iver 

Delicate composition in union with a concept

Representative Track: Holocene


5) Crystal Fighters - Star of Love 

Heartfelt, tribal, and with killer bass 

Representative Track: Champion Sound


6) Little Comets - In Search Of Illusive Little Comets

It's (meta)physically impossible not to smile whilst listening to this album. Its just so happy and upbeat. 

Representative Track: Lost Time


7) The Naked and Famous - Passive Me, Aggressive You 

New Zealander synth-pop goodness. Some filler, but the killers is twice as potent. 


Representative Track: Punching in a Dream


8) Ben Folds - Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective 


A must have for any fan, and a rounded introduction for any first time listeners. 

Representative Track: Landed [Strings Version]


9) Yuck - Yuck 

DIY Garage Grunge

Representative Track: Georgia


10) Radiohead - King Of Limbs


Radiohead being progressive. Again. 

Representative Track: Giving up the Ghost


Worthy Mentions


Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues 
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light 
Jenny and Johnny - I'm Having Fun Now 
The Horrors - skying

15 of the Best Tracks of 2011

Whilst great albums where thin on the ground, 'one-off' greats where plentiful in 2011. I am therefore proud to present, 15 of the best (in a very loose, if not irrelevant order).

1. Bonobo - Kiara (with Prelude) 
2. Jonsi - Go Do
3. Bon Iver - Towers
4. Cloud Control - There's Nothing In the Water We Can't Fight
5. Wild Beasts - Albatross  
6. The Naked and Famous - Young Blood
7. Yuck - Get Away
8. Metronomy - The Look
9. DZ Deathrays - Gebbie St 
10. The Strokes - Under Cover of Darkness
11. Coyote Kisses - Acid Wolfpack  
12. The Burns Unit - Send Them Kids to War
13. Pretty Lights - Run DMC "It's Tricky" Remix
14. Exitmusic - The Sea
15. The Horrors  - Still Life

Worthy Mentions

Jenny and Johnny - Big Wave
Radiohead  - Lotus Flower

Bon Iver - Skinny Love (Das Kapital Re-rub)
Glitch Mob - Bad Wing
Jamie Woon - Lady Luck
Little Comets - Tricolour
Peter, Bjorn and John - Second Chance
Karen Anne - My Name Is Trouble
Gruff Rhys - Sensations In The Dark
Fenech-Soler - Demons
Belle and Sebastian - I Want The World To Stop

Friends and Local Music

2011 also proved to be a productive year for my musically inclined friends and acquaintances. A wealth of musical goodness has been crafted by these guys 'n' gals, so do check them out:

Mausi

Hailing from Italy via Newcastle, this lot are responsible for one of the summeriest tunes this year: Sol. Imagine Italian sunshine trapped in a bottle of Newcy Brown (actually don’t, that’s completely inaccurate and gross).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rkQEmnzFbg

Grinsidious

Marrying synthpop, jazz guitar, rock and dubstep is no easy feat, but these guys do it supremely.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YARDVETlTCg

His Majesty

Indie Rock as only the French Rivera can create. Upbeat, happy, and stylish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2hOaY3EzFo

Oliver Corrigan

Single handedly re-writing the Jazz fusion rule book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4BflPvF0SA&feature=plcp&context=C3a0680cUDOEgsToPDskL9pTzlLosm8TduUfLna4O0

Emperor (DnB)

If you struggle take consume your recommended daily allowance of bass, this guys is you’re 5-a-day, and some.

http://soundcloud.com/the_emperor/emperor-serene

Birds Vs Planes

After rocking Radio One’s Big Weekend in Carlisle, this Cumbrian band keep going from strength to strength.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLs1wH6TMec&list=FLvJTQN0bitt1ptlHotpZRew&index=54&feature=plpp_video

Fiona Clayton

Room full of Owls singer Fiona Clayton has had another storming solo year. Radio 1's big weekend amongst the highlights. 

http://www.youtube.com/user/fionaclaytonmusic

Rob Heron and the Tea Pad Orchestra

Proveyors of most pleasant vibes, from Newcastle Via the Lakes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbcSLgyTI90

 

Polarsets

Releasing songs through Kitsuné, this Newcastle outfit have had a pretty grand year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMENBKenNmc

Little Comets

With an album at the start of the year, and an E.P. to close it, the Little Comets continue to be one of the most exciting, upbeat bands around.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWBpNy5lN94

Kill it Kid

With their second album ‘Feet Fall Heavy’ released this year, Kill it Kid continue to, well, Kill it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6HZQnyf2Fc

Outro

Now, by no means am I claiming this review of the year to be definitive. to be honest, this review of 2011 has been more an overview of what soundtracked my year personally. This of course means I have been blissfully ignorant of lots of amazing work, and I would love it if you, the reader, suggested bands and tracks for me to check out! I'd appreciate it lots. Truly.

For example, in writing this review I spotted that I completely overlooked Foster the People, and PJ Harvey (admittedly an absolute travesty given the critical reception and Mercury success PJ Harvey has had). So please do comment! I'd hate to miss anything else. 

Thanks for reading, and best wishes for 2012 and beyond!

Scott