Song, by Toad

1. No drinking in the house – no starters if eating out.

2. To shut the fuck up (you can guess who that is for).

3, Broken Records debut.

4. Samamidon on Sunday.

5, ‘Where losers meet’

and what new Felice Brothers?

Yo Matthew – happy new year!

1. Get a new job
2. Get a new job
3. So far, Animal Collective, Antony, Alela Diane, Andrew Bird and that’s just January!
4. I’d like to go to David Thomas Broughton, supported by – hey! – Samamidon
5. Fuck the fucking fuckers

1. Less time spent during working hours looking at music blogs.
2. Less profanities all round
3. There’s an Elbow-like head of steam building up about Doves long-awaited new album. I’m hoping not to be disappointed. It could be their year to come out of the critical acclaimed section into the downright popular one.
4. Well, er, I only saw Elbow and Hold Steady in 08 so a bit early to be making plans…
5. “We are the Cognoscenti”

Happy New Year to all

I really love that Over The Wall song.

The bit at 3:24 where the electric guitar comes in on the same riff over the top as the acoustic and bass are building their little crescendo is magic.

Oh shit! I haven’t posted a five yet so I can’t be posting random comments.. Hang on!

1. Stop letting Ruth down.

2. I think Matthew should resolve to give up on soccer because they’re all a bunch of nancy-boys and start following a proper sport. The Six Nations starts in February.

3. The Kays Lavelle album, because I may have accidentally contributed “camera clicks” to the percussion track last night. (If they make the mix I want a credit on the sleevenotes, Euan!)

4. Samamamamamidon on Sunday.

5. Vlog the Impogler

1. Finally, bring my thong out of storage.

2. I recommend that Matthew finally get “right with Jesus.”

3. Yeah, what new Felice Brothers!!!!!

4. I’ll be going to see this bunch of clowns called Frightened Rabbit on January 19, the night before the Inauguration.

5. The most exciting thing to happen to music since Phish.

Ooh, I love Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food.

And that’s great news about the Samamidon Toad Session. Very exciting.

1. to not let nasty things said about me as a person upset me so much anymore.

2. mr bear – take a break soon!

3. probably wilco’s expected new album or perhaps midlake’s.

4. i have no plans to attend gigs at the moment unfortunately due to circumstances.

5. batman told me to do it

1. No succumbing to academic celibacy. I need a social life, damnit!

2. Letting things go. Not everything is as important as you imagine it to be.

3. Tie between Franz Ferdinand and Decemberists. Yes, I know I’m not as indie as you lot, go away. Though a Broken Records debut would be brilliant as well.

4. Samamidonwoohoo!

5. I think I would like a t-shirt that says “Drink. Feck. Tunes. Arse.” across the front. Any possibility of getting a woman’s-type t-shirt in there as well, Matt?

1. More time at the homestead.

2. Be excellent to each other.

3. The Withered Hand album. Or the Copy Haho EP. Or the Sparrow and the Workshop EP. Or the Come In Tokyo album. Or the Zoey Van Goey album. Any of those.

4. Might be Super Adventure Club/Popolo tonight at Stinky Pete’s. Might be Samamidon on Sunday.

5. “Get with Jesus”.

2. Be excellent to each other.

whatever Bart!!!

1. get a new jobbie
2. grow a beard
3. broken records, alasdair roberts
4. was ellens glen on the 4th next one is woodenbox next thursday
5. I’m pretending to work

Dav, just had a look at your MySpace.. Next time you play the Harbour Inn give us a heads up. I live practically on Fishmarket Square so I’ll pop in.

Cool, we’re playing there on the 31st so pop down, I’ll noise you up nearer the time.

pardon?
You what?
Say again?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/jan/09/rock-my-bloody-valentine-tinnitus

Oh, and please forgive the somewhat sketchy recordings, we’re going to get recording something a bit less rough later in the month.

Groovy.

1. Run a marathon, preferably in NYC, and release some music/go on tour. I’ve never been on tour before.

2. For my wife: get a hobby; you’re going to need one.

3. Many of those previously noted plus maybe Grizzly Bear and Beirut and actually, fuck it, Lily Allen too, I really like her new song, its well catchy and I’d be interested to hear some of the other tracks off it – I know I’m not supposed to say things like that on this blog.

4. If I can get myself in gear, maybe Animal Collective at Oran Mor on the 13th but if not then my own one probably next saturday.

5. “Stop staring at my tits, bitch!” – man sizes only. That’s probably already a t-shirt but maybe not for men.

and Matthew….whats this about you listening to the new Felice brothers album?

but you had to let slip that you were listening to it?

….anyway you could always share it…..i wouldn’t fucking tell!!!

….also how come you’re so bloody important?

….in a big fucking girly huff!!!

come now matthew. why would i stop being grumpy?!

Don’t worry RCC, I have never, ever turned anything up to eleven, doing so would be irresponsible.

1) Cook a greater variety of recipes. Oh, and decide what I want to do in the way of a ‘proper’ job.

2) Play fucking loud.

3) Copy Haho EP, Bon Iver’s Blood Bank EP, Franz Ferdinand, a spot of Hiphopapotamus with MF DOOM, perhaps new Twilight Sad and Frightened Rabbit albums.. and but of course U2!

4) Not sure.. perhaps Dance Lazarus Dance on the 17th. Might have to head down and see David Thomas Broughton.

5) Oh I could spend a fortune on said t-shirts. How about “fuck Glasvegas, fuck their careers and fuck their music. Let them rot.”

Does this new blog automatically generate colourful avators for us? I like red.

To Fergus, the Bon Iver Blood Bank EP is being streamed on his myspace if you want a preview.

Of course you’re right Matthew…and i might just take you up on that offer….i use to work in an independent record shop and used to love getting promos and shite way before they were released to the baying masses.

…I’m just jealous..The Felice Brothers were the highlight of last year for me….

Ah, thank you for that teamturnip. I would certainly do that but unfortunately the sound on my laptop is a bit humped, as it burrs and contorts like a old walkman running out of battery! I should imagine that would spoil the experience a tad.

In relation to your perfectly reasonalble point about not being allowed to lend out your advance copy of the new Felice boys album, being as you’ve only got it because of your priveledged position on the “scene”, would you still be able to lend out their last album?

i’ll lend you all three pal!!!

i once bought shoes at the same time as Mr Rankin

I wonder if Ian Rankin’s a regular lurker on here… Wouldn’t be surprised you know..

Hello, Mr. Rankin!

well he bought the same kind of shoes as me….so i’d say his taste was pretty fucking awesome

that’s interesting. he has a section on his website where he talks about all the music he listens to when writing and when not writing, would imagine that his opinion helps sell a lot of records for those listed. he also wrote mogwai’s press release for the hawk is howling.

i know, shoes are really interesting

hold on

Rankin says this on his website

“Biggest Disappointment (of the year) – Tom Waits, Edinburgh Playhouse. (So much better at the same venue 20-odd years ago.)”

load of pish

1. Go overseas
2. Go overseas
3. Hmmm Band of Horses, The National (am hoping they’ll have one) and Antony & The Johnsons all spring to mind
4. Technically it was Hey Rosetta! last night, but I’ve just got back from Frightened Rabbit in Melbourne, so I’ll slot that in there too, and also let you know that Scott signed my shirt. And that the Scottish accent is seriously the best in the world.
5. ???
Can’t think of anything, but Sarah’s suggestion for said t-shirt is fantastic!

Did you see Tom Waits in Edinburgh twenty years ago then, Tom?

If not, then no matter how fantastic he was last year – and I understand that he was brilliant – then Rankin may still be perfectly justified to claim that he was even better twenty years ago.

And either way it’s just his subjective opinion, to which he’s perfectly entitled. As indeed are you to challenge him on it.

oh shut it…..i’m going lend/burn you 3 Felice Brothers CD!!!

And I am perfectly entitled to thank you for such kindness and shall remain in your debt.

I’m just sticking up for him in case he’s reading!

Is Pissing On Bonfires on sale in Waterstones?! Has Neil set up a little Toad records stand next to the tills haha.

Agnes – I don’t think, disappointingly, that the new National album is expected to be ready until 2010.

Don’t give Neil ideas!

Weird, for some reason, I was certain that it read “had been spotted in Waterstones..” until I re-checked Matthew’s post. Which is what confused me there. I suppose they are the same company these days…

It has become clear to me now as to why while serving Ian Rankin’s mother! at work today he was stood behind her grinning at me then offered a sly wink as he walked out the door…no shit.

i think he fancies me.

It’s because I am Very Important, but I can’t share it because then people will stop sending me nice things. So ha ha. But it is very, very good.

YFSP

I like the new avatar, but I’m disappointed not to have the “Valkyrie” eyepatch.

1. Get famous, but in the near future I’ll settle for getting rid of my beard.
2. for the missus: start liking music!
3. Broken Records LP (will there be one?) and Emmy the Great’s first full-length, but I too wish there’s be a new National record soon…
4. Philistine that I am, I haven’t been to any gigs yet, but I’m off to see the BBC Concert Orchestra on Wednesday and then Anais Mitchell at Luminaire on the 21st.
5.”he that hath no beard is less than a man”

hey! where’s my usual avatar? I deserve more than one of those default wordpress jobbies!

oh, there it is. how bizarre…

1. Give us a new year’s resolution. – More work work, not more “work” work and not more time on here, no offense darling.
2. Recommend one for someone else. – to Kanye West, dude, just STOP, for the love of all that’s right and good in the world, just go away.
3. Most anticipated 2009 release. – am I crazy to be waiting for Garbage or even Morrissey?
4. First gig of the year. Frightened Rabbit is sold out! So I’ll settle for the lovely Jessic Lea Mayfield
5. Suggest a quote for Toad t-shirt of the week. T-shirt of the week you say? – “I might have enjoyed that bloody story a bit more if Flatulence had been one of the seven dwarfs.” by Matthew

Matthew do you have the Wordpress SuperCache plugin? It’s awesome and makes things load uber fast… and then you simply delete your cache after changing things to get them to take effect immediately.

xoxox

1.keep on keeping on
2.become a savior-euan
3.Withered Hand,Kays Lavelle, Casiotone, Wilco, Animal Collective
4.Samamidon
5.’Fuck you! My life’s like wikipedia right now and you will never know how that feels you fuck!’

Ok.

1) I have 6 resoltions this year, mainly because I don’t stick with the others:

i) Stop smoking in the studio (not just me, but everyone who uses it). I know the resolution should be to STOP SMOKING, but one step at a time.

ii) Have a proper holiday this year – haven’t had one with TWoTH for 2 years.

iii) Stop agreeing to do so much & recognise there’s only so many hours in any given month

iv) Get some studio ‘me’ time & write/record some new tunes a la Drunk Country. I bought myself a baritone ukulele for Christmas & it sounds gorgeous; I have a handful of riffs that have been floating about for a year+ that work beautifully on it.

v) Turn the hundreds of notes I have into a manuscript & write my ‘difficult’ second book like my publishers keeps asking me for.

vi) Find a new job. The old one is begining to conflict with far too much.

Possibly iv) & v) contradict with iii), but vi) should even that out.

2)Resolution by proxy: for Lurkers everywhere, de-lurk & post comments, even negative ones; especially when you download.

3) ‘09 releases: Andrew Bird (although I do have it already), Clem Snide (ditto), Beirut, Fleet Foxes, Arctic Monkeys, Tim & Sam’s Tim & the Sam Band with Tim & Sam, Anni Rossi (on 4AD no less)

4) So far, confirmed, it’ll be Emmy The Great instore performance & then gig proper that night 03.02.08 (with interview & session planned) yay!

5) Quote: “It Won’t Suck Itself”

1. One interesting new word, made up or obscure, to be chortled at and used in conversation per day.
2. Write something, anything, every day in which you ask questions of yourself and the world; gnothi seauton and all that (’Know Thyself’)
3. The Franz record or the Little Boots one since she’s the BHT (Big Hot Tot)
4. If not Samamidon, the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Charles Hazelwood playing some Mexican(-inspired) music on my twenty-first birthday at the Watford Colosseum.
5. “Chew before you swallow” (g.w.b speaks the truth)

1. Renew interest in writing about music & bring back readers. Battling blogger for the latter half of last year seems to have killed both.
2. Avoid Blogger. And listen to Xavier Rudd, he’s a genius.
3. I was going to Luminescent Orchestrii until you dropped the Felice Brothers bomb.
4. I hope it will be Luminescent Orchestrii.
5. I would love a tshirt that said “This is shite, Vic.” It remains my favorite comment.

Ps. Add me to the jealous list. I didn’t even know the Felice boys had a new release. You’d think my label and PR contacts woulda mentioned it. :p

A more serious answer for #5 would be “Hell is other people.”

Congrats on the 900th post……you shame the rest of us part-timers who can only manage one post per day….

1. Lose the gut, and reduce the cup size of the man breasts.
2. Stop buying so many fucking shoes and handbags
3. I’m so inept at keeping up with things, I have no idea who is releasing what this year. Probably the next Aiden Moffat LP
4. Franz Fedinand this coming Wednesday
5.Shut the fuck up you ignorant bastard, I’m trying to listen to the band.

1. Do some work a bit more often than now.
2. Do some blogging a bit more often than now (for the boss)
3. I have absolutely no idea at all, I am completely out of the ‘what the fuck is going on’ loop. Can I have a new wannadies album please?
4. Possibly Bloc Party although, in an implicit comment about being old, I think it will be in the seats.
5. “The way I look at it things are always happening. Sometimes things that nobody believed were possible just happen. Before hand everyone says ‘that’s impossible’ or ‘I’ll never live to see something like that’ but afterwards it’s just a fact, it’s just history. These things become history every day” I’m aware that’s a bit long but it’s my favourite quote from anything at all from last year. Good job we’re fat bastards.

Fergus – thanks for the info re The National. So hoped it would be this year, but I suppose I can wait!

1. Say “yes” more often.
2. Don’t be passive-aggressive, no one likes a child.
3. Toss up between the live Gris Gris record coming out on Birdman this Tuesday and the Gonjasufi record coming out on Warp next month.
4. Henry Clay People/Afternoons at Spaceland in Los Angeles last night.
5. This one came from Drunk Country some months ago, posted on this very site (will require a small type on cotton, and yes, I will certainly buy it if it’s made):

“Let’s face it, the one thing a gad about town does not want, when gulping down a quart or many of man’s own dairy salt, is being pap-tagged/embarrassed by either (a) not noticing a prominent lower case ‘w’ drawing all eyes from her yabbering, milk moustachoed [sic] maw, down to her money maker, or (b) having to publically [sic] finger pinch the jam-packed material out of her labial glue into a more acceptable mannequin-flaccid positioning.”

Footnotes I accidentally left out of previous post.

1* – No, I haven’t seen Yes Man and don’t plan to.
3* – Fucking christ, I forgot all about Dan Auerbach’s solo record – also out next month, and I bet it’ll be the best of the year.
5* – If that one’s too long, I’d settle for:

“Dickheads with eyeliner making music – that’s healthy.”
-Nicky Wire (Manic Street Preachers)

1. beef up my field recordings library of americans in different dialects saying “awesome.”

2. Matthew Young – No more running backwards full speed into doorknobs.

3. love language.

4. worlds greatest ghosts.

5. “less arse. more feck.”