You know, it’s by no means bad, this. I say that because The Wombats’ frankly gimmicky and juvenile lyrics threaten to become irritating, and their bouncy, harmony-laden jerk*-pop is so light and fluffy, I kind of thought the lack of substance would kill my enjoyment of this album. It hasn’t though. In fact, I really quite enjoy it.

I mean, don’t get carried away. I’m not making passionate love to it down the back of the bike-sheds, but it’s enjoyable and upbeat and has far more good songs than I’d actually taken the time to realise. The Wombats have been zinging about the internets for what seems like ages so you, as I was, are probably familiar with most of the good songs on this already. Patricia the Stripper, Backfire at the Disco (well, maybe), Little Miss Pipedream, Party in a Forest, Kill the Director are all good solid pop songs with infectious hooks. Pile them all together and you don’t need much filler to make a pretty good record. I won’t ever play this whole album at once I don’t think, but most of the songs are perfect for party playlists and office listening. Depending, of course, on your office.

You get the picture though, I assume. It’s a good album of bouncy kiddie-pop that we can all enjoy humming along to and not worry ourselves over all that much. Best not look too closely though, as there’s no depth or substance to this record whatsoever.

The Wombats – Kill the Director
The Wombats – Little Miss Pipedream

website | hype | amazon

*As in the physical movement, not the insult. Apologies to Americans, but it’s our language so you can sod off. Try German if you don’t like it.

I heard a song by The Wombats today. I do not especially like The Wombats, but they have done some good things, and this song isn’t half bad. Thing is, it inspired a couple of bizarre synaptic leaps that seem related to the very raison d’etre of this entire blog.

The song is called Let’s Dance to Joy Division, and it immediately put me in mind of a song by My Teenage Stride that Ed posted last week some time, with the chorus ‘You only dance to the Happy Mondays’. Simultaneously, the truly splendid Half-Man Half-Biscuit track Joy Division Oven Gloves popped in there as well.

I think, apart from the peaceful ruminations and the impassioned ranting, that may be one of the key reasons people a/ write about music so much and, b/ why music is said to be good for the brain.

Synaptic leaps and generally keeping one’s grey matter well-exercised are said to be important in keeping it healthy and staving off dribbling senility. Presumably the brain is forever making these kinds of little associations, often, I would imagine, more musically than simply in the superficial terms I am talking about. So perhaps with the vastly increased number of songs, pop music can achieve the same as classical, which is generally more recommended as brain food, despite the songs being shorter and far less complex.

And in terms of all kinds of talk about music, sharing these little associations and leaps and somehow recording them – preserving your inner music monologue in aspic – is something which motivates a few of us internet weirdos to an oddly great extent. Why? Who knows, but recording all my inner musical thoughts is a big motivation behind writing this blog. Even the stupid ones that take me from Liverpool indie-pop to Brooklyn Cool and then to middle-aged punky smart-arsery in a matter of seconds.

Song, by Toad: thoughts in aspic for your eternal perusal. Inspiring!

The Wombats – Let’s Dance to Joy Division
My Teenage Stride – Happy Mondays
Half Man Half Biscuit – Joy Division Oven Gloves

Hello all.  I am a bit busy for a proper post today – off to see The Aliens, don’t you know – so I thought I’d rattle up some trivial site news quickly.

Firstly, I am only now getting back up to the level of readership I enjoyed at my old Blogspot address, which has taken just over a month since I moved over to WordPress.  Onwards and upwards, what.  I still haven’t managed quite the same number of Technorati links yet, but I’m getting there.  I’m a little bit surprised how long it’s taken for people to realise I’m here actually, but there you go.  So thanks, in particular to the folk who were so loyal as to make the switch with me immediately and give the new home a good housewarming.

Secondly, plenty of comments recently, and not a single ‘Yeah, dude’ amongst them, so thanks for the interaction.  Given I basically write this blog to hold the conversations with you lot that I can’t have with pretty much all of my mates, it’s splendid that you all chip in, so thanks very much.

Thirdly, and a little off topic, the number of spam comments that the Akismet software has stopped since I moved to WordPress overtook the number of actual comments some time on the weekend, and has since rocketed off into the distance.  On the plus side, hooray for Akismet which has snagged all but two of these comments, and those two it referred to me for moderation.  On the negative side, what the fuck are these idiots trying to achieve?  Do they really think you lot come here for some obscure indie tunes, a bit of viagra and a penis extension?  Is it really worth the effort of generating all this shit?  Do people actually respond with ‘Yes actually, I was considering a penis extension now that you mention it, and instead of a real doctor I thought those retards off the internet who can’t spell anything properly would be the very chaps’? Honestly.

So thanks all, and prepare yourself for even more pompous, ill-thought out proselytising in future.  And in honour of all your contributions we have some Gene:

Gene – Speak to me Someone

And because I went to their gig the other night but couldn’t be arsed writing it up, we have The Wombats:

The Wombats – Patricia the Stripper
The Wombats -  Little Miss Pipe Dream