The Hidden Messages

I'm sitting here at the computer, with The Hidden Messages Myspace playing away in the background and the sun is shining in through the window like it's the middle of the summer, it's a truly lovely moment but there's two questions hanging heavy on my mind.

The first is "Isn't it nearly October? shouldn't it be raining?" and the second is "Why am I having to listen to The Hidden Messages on myspace when they should be all over the radio?"

Mysteries I doubt I will ever have satisfactory answers to, and so I try my best to push them from my mind and just enjoy the fact that I am here anyway and able to pass at least one of these day brightening things on to you.

So who are the Hidden Messages then? Initially forming the band back in 2003 while at university, Matt and Edd, who share guitar and vocal duties (as well as playing Theramins and euphoniums, amongst other instruments.) recruited various other people over the next couple of years, settling on Kenny on drums and Justin on bass by 2005. A bit further down the line they recruited Matt's Girlfriend, Claire, to play violin and do a bit of singing too.

2007 saw them release their only releases to date in the two 4 track e.p.s, Animal Actors 1 & 2. Both of which can be heard in full on their website . The first track, 'Such a disgrace', really encapsulates everything there is to love about The Hidden Messages. A Beautiful, lovingly crafted pop song, with lush orchestration and brilliant harmonies reminiscent of a stripped down Divine Comedy or Cheerful Lambchop but with an exuberance all of it's own.

Back at the beginning of this year a new chapter in their history began when Justin left the band. Now a four piece, Kenny came off the drums and took up guitar and piano, the group choosing to use electronic sequenced drums and more synths (who isn't, these days?). Newer songs can be heard on their Myspace, "Animation Isolation" shows the ease with which they've adjusted to the new direction, whilst not losing any of their grin-inducing pop sensibilities. Sounding like Hot-Chip at their best, they are surely headed for bigger things soon.

You can see The Hidden Messages live at Spitalfields' Gramaphone on the 1st October.

Maybe all is not lost.

After posting the terrible news yesterday that all my favorite bands had now split up, I have since been unable to get away from various post across the internet claiming that it has been confirmed from highly regarded sources that one of those bands, Pavement, are in fact reforming!

Now, There have been continuous rumours since they split up about them getting back together so I've been reluctant to believe this. But it would appear that both Malkmus and Kannberg have told reliable sources independently that it is going to happen.
Perhaps what is more convincing is the fact that a lot of sites are saying that the band have been booked to play New York's Central Park SummerStage in September of next year.

So I'm remaining hopefully optimistic about this one, will I have to go to New York to see them? Maybe. but there is also a rumour about that one of the possible gigs they might have lined up is to curate an ATP. Should I need an excuse to actually finally get round to going to an ATP? no. But if I did, this would be one. I have everything crossed that it comes to pass.

A bit of a downer..

So I heard a rumour but I checked it out this morning and it is true, The Broken Family Band have announced that they are to split.

Read their official statement here

So that's ALL my favorite bands now split up then.

Here's 'Give & Take' from their Hello Love Album, a perfect example of what to expect from the Cambridge based four piece.




Sigh, oh well, off to work, if you happen to pop in to Megacity comics today, expect to hear a lot of BFB.

Some music then..

Let's see if I've figured this out then..


You should now be able to hear 'Blue Mountain' By Espers.
whilst doing so I recommend that you close your eyes and imagine yourself sitting on the bank of this lake.

There, isn't that better?

From tiny Acorns...

So I've been told this is quite easy, and seeing as I have recently been reunited with the internet, I figured I'd give it a shot.

"Why?" I hear you ask "what do you hope to offer us?"

Well, a safe haven, of sorts, a quiet corner of the internet to come and be free from the stresses of modern society, away from the traffic and crowds, where you can hear birdsong not car alarms, a place where everything else just melts away into the distant background and nature takes over. This is that place I go to in my head, opened up to you so you can share the serenity. Please take all your litter home with you and remember to shut the gate.

I'll be back soon to bring you some music and stuff, you would like that, yes?