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Five Day Forecast – w/c 2 Jul 2012

By | Published on Monday 2 July 2012

Andy Malt

For the last few days I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the nature of songs and how recording them can both change and enhance (or ruin) them. Thanks to a recent edition of the 99% Invisible podcast, featuring producer Jon Brion, I’m now splitting everything I listen to into “songs” and “performance pieces”. To be honest, I’m starting to wish my brain would stop doing it now, but don’t let that put you off listening to the podcast too. It’s a thing I think you should all do this week, and here are some other things that might interest you as well.

01: Blur unveil new songs. Some people seem excited about this. I’m not, but it’s fine if you are. Who knows, maybe the two new songs Blur are going to premiere via Twitter tonight will be incredible additions to the band’s catalogue. Or maybe we’ll all just decide it would be much better for everyone if they all got on with their day jobs and stopped flogging this particular horse. I don’t mind either way.

02: Amy Winehouse documentary premiere. This year’s East End Film Festival, which runs at various London venues from 3-8 Jul, will open with the British premiere of director Maurice Linnane’s Amy Winehouse documentary, ‘Arena: Amy Winehouse’. The film, which centres on the late singer’s admiration for her soul/jazz predecessors – not least Mahalia Jackson, Sarah Vaughan and Ray Charles – features rarely-seen concert and archive footage. It will be screened at St Anne’s Church in Limehouse during an evening of live music and “special guests”.

03: AIM’s Indie-Con. The Association Of Independent Music will lead into its AGM this year with a new conference called Indie-Con, specifically aimed at those working in the independent music sector. The two day event will take place on 5 and 6 Jul at Glaziers Hall in London, and will cover topics like fan engagement, international royalties, running a small label and getting music on the radio.

04: New releases. Following a long-running dispute with his label, Universal/Interscope, 50 Cent finally releases his first album for three years this week. Joining him at the new album party are My Tiger My Timing, White Manna and the Ty Segall Band, all of whom have turned in sterling efforts. Modeselektor also release their second Modeselektions compilation, and Foxes and Julio Bashmore have new singles out.

05: Gigs. Jon Hillcock’s excellent New Noise podcast makes its way off the internet and into the real world this week. Launching the new name for his empire, All Back No Front (New Noise is no more, despite that mention of it there), Wednesday will see the first outing for his new monthly night at The Waiting Room in Stoke Newington. The very next night, and just up the road at The Shacklewell Arms, you can catch Bleeding Heart Narrative at a free show. Also playing in the UK variously this week are Faith No More, Regina Spektor, Metric, Gruff Rhys, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Active Child.

Andy Malt
Editor, CMU



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