There’s something about the mixture of Jenn Wasner’s haunting voice and Andy Stack’s uber-modern folksy influence on their third album, “Civilian”. The title track of which is one of my favourites of 2011 so far, without a doubt.
They’ll be playing at SXSW and are currently touring the US, but there are sadly no plans to come to the UK (up until May at the least).
Once again, Chinese New Year is fast approaching. I love this time, especially as I work so close to London’s Chinatown. There’s nothing quite like being wrapped up warm in the February winds and walking through that area. In the evening it’s beautiful, especially as the streets are decorated with bright red lanterns and usually some kind of pastel-coloured paper flourish.
It also gives me an excuse (not that I need one) to eat Chinese food, my favourite of which is dim sum. From honey roast pork puffs to steamed scallop dumplings, sampling a multitude of small dishes in one sitting with good friends is always a treat.
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of a cheeky cocktail to boot, and seeing as those clever people over at Ping Pong have a special menu for Chinese New Year in all 12 of their stores at the moment, they’ve been in contact to give you all the chance of winning a little something something.
Now this gives me the perfect opportunity to do another thing  I enjoy: build a playlist. But not just any old playlist though, one with an oriental theme. All you have to do to be in with the chance of winning one of 10 vouchers for two free cocktails at any Ping Pong location is tell me what you think the best song would be to bring in Chinese New Year with.
Don’t just go for the obvious, think about tracks like Chinese Boxes by The High Dials or maybe something a little more dancey like DJ Wordy? Hey, go leftfield and throw in 30 Seconds From Mars’ ‘From Yesterday’ if you fancy. Whether the track evokes a feeling or has a more direct connection to the celebration, all will be considered. Just leave a comment below.
Closing date is end of this month, and I’ll make/ post a Spotify link when the winners are announced.
Images via Oliver Spalt and Liqurious.
I love the Kronenbourg ad that features Motorhead’s Lemmy singing a down-tempo version of arguably the band’s most-famous track, Ace of Spades.
The beautifully simple campaign site tells you a little about the beer’s brewing process, but also hosts several behind-the-scenes documentaries about the making of the ad. Specifically, footage from last October’s trip to a bar in France where the band recorded the song at half speed with Lemmy on harmonica instead of bass.
What makes this even more special is that Lemmy is notoriously protective of the Ace of Spades, despite claiming that he’s sick of it every time it’s raised in an interview. Â Even though it’s been voted the tenth-greatest rock and metal song of all time by VH1 and the 27th greatest guitar track of all time by Q Magazine, this rework is the first time the band has taken the song back into the studio since it was originally released almost exactly 30 years ago to the day.
Plus, the wry switch of the original lyrics following the line, “That’s the way I like it baby, I don’t want to live for ever” from, “And don’t forget the joker” to “But apparently I am” is a nice nod to Lemmy’s cult status. Even though you could easily miss it. Nice work.
I’m finally finished. Just in time for New Year’s Eve tonight, here’s the final ten of my top 50 tracks of all time that represent my favourite songs in the world.
If you’d like to see the rest of the countdown, start with the introduction here, then take a look at the second piece that includes tracks 40 – 31,  the post from Wednesday that covered 30 – 21 and the one yesterday for the beginning of the end.
10. Simian Mobile Disco – Sleep Deprivation
9. Stevie Wonder – Superstition
8. Hendrix – Purple Haze
7. Roisin Murphy – Overpowered
6. Marlena Shaw – California Soul
5. The Kinks – Powerman
4. Massive Attack – Teardrop
3. Blondie – One Way Or Another
2. Rolling Stones – Gimme Shelter
1. AC/DC – If You Want Blood