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It feels like Jamie Says have been around for years, though many won't of heard of them - yet. I chanced across them when they were initially a one man (Kyle Hill and a 4 track) solo project - I downloaded a couple of tracks from their site and was hooked. I bought their first homemade CDR LP - The Silver Screen And The Stanley Blade that day and it remains one of my favourite bedroom LPs of all time. It made my 2003 top ten list without a problem, as did the follow-up the next year, Soul Gumshoe.
There was an excellent single back in 2004 and then things went quiet. I just popped that first LP on and thought, let's have a look what's going on with Kyle. Well, not only is there a second single (and accompanying video) there's also an album proper. Autumn Sun came out towards the end of last year - and needless to say, I missed it. Anyway, it's been ordered and is eagerly anticipated.
As for the music - Jamie Says in the singular form have provided some of the most invigorating guitar music I know. Full of enthusiasm and vigour, there's lots of Joy Division, Velvets, Stooges and all that sort of great music, all done with a streak of up-tempo passion and lyrical whit that just can't fail to impress. It'll be interesting to see if it carries over into the LP now there's a full band involved. Machine, the single and video featured here is new to me - it seems a lot quieter than the other stuff I know, but still, I'm sure it will grow on me as time goes on, and I'm happy to feature it here just for the hell of it. There's some nice downloads over at the Jamie Says MySpace page as well - so go snag 'em now.
Ah, back in June 2006 I posted a couple of clips that I really wanted to see and hadn't showed up yet. I still haven't spotted the Iggy Pop one, but finally the other most wanted has appeared - New Kingdom live on the 90s late night Channel 4 show 'The Word'. I say finally, it was added before Christmas, but I've only just spotted it.
As for the band, they remain one of the most criminally under appreciated hip hop acts of the last two decades. Their first LP Heavy Load had some great tracks and glimpses of what was to come, but they hit the mother lode with 1996's apocalyptic album Paradise Don't Come Cheap. New Kingdom's sound is hoarse and psychedelic, full of depth and their gravelly style of rap is full of imagery and atmosphere that would make Hunter S. Thompson or William Burroughs proud. They get played *all the time* around these parts and are still going strong. There's a few interesting side shoots the band members have been involved in, but for New Kingdom themselves, there's just the two short and memorable LPs to remember them by.
I've never seen them live, or indeed, any of their videos. My mate told me he'd seen them on The Word back in the early 90s, and that's I know exists of them. I would have thought there would have been some videos somewhere, especially from the second LP, but unfortunately they've not surfaced yet. This short clip is of them doing 'Cheap Thrills' from the first LP - it's a hint rather than a great example, but one I'm more than happy to see and share.
The band have one of those names that just make you want to check them out, and I have to admit, the name made me pick up one of their albums without actually knowing their music. It's an evocative name, Explosions In The Sky, apocalyptic and full of post-rock promise. I wasn't disappointed - they do a great line in cinematic instrumental rock - full of long-winding pieces played with great intensity.
Today's live video is the track Greet Death, from their 2001 LP, the wonderfully titled Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Live Forever. The opening track starts busy and keeps the intensity broiling along. Check out the bass playing on it - it's pretty mental. The band are another of those I've never managed to check out live and would love to.
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