Keelhaul

I was lucky enough to see these guys play a few days ago. Lucky because a) they don't tour outside of the U.S. that much, on account of being old and poor; and b) they are fucking brilliant.

They play kind of sludgey-mathy-stoner-off-kilter hard rock songs, which are all instrumental, apart from the bits with singing. Despite their astonishing talent for both writing and playing amazing music, and widespread critical acclaim for their efforts, almost no-one has ever heard of them; and fewer still buy their records. Hence the title of their very excellent fourth record, Keelhaul's Triumphant Return to Obscurity.

And that's about all I have time for today.

Website: nope

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mykeelhaul

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keelhaul_(band)

Touché Amoré

In theory I'm desperately busy with other stuff at the moment, so just a quick one to point you in the direction of Touché Amoré.

They're some sort of post hardcore band, or something.

It all sounds very desperate and impassioned; and might even have been described as "emo" in a time before that became such a dirty word. Despite this, they are very good.

Website: http://toucheamore.com/

Myspace: nope

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touch%C3%A9_Amor%C3%A9

Foo Fighters

Well, sort of anyway. To be honest, I don't really like the Foo Fighters all that much. Sure, they're reportedly a smashing bunch of chaps, and they play huge stadium-filling radio-friendly rock anthems that appeal to young and old alike - and that's fine, if you like that sort of thing. But judging by the fact that other bands to have graced these pages include Trash Talk, Black Sheep Wall, Sunn o))) and Raging Speedhorn, I think it's fair to say that I don't.

Thing is, I do really like their first two albums; and in particular their eponymous debut, which is one of those definitive summer albums - much like Kings of Leon's Youth and Young Manhood, or Beck's Mellow Gold. I can't explain why, but these are records that just sound better on a sunny day with all the windows open; and since it started getting warmer towards the end of last week, that first Foo's album has just kept on spinning.

Website: http://www.foofighters.com/uk/home

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/foofighters

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foo_Fighters

Tool

Progressive metal. Sounds pretentious, right? You're damn right it's pretentious.

That doesn't have to be a bad thing, though. I mean, if you're pretentious and a bit rubbish - I'm thinking of all those terrible warbling Scandinavian symphonic metal abortions here - then fair enough, you do just look like a bunch of twats. But if you're pretentious and fucking amazing...

Tool compose complex songs that are too long for regular radio play, or even for specialist music channels; and even then, their videos are often considered too disturbing for music television. They are fiercely private, and are therefore very rarely - if ever - featured in the music press. They've been going for over 20 years, and in that time have only released four full-length records. And despite all of this, they are one of the most successful alternative music acts on the planet.

Which can only be because they are completely unbelievably fucking amazing.

I'd like to go on to describe how they redefine this and that, and sculpt musical landscapes, and transcend stuff and things... but that would just end up sounding pretentious. And since I am also a bit rubbish, that will just make me look like a bunch of twats.

Website: http://www.toolband.com/

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/tool

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tool_(band)