High friends in places (song reference for the 1st time ever)

Hey users,

As you know we like to keep promises around here. And by that, we often run out of ideas and have no choice but to steal our old ones. So be sure to look out for our terribly photographed/reviewed TV on the Radio/Max Tundra gigs very soon. The photos are so bad, you'll think you actually were me in the drunken, pilled-up state i seemed to be in.

In the meantime, it's time to moan about a band we actually like: High Places.

As a contender for making the greatest EP ever, and one that i couldn't stop listening to when i was in France last year, High Places will always have a place on my iPod. We can forgive them for looking grubby and not very rockstar-like (i had to rephrase that a few times - you can word that really weirdly). Greeting The Light is defo one of FTCZ faves from last year too (as long as you don't ask those other losers - why am i always the one blogging???).

When they got used in last week's ep of Skins, they even prompted queries as to who they were from a room with 6 girls and me (I couldn't have been more miserable). You'll be pleased to know i was annoyed enough from there raunchy girl talk that i didn't tell them. Girls need to learn manners. Especially girls following this blog.

But upon revisiting their rather expensive debut LP (i forget how much, but i paid lots), the love disappears a little. It's a massive case of 'what were they thinking???'. I guess they thought being music types gave them room to express themselves. How uncool of them. They should have tried to express themselves in defined ways.

But despite this, we have faith in our bands around here. Unless they've been awarded the poison pill that is our album of the week of course (none will ever come back from that - nobody that's gotten it has had any real success).

But as for High Places, we see them getting back on that horse and getting the job done right next time. That or we'll give there next album our 'album of the week' title. So be warned....

La Roux is la quiet (we're clever like that)

Hey users,

Of all teh hype bands and singers this year, there are a couple that are missing key qualitites. While with bands like the Chapman Family, it's a case of missing talent (we really, really don't like them. Avoid! They're disgusting to even look at), with La Roux it's a case of not seeming very talkative, despite her really cool hair.

Having read our fair share of articles about her, and even interviews, she doesn't seem to say much or leave the oh-so-humble vibe or the really out there persona that female musicians give off to make them seem cool. I mean, how are we ever supposed to really know her if we can't lump her into either of those categories.

Then, during Channel 4's broadcast of the NME awards in the wee hours of the morning the other day, she performed on stage with Franz Ferdinand. Only she didn't go on stage with them for a while. Or say anything quippy. Or smile. She's no Little Boots by any stretch clearly :/

While FTCZ is pretty indifferent about celebrity, we do tend to be nicer to people who seem nice. Well...not really. But if you do come off as nice, we certainly can't fault you for it. I'm sure she'll come off a bit better as we get closer to her actually releasing an album, but in the meantime, we'll just have to make do with her really cool songs. Be sure to get a hold of some of 'em.

Oh noes! Teh hype!

Hey users,

You think you're doing ok. There's nothing wrong with your usual routine and then *bam*, out of nowhere there's something better. And as you well know, this blog loves nothing more than to leech on to something at the first scent of cool coming from it.

In the past, we've had a preference for Grooveshark when it comes to streaming free music.
Grooveshark has been perfectly fine. It seems to do an adequate job. It has all teh choonZ that we hear about on drownedinsound and last fm and plenty of stuff from the non english speaking world too. Not that any of that is any good :P As you can see, we love nothing more than angering the FTC community.

Anyway, it was disheartening for FTCZ to see that Grooveshark is no longer the 'it' streaming service on the net. That title seems to have gone to Spotify.

This smug snot green logoed website seems to be endorsed by everyone. We'd gladly praise them so we could fit in with the cool crowd but unforunately it's not available in Ireland without an invite yet :( It's available in the UK though which happens way too often. Kind of pity we're not in the UK clearly, despite Sky News' attempts to include us :/

So in the meantime, we'll remain firmly pro-Grooveshark, until one of you loyal readers sends us an invite to Spotify of course. Then we'll radically cahnge our opinions i'm sure :D

Teh FestZ are coming!

Hey users,

As we mentioned in our last post, we've been searching for an awesome festival to hit up this Summer. Oxegen has been completely overrun, so that's a big no-no. The same with T in the Park (which is sold out anyway - i guess we could very well not see the YYYS :O ).

The homies in Edinburgh have been talking up the Belgian festivals, but FTCZ has cast it's several eyes towards the Isle Of Wight for Bestival!

Bestival gives off the same vibe as Electirc Picnic did last year (but without the genuine fear of ending up married after a large quantity of Buckfast - :S ).

"But Cillian.we know nothing of this year's line-up - at least talk about who's playing."

Ok reader, we shall.

On the card this year is MGMT, Fleet Foxes, Klaxons, Seasick Steve, Florence And The Machine, Little Boots, Friendly Fires, Bat For Lashes, Diplo, Squarepusher, Passion Pit, Dan La Sac V Scroobius Pip, Fujiya & Miyagi, and loads of other which i would type if i had the time.

Lets hope it's got the awesome vibe and weather as Electirc Picnic did last year!

Oh yeah...her :)

Hey users,

It's a crying shame when bands we like disappear of our radar (we're looking at you Jamie T - we're glad we saw Calvin Harris instead of you that time now), so when they pop up again we tend to get a little rush of nostalgia and excitement, just like when old bands reform for old people of obselete generations (we're really not kidding - we're very ageist on this blog and in real life).

So hats off to Bat For Lashes for finally releasing a second album :D




As you all know, Natasha Khan is really hot and if one were to want to woo FTCZ, all they'd have to do would be look like her. So you'd think one album would be all she'd ever have to release since she can get by on her looks, yeah?


Wrong user! Completely wrong! Khan has instead decided to release a second album, so that means April is going to be bringing us helping of both Bat For Lashes AND YYYs. Couple this with Passion Pit in May and we're all set for Summer :D FTCZ are thinking of going to Bestival this year (possibly on a joint expedition with renowned fashion blog SaveourShoes), so we may very well see Natasha Khan in the flesh.


It's out on April 6th. But it is somewhat possible that one could hear the tracks earlier (that's a hint of sorts).


Here's hoping there's a big Bat For Lashes poster with the album. We've become a little disillusioned with free posters since the Crystal Castles incident (who on earth gives away 1/4 of a picture?!?).

Find Teh Joy :D

Hey users,

On this blog we're a little notorious for talking up bands and then being mean to them once the year changes, when they become "so last year".

And this year will be no different. So prepare to enjoy the next 308 days: The Joy Formidable!

In FTCZ opinion (aka mine, probably Bruce's and probably not Aidano's), they're the best band of '09 so far. And they defo have the best album of '09 (since the Yeah Yeah Yeahs haven't released their sexy 3rd album yet - man that's gonna be sexy).

The band are also guilty of being far too nice. After all, they gave away their entire album on the NME daily download blog. Luckily for them, that blog isn't very popular so they probably didn't lose as big a fortune as they could have.

They're also giving away their second single on Last FM, which is probably the only time in history there's been something worth getting off Last FM.


On another note, i've some how ended up doing one of my dissertations on Francophone rap, so there's ao good chance i'll moan about how unhelpful Last FM is with that.

What am i doing?? This isn't the place for this....

Yay Joy Formidable! Since we can't all be in Edinburgh to see them play with Howling Bells this week (*sigh*), FTCZ will just have to hope they play Ireland soon. Also we're kinda hoping we hear them in Skins soon. They'd fit in really nicely on that.

Red FM approves!

Hey users,

I know you may feel disorientated, what with getting two posts in one day (don't you dare get used to it), but i feel its a fitting tribute to one of my cats who is named after today (Ash Wednesday because she has a black smudge permanently on her forehead. Thats the sort of thing that earns one of the title: least favourite cat).

Anyway, it gives me an apportunity to mention the very ugly band that is Passion Pit.

One would be forgiven for thinking that those are the guys from teh really unfunny TV show 'The Big Bang Theory'. but luckily for us, these guys have musical talent, which trumps any similarities they may have for those really unfunny characters.

Oddly enough, right after getting their EP (entitled 'A Chunk Of Change'). they appeared amidst the somewhat weird amount of dance music on Red FM. I usually listen to Ice Cube when i'm bombing around in my car (as pretty much anyone that reads this knows very well), but a bit of Passion Pit has now found its way into my very exclusive car playlist.

In short, Passion Pit are awesome. I'm pretty sure they're playing Oxegen so they're kinda annoying in that sense though. Anyway, FTCZ approves! Red FM too i guess.