Scarlett Summer

Today I got the news that bassist Carlos Dengler has decided to leave Interpol, presumably to pursue his interest in the film scores, occasional acting work and academia that is said to have taken his interest between the band’s tours and albums in the years gone by. The news came as saddening, as Interpol, a favourite band of old, have grown increasingly uninteresting, and this could be the final blow. But I was inspired to check out what the other Interpol guys get up to in their down time. There is, of course, Paul Banks’ project Julian Plenti, but what surprised me was drummer Sam Fogarino’s Magnetic Morning. Previously named The Setting Suns, the group comprises Swervedriver singer/guitarist Adam Franklin, The Album Leaf’s Jimy LaValle on keyboard, Josh Stoddard on bass and FA Blasco on guitar. Pulling together droney shoegaze, eerie dream pop and the heavy post rock inflection of Fogarino’s doomy drums, their sound is cloudy, subdued and murky. Franklin’s singing is slightly regal and imposing, backed with careening guitars and a slow, plodding rhythm. MM released a self-titled EP in late 2007 and debut album A.M. in 2008, but they seem to have since slipped into dormancy. Their music has divided critics and can at times drag in a sleepy stupor, but the punchy percussion and sunnier melodies of song ‘Cold War Kids’ gleams with hope.

Magnetic Morning- Cold War Kids: MP3

Magnetic Morning- Myspace

Posted by Sarah Gooding under Georgia, U.S.A
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Georgian pop group protest Putin in an act of “disco defiance”

I’m not usually one to celebrate hilariously cheesy and derivative disco pop, but Stephane and 3G’s blatant protest against Vladimar Putin in their Eurovision Song Contest submission is too entertaining to ignore. The group disses the Russian President, who has been integral in the repeat Russian invasions of Georgia, in their song “We Don’t Wanna Put In”, which sounds like “We Don’t Want Putin” when sung in the chorus of the song. The song includes the lyrics “the negative move is killing the groove” and “you better change your perspective”. 3G also mime shooting themselves in the head and falling to the ground, dead. The song was heavily favoured by the public as it is seen a good excuse to embarrass the Russian hosts of the competition. The song, chosen by Georgian television viewers, will be performed live again on May 12 in Moscow at the first semi final of the competition.

Posted by Sarah Gooding under Georgia, Russia
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