Columbia (real name: Lauren Strain)
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Hello, I'm Lauren, I love music more than most things in this existence, I write lots, I drink a fair bit, I read not as much as I should do and I sleep even less than that.
Personal member profile page.
Hello, I'm Lauren, I love music more than most things in this existence, I write lots, I drink a fair bit, I read not as much as I should do and I sleep even less than that.
YES!
CSS were at Manchester Roadhouse the other night and it was possibly the hottest night of my life. Literally. Something like 50 degrees. Took us four hours and a freezer compartment to cool down.
"And then just as it looks like the peak has been hit, 'Stockholm Syndrome' rears its majestic head and when the huge, crunching, tsunami of a riff hits at the conclusion, well you might as well not hear another note of music again."
Damn right, mister.
I'm not sure I can do much more enthusing than that where Muse are concerned, but I'll be giving it a shot!
And Jesus, wasn't the thundercloud breaking just THE most PERFECT thing that could've happened during their set?! I had horizontal walls of rain whamming me in the face for the last hour, or something. Amazing.
Ecstaseeeeee...
Ditto. Do.
Hey Marc, sorry to see that you seem to have taken the review in the worst way possible - it wasn't hugely positive, no, but it wasn't massively negative either; I'd say it was pretty balanced. The first bit, for example, said how much I liked the way you guys appeared onstage...
"Dirty Electric bristle with devil's minion grins and sly sideways looks, kicking out a thick, swirling flow of mudpool bass..."
And a "bite-y London three piece" ain't a put-down either. So no, I didn't think you were bad and also, I would say that if that really was only your second gig and you're admitting to being a bit ropy because you need a new guitarist or whatever, then all things considered that was a pretty fair-to-decent review for a band just starting out. I'm sure some bands get absolutely trashed by reviewers gig after gig after gig, years after years of playing. So take it easy!
And I didn't ask you for an interview at all, as far as I recall...I think you may be getting me mixed up with someone else.
All t'best sir,
Lauren
You're not as sad as me, it's ten past one in the morning and I'm doing this.
(Just kidding Dave)
Ace! They were so good in Birmingham that it took me spilling a great deal of boiling water on my leg today to wipe the grin off my face.
Nicely, in comparison to Dirty Pretty Things, who they played alonsgide - who I suppose people could also consider a 'supergroup' (Didz Hammond of TCTC - what was he thinking... and Carl "Libertine" Barat) - they seem to have little or no pretension about them whatsoever; definitely something to make the cynics rethink. They just give their instruments a good time, instead of faffing about in a cravat, powdering their cheekbones and being excruciatingly aware of "who they are", something DPT have rehearsed to perfection.
Who knows, hopefully they'll stick around...
Er...that's 'leg it out of here', not 'left'...
...I think perhaps Microsoft Word was having a paddy with me.
Luke...!
"the moon is high, the rain is harsh and the streets are darkened"
- very true.
Great stuff, wish I'd been there and not in bed.
I CANNOT BELIEVE I DID NOT REALISE THIS WAS HAPPENING. ROAR.
Indeed, I think 'twas just short of criminal that 'Music In Mouth' lacked recognition.
I didn't reckon a GREAT deal to Bell x1 until I saw them live a couple of months back...probably one of the most alive bands I've seen play. Maybe they were just having a really good night, but my friend who'd seen them a whole bunch of times before said that nope, they'd ALWAYS felt that vital and that seething...definitely a band to see in the flesh, somewhere stupidly hot and cramped. The frontman (I forget his name) just writhes music, it's incredible to watch him...
I'm really interested in hearing this album, though I'm a little bit dubious now, from what you've said! Can't imagine them sounding like either Hard-Fi or The Killers that much, but who knows? I'm intrigued to know where those ideas have come from so that's cool, you've whetted my appetite for the record...
Ooh I enjoyed reading that Scott...think I'm gonna catch these two gentlemen at the Night N Day soon, they sounds pretty special in a lovely old whiskey-stained way
Hello you two wolves. Chris, ooo! I didn't realise that the mix of Put You In Your Place was also going to be on there - the promo copy only had The Way It Is on it - so thankyou for bringing this wonderful surprise to my attention!
Mr. Wolf, I'm not their publicist, no... I've just been following them (not literally chasing them down backstreets or anything, mind) and their music for a year and a half or something - since I was given the My Army EP by Mr. LMS.
Yow - I've achieved my life long dream of being called a 'mad writer'! This is great; I can tell my future children. Gratitude. 
Indeed - well done lads. A ridiculously strong first single. 
Does he sneeze on record?! That's ace. I want one.
Oh Ben. Ben, Ben, Ben. I have a problem with these words of yours:
"It's almost impossible not to enjoy this kind of music, dance beats and rock music go together like Steven Hawking and wheelchairs..."
There is no need to elaborate further, really; but I will do, just in case you may be wondering why I'm so completely angered, almost to the point of violence (or throwing up, one or the other), by this.
I'm glad you enjoyed The Sunshine Underground, really I am. In my opinion, they are without doubt one of, if not THE, finest band(s) in Leeds (and the country and the whole darned world) right now and it's always great to see somebody appreciate their wondrousness; lord knows I've waxed lyrical about them often enough, if not a little too frequently! So yeah, good on you for all the positivity you've thrown in their direction in this article, etc.
However.
If I were a member of TSU and received a review where our combination of instruments was compared to Stephen Hawking in a wheelchair I'd be f*cking disgusted to be associated with it. Not only is this possibly the most extravagant display of bad taste I've ever read on this website (or, indeed, anywhere) but it is also entirely irrelevant to the band's music and performance. Rather than focusing my attention on these two aspects (which, I suspect, should be pretty much the main concerns of a live review), all your article succeeded in doing was to divert my attention away from the matter in hand and point it, instead, towards the utter outrageousness of the reviewer's attitude, presentation and choice of phrase.
I'm not entirely sure what entered your head and made you think it was acceptable to include this pretty unfortunate simile, Daure; most people would probably have thought twice about saying something so brazenly out of order - unless your point in writing it was precisely to spark some kind of very obvious controversy such as this, which, in itself, would be rather desperately lame. Either way, I'm not impressed. Not that you care, I suppose, but still.
Childish, crude, not clever, not funny; all in all, a display of horrendous form which spoils an otherwise reasonable review. Mistake.
I must see this lady...
I also like men with ukuleles...
I must see this man, too...
"A duffel coated tobogganist!" Ah, Holden. Lovely. 
aw bless 
I agree with Mr. Woolford - I read your earlier ones after having seen this one and smiled. Well done for using the word 'osmosise' at one point - I applaud you.
Whoohoohoops, Dave - where it says 'globules gum' please can I replace it with 'globules of gum'? Thankyou...I'm silly.
oh i agree, those lasers were truly magnificent.
green clouds!
agreed abby. as always, they were magnificent. though the most magnificent ever, this time, i think!
Absolutely ace, Luke, enjoyed reading that so much. What a plethora of reviews! Almost wee'd myself reading your Incubus paragraph concerning female adoration. I'm afraid I don't see the Boyd attraction either...
Bravo!
The Faint! The Faint! You mentioned The Faint! Oh, I'm so happy! 
What a brilliant review; once again, as for the Friday one, I laughed so hard I cried 
Haha that's ok I think we both did admirably in the foolish stakes 
Mmmmm this sounds delicious, might just have to have a listen!
i agree folks...think i was just being a bit tired and still experiencing a bit of a giddy perk after tsu. words tend to fall out of my mouth without me thinking too much about whether they're worth it or not! should really have just said nothing...
apologies, t'won't happen again, rather bad review etiquette from myself there, it's true! i didn't get in to the gig for free though i'm afraid, it's nice to be a paying customer when such good stuff is onstage only around the corner...we gotta pay for it to keep it going. 
The 'thankyouuuu' was to The Breech for a marvellous couple of shows these past few weeks, by the way; they were great!
whoop!
"grinning and screaming like a lobotomised Monkee"
ooh, i did giggle! 
let's hope monday at escobar is as good as this sounded - although of course it will be! hurrah for wakefield. clarence today...yeehaaarghh!
monday the 1st? shep, my dear, are you coming? at the escobar...woop
at least, i hopes so...
Ooh, i love this album! I know what you mean...you can see precisely the sort of 'mould' they might be in...but I really think that they do have something original or at least, if not original in sound, then they've put a really new, fresh energy to it. They really believe in what they're doing, they just sound so very ignited by it all. Tis great...especially 'Unsatisfied' and 'Headlights' 
oh...or IS he playing at Futuresound? I swear I saw a poster for him outside the Cockpit for that but can't seem to find any listings anywhere else...confusion!
toodled off to buy the album and the ep yesterday...got the ep free thanks to the people doing market research for J20's in leeds city centre...if you answer their questions they give you a fiver gift voucher for hmv! AND free samples! you have to go sit in a smelly pub for half an hour or so whilst they ask you what you like about each bottle but my, is it worth it. ;)
obviously I mean 'Do You Love Yourself' and not 'lover'. ahem.
aye, tis masterful 
...and ooh Darran I really did enjoy your set - picked up a CD too which I hope to listen to in a minute!
I agree, the crowd in the Primrose was really good that night.
Mm, interested in checking these out now...remember seeing them at T'Snooty Foxio in Wakefield when they went by the name of something altogether far more rude...apparently...though I bought one of their t-shirts at the time oblivious of the connotation and wore it to a Muse gig and got stared at by lots of people, not knowing why...and also at one of the Clarence Park Festivals...I do remember being mightily impressed by them and Matt's voice though. 
My, that was overtly sexual! Teehee!
You're right Holden - tis a rather blimmin' good track! 
think this cd is aweeeesome. oooh yes. agree with you about the lovely piano finish to the first track, tis a perfect lil moment.
ooh, thankyou! that was nifty! 
awww! cheers chucks. yes, buy it! it's great! dogs are amazing, really, really, really! oof (or should that be 'woof' haha...oh dear)
Goodness, I love this band so much...
Sam is a fantastic frontman, too right!
If anyone would like a copy of Liam's CD then you can give him a polite little shout at:
liam@ryanadamsonline.com

really? i mean, really? oh dear. that's more stomach-churning than when that bloke from the dillinger escape plan through some of his own, erm...excrement into the crowd at carling a couple of years back.
hmm
This is a wonderful review. Ah, I really wish I could have gone to this gig...sounds like it was magical. 
Yeah, I have to say I wasn't too keen on this one at first after having heard 'Jenny...'. First time I heard 'All The Things...' I thought it sounded a bit spliced together and made up of a bunch of different sections that didn't quite work, but it just grew and grew on me. To be honest, I really didn't see the hype around The Killers at all at first, and it took me months to be convinced to buy the album. They probably won't be around in a couple of years but I think they've managed to really capture something this summer, a case of being in the right mood at the right time I s'pose, but I get the horrible feeling it's gonna date really badly and in a while we'll be wondering what we thought was so great about it...
There is something so crazily confident about them though, which I like. Volume and power...more bands need the conviction of these guys.
hahee, jpdfan2, funnily enough i just got home from a drive with my mom and had the lost riots playing in the car...i won't be doing it again, for similar reasons 
patience, shep, patience.

aye tis reight
Hm yeah an insult that was, but an unintended one at that. I liked the band very much. 
Ooh! I think I might be doing the review for this band at the Cockpit soon.
I'm very excited now!
Good review, enjoyed reading that! 
Um, neither, though they played in Leeds recently I think. Harry Potter likes them, which is nice.
They're alright really, I just can't understand them releasing this song. It's very monotonous, they've got quite a bit more to show than a bit of 'Bleeeeeaaaaarrghhhhhuuuuuuug' repeatedly.
Mike, you are indeed, probably wholly, responsible for my presence. Thankyou very much!
Likin' the CharlySix website. Cartoons! Must see you guys play.
Shep!! That is not your name!!
Thanks hunny.
Mike_Q, you're right, Jesse is a wonderful, wonderful man. Came across his Mona Lisa single today after having searched every conceivable shop in the entirity of Yorkshire for the past four weeks for said single...loving the 'Holy Ghosts' B-Side. That man is a geniowse. Also found a pretty version of the 'Wendy' single. In fact I do believe you may be the guy who writes for LMS who was at the Manchester Academy 3 gig. I was the girl in the Rolling Stones tee. 
Ryan seems like a really complex guy. He's fantastic, enigmatic, intriguing, but yeah, a little mucked up. But this is what make the music coming from him so good, you just can't work him out. I'm so excited about any new material from him, especially as it's usually pouring out of his ears. Let's hear it for a UK tour when he's better.
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