Sound of The Week: Friendly Fires, Ramones & Updates.

Gosh, is it really that time of the week again already? I swear the weeks seem to be flying in faster and faster as the year goes on! It's been a strange week for me music wise: I haven't actually been dominated by any one particular artist - although my new found love of listening to Simon & Garfunkel is still going strong I finally recieved my copies of Lou Reed's Transformer (remastered), and the special editions of M.I.A's Kala and Goldfrapp's Supernature albums also. Not to mention I also got Little Boot's new album, Nocturnes. Definitely a busy week for me in that regard, although I hope to pick up a few bits and pieces online this coming Thursday. After that then I seriously need to start saving money, although trying to resist the urge to buy one more record is one I find next to impossible. I must try though!

So, in a first for my blog I have not one but two sounds of the week! These are songs I have fallen back in love with, and they sound-tracked what was a pretty great week of weather all round for Northern Ireland. Gloriously sunshine, a far cry away from the snow we received around Easter! So, both songs have a summery feel and that's about all that they have in common. First up, its True Love by Friendly Fires from their second album Pala. I don't feature them on my blog nearly as much as I should, but I love these guys. Probably my favorite band to emerge in the last few years and I simply cannot wait for their third record. Pala is my favourite album of theirs, and one of my favourite albums ever in all honesty. It's one album that I can listen to on repeat. One of my favourite songs from it is True Love, a great song that I'm surprised doesn't get more attention (although I share that opinion for all of Friendly Fires recorded output). It's one of - if not the - most paciest tracks on Pala. It also has piano chords during the chorus that sound like they were lifted straight out of a vintage house track. As you could imagine, I rather love it!

The other song for the week is a completely different sound, but it is also fast paced, exciting and summery. Most of all it is also very addicting! The track is The Ramones cover of California Sun (originally released in 1961 by Joe Jones). It was a track on their second album, Leave Home and it also served as a B-side to the album's first single, I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You. There's two things I love about this: the pounding drums, in particular those during the verses, and the fact that the chorus is one of the catchiest things I have ever heard. For whatever reason, I just love how Joey Ramone sings the chorus.  And in true Ramones style. it's fast, rhythmic and exciting and it makes for a track that I must have listened to five times in a row whilst doing some surfing (pun fully intended although this was of the internet kind) in that gorgeous weather we had. To be honest, I would have to say its one of my favourite cover versions by any artist, ever!

So, that's it for this week's sound of the week. An unusual post perhaps. As for posts this coming week, I have a few songs I wish to discuss and maybe even a book review. Well the book review is nearly totally finished. I keep promising a picture of my ever growing Clash collection but it won't be this coming week, hopefully the week after. I still haven't got a notification of my Strummerville shirt and postcards being dispatched, although because its being delivered first class I hope that when they are dispatched it will be a speedy delivery. Although the local post service can be... erratic, to say the least. I'm actually ordering two Clash/Joe Strummer related items at the end of the week too, so I'll need to wait until the following week before they're even here. Until next time, thanks for reading though!