Belle & Sebastian

I adore Belle & Sebastian and even more so in the summer. They produce the most perfect summer tunes. If you don't know their stuff, the indie pop septet could be described as a combination of The Smiths and The Shins, with a dash of Nick Drake and a droplet of Fleet Foxes.
I discovered them when I became obsessed with Teachers, a channel 4 comedy series that started in 2001 and ended in 2004. The series has one of the best soundtracks I've come across (the other programme being Shameless, in which you can enjoy all the best Madchester music). It's still on 4oD if you're interested in watching the four series.
To get to the point, the ending theme of Teachers is 'The Boy With The Arab Strap', the title track of their most successful album. The song also featured in 500 days of summer.

Here is their performance of it on Jools Holland:

Two Belle & Sebastian songs also appeared on the soundtrack of Juno (which is stunning).

'Expectations'

'Piazza, New York Catcher'

The worst song you will listen to for at least a very long time

I have just discovered, yes, the worst song I've ever heard. It beats U2, Miley Cyrus, even The Jonas Brothers. I thought I'd share the pain of listening to it.

A Whole New World by Peter Andre & Katie Price (I say Katie Price, it's clearly not her singing):

HEALTH

HEALTH are described by Wikipedia as "an American noise rock band from Los Angeles, California." and that description really doesn't seem very appealing, to me anyway. Fortunately they are much more than that.
I previously knew them only as a band who sort of collaborated with CC, calling it 'Crystal Castles vs. HEALTH - Crimewave'. Which is a brilliant song -

Anyway, my mate Ned who is very knowledgeable about music, instructed me to listen to 'We Are Water' by HEALTH. It's from their 2009 album 'Get Color'. The daring video that accompanies the song is absolute beautiful artistic genius. I love every bit of it.

It reminds me of one of my favourite Oscar Wilde quotes that has always stuck with me: "A woman dancing with her bare feet in the blood of a man she has craved for and slain". It's from his play Salomé.

I don't wanna be learned

Jack Black as Dewey Finn in 'School of Rock'

In preparation for the end of my exams, this coming Thursday (4 days to go), I have been making a playlist of songs about school and mostly what a waste of time it is. Another ploy to avoid revision. Also, I like to play it very loudly when getting ready to go attend yet another GCSE.
It's not very long at the moment but I'll keep adding to it. There's quite a mix of songs, from hard rock to pop, from punk to indie. Some are silly tracks (like 'Fuck School' by The Replacements), others are beautiful and touching (namely 'At Seventeen' by Janis Ian). It includes obvious choices like 'School's Out' and 'Another Brick In The Wall' as well as Belle & Sebastian songs.

If you do have Spotify you can check it out here (and subscribe to the playlist if you like, I won't stop you). If you don't have Spotify, you're uncool and it's official.

NB: the playlist does not include High School Musical.

one of the greatest music videos of all time

Chew Lips

Just found this song by watching the Topshop make-up tutorials which all feature 'Play Together' by Chew Lips.
Chew Lips are quite 80s and Crystal Castles-esque in terms of the dominating too-cool-for-school-young-a-tad-lesbian-looking front woman and the rest of the band being camera shy men always wearing dark glasses and hoodies. They sort of sound like The Ting Tings.

And they're touring right this moment, meaning they're going to Glasto, iTunes, etc etc.

Jevetta Steele

I recently watched Bagdad Café for the first time, although I've had it on doovdé for years I've never got around to watching it, and although it's a tad aburrido in the middle it's a very good film.
The story's nice and the acting's good; however the main attraction is the soundtrack which basically consists of one song that is repeated quite a few times through out the film.
Jevetta Steele, a gospel singer, sings the Oscar-nominated song "Calling You". It's beautiful.

Something In Construction

'Something in Construction' are a label that represent 69CORP, Akira The Don, Christiansilva, Damn Arms, Kid Casanova, Lazarus, Lonely Dear, Other Passengers and The Silent League.
They've released a compilation album called 'Better Pop Music' with 19 new (and at times exclusive) indie/electro/pop songs that are great and what's more is it's completely and utterly FREE!
Here's the NME article with a link to the free download.

The track listing:
Please Don't Leave - Fear Of Tigers
1901 Memory Tapes Remix - Phoenix
Graphics Remodel Edit - Memory Tapes
Molly's Vertigo - Acrylics
Someday - Ceremony
Cannibal Queen - Miniature Tigers
Dying/Trying - New Moods
Feel It All Around - Washed Out
Foreign Thoughts - There Will Be Fireworks
GBG Belongs To Us - Air France
Generator 2nd Floor - Freelance Whales
Journal of Ardency - Class Actress
Surfin' - Memory Cassette
Forest City - Fitness Club Fiasco
To The Forest - The Forest & The Trees
When Stars Attack - The Silent League
Kiss Me Again - Jessica Lea Mayfield
Drinking Again - Rest
Odessa - Caribou

My favourite tracks are 'Forest City', 'Journal Of Ardency' and 'Graphics Remodel Edit'.