Category Archives: The Black Kids

Dirty Summer-they’re back! And so are the Black Kids

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You may remember that a few months ago, I wrote about a band from Fife, Scotland called Dirty Summer. In my write-up, I commented that there were very few bands I could say for certain that John Peel would like, but this was one band I’d risk my neck on. They are fabulous. Download their free four track EP today!

Go here to set about downloading their EP for free

Or try this

meanwhile, 17 Seconds favourites The Black Kids‘ debut single proper ‘I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You’ is out on Monday, but you can get it on iTunes now (in the UK at any rate). C’mon let’s get it into the charts.

This is the official video:

And in case any of you didn’t see this on the BBC the other day, this is Lenny Henry introducing them on the Jools Holland Show:

Gig review: Sons and Daughters/Black Kids/Broken Records

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Gig review: Sons and Daughters/Black Kids/Broken Records

Edinburgh Queens’ Hall, February 16, 2008

My first gig of the year. Headlined by my favourite scottish act of the last few years, supported by one of my favourite bands to emerge on the web and opened by one of the best local bands. So good in theory as to be only possible to be let down in practice?

Well, fortunately for me, it was a fantastic night out with three great bands that I cannot wait to see again. Broken Records -soon to do a session for Radio 1’s Huw Stephens -opened. this was the third time I had seen them, and was yet again blown away. I am mystified as to how they are not signed, as I spent most of January saying on here. They simply go from strength to strength and songs like ‘if the news makes you sad, don;t watch it’ just grab you more evry time you hear them. Sooner or later, they will headline this place.

Florida’s Black Kids are due to release their first physical single ‘I’m Not going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You’ in April, (it made my Festive Fifty of 2007) and having been supporting Sons & Daughters are now off on tour supporting Kate Nash. How do they measure up to the hype? Pretty damn well, actually. I had heard much of their stuff on mp3s, but live they move to a whole new level. It’s clear they’ve been listening to prime period prince and then run with the ideas they’ve had. They look cool as anything whihc helps too. Songs like ‘Listen To Your Body Tonight’ and ‘IUnderestimated My Charm Again’ are just even better live. Believe the hype, because they get even the traditionally staid edinburgh audience moving, and make me wonder how Sons & Daughters can top it.

This was the eighth time I had seen Sons and Daughters. Whilst my top performance of theirs had to be when they opened for Morrissey in Aberdeen in 2006, they still have it, and have just grown so much in confidence and stature since I saw them as third on the bill four and a half years ago. New album This Gift has seen them work with Bernard Butler and without compromising their sound or distinctiveness has helped take them to newer ground. As recent single ‘Darling’ illustrates, there is a ‘glam’ hint coming through previously only hinted at. Yet the crowd still call for old songs like Johnny Cash as well, but it’s clear that the band are moving and progressing onward. Three bands I would pay a tenner for to see on their own, never mind altogether!

Sons and Daughters – ‘Johnny Cash.’ mp3

Sons and Daughters -‘Dance Me In.’ mp3

Sons and Daughters’ MySpace is here

Black Kids’ MySpace is here

Broken Records’ Myspace is here

Kate Nash and The Black Kids!

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Very frustrated that I am still waiting for my bandwith to be refreshed, despite the fact that today was supposed to be the day it was.

Anyway…

two things I have to share with you:

First of all, 17 Seconds’ favourite scottish unsigned singer, Katie Sutherland has signed a publishing deal with Warner Chappell, and emailed me to tell me that today! Yes!!

Secondly, the hotly debated Black Kids -still unsigned as far as I can tell -have already been covered by the fab Kate Nash go here to hear her cover of ‘I’m Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You.’

Hopefully I will have bandwith again soon. Grrr…

Introducing…The Black Kids

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Every so often, there is a band that comes along, that sends the blogosphere into a frenzy of discussion, and over the last few days that band has -rightly, in my humble opinion been these guys The Black Kids.

Hailing from Jacksonville, Florida, The Black Kids are: Owen Holmes on bass, Kevin Snow on drums, Dawn Watley and Ali Youngblood, both on keys+vocals, and Reggie Youngblood on vocals+guitar.

To these ears, they sound like a Marvin Gaye meeting The Shins. They have made the four tracks on their MySpace page which make up the Wizard of Ahhs EP (quite a cute pun, I like it) available to download.

They have, as I said before, had a fair bit written about them across the blogosphere. I first read about them over at Hello Vegetables, it seems Pitchfork have given the EP 8.4 (read about it here, and Good Weather For Airstrikes has another mp3 and a live review. 24 hour Party Pooper has yet more here
Their song ‘Hurricane Jane’ has also been remixed by an artist called Beige -who I hadn’t heard before, but I’m impressed!- which can be found at his MySpace here

Go and make friends with them, I think the hype is justified here…

The Black Kids -‘I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You.’ mp3

The Black Kids -‘Hurricane Jane.’ mp3

The Black Kids -‘Listen To Your Body Tonight.’ mp3