My iPod #267: Nine Black Alps - Destination Nowhere

Not on YouTube. Available here, though.

"Destination Nowhere" is another song from Nine Black Alps' "Love/Hate" era. It was recorded and eventually released as another B-Side for "Bitter End", the second and final single to be released from that album.

I went into this phase during Year 10 or so, when new music was being released on streaming websites and I would listen to the songs and try and type up the lyrics simultaneously on this website "letssingit.com". I did that when "Locked Out from the Inside", the band's third album came out and I'm probably the reason you see the song's lyrics on the Internet when you search for them on Google. Go to letssingit, if it says 'Lyrics submitted by Jammerz.' Don't be surprised because 'Jammerz' is me. It's a silly username, I know.

Then I saw the B-Side player on the band's official website and saw that barely any of their lyrics were anywhere online. So I got busy with those, doing "Get Even" and "Idiot Riff #9" amongst others until eventually coming to "Destination Nowhere". The lyrics to that song were relatively easy to type because none of the phrases fall into one another, especially during the verses where one lyric is sung, followed by a pause, and then another lyric and so on. I had to repeat a few seconds of it many times in order to make sure that the words I deciphered were right and made sense. But it was no bother, because I ended up digging the song anyway.

I think the song's about being in an ambiguous state of mind (just because of the use of opposites: 'too scared to fight', 'too young and too old' etc etc) and finding oneself at a dead end. I could be very wrong. I probably am.

My iPod #249: Nine Black Alps - Daytime Habit

The studio version of "Daytime Habit" isn't on YouTube; here it is on the band's official site.

"Daytime Habit" is a song recorded by Nine Black Alps whilst recording their second album "Love/Hate". It ended up as a B-Side to the second single released "Bitter End". (It is a big problem that none of Nine Black Alps' official music videos are on YouTube; you'll have to look for that song on your own).

I heard the track for the first time when browsing the group's website. On there you can listen to "Everything Is", "Love/Hate", their B-Sides and a few of their old demos. I've said before that I do not have as much 'love' for their second album as much as I do for the one that preceded it and the ones that followed. If I could find the tweet I would also show you that the band posted that they wished they had recorded it better.* There was nothing wrong with the songs, I have two in particular that I think are very good, but it was mild and soft compared to "Everything Is" - it missed that cutting edge and the large front which the aforementioned album had.

"Daytime Habit" however is quite different. It has that glaring and menacing tone reminiscent of some tracks from "Everything Is", but still has the close and tight sound of "Love/Hate". It is an awesome song, and I believe if this and the many other B-Sides that were recorded during that period were actually put on the record I would have liked it a lot more. But that's how it is I suppose.

Whilst on the topic of Nine Black Alps, THEY HAVE A NEW ALBUM COMING OUT. APRIL 21ST.  I'm on it.

They unveiled a song from it already. Listen to the newer one.

* I found the tweet.

My iPod #210: Nine Black Alps - Cosmopolitan

"Cosmopolitan" is the second track from Nine Black Alps' first album "Everything Is". It was one of the first tracks to be recorded for it too. It was the first single by the band, and was released a year earlier in 2004.

Now I had known of Nine Black Alps when their videos for "Unsatisfied" and "Just Friends" started appearing on MTV2. I never really gave "Unsatisfied" a chance because every time the video started and Sam Forrest had such a glum look on his face, I was never sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for what would come next. "Just Friends", I liked but it was a little too short. YouTube didn't exist and I wanted to hear more of their material. How could I? When would the next opportunity arrive when I would another one of their tunes?

Christmas 2005 when I got FIFA 06, that's when. "Cosmopolitan" was one of the tracks that EA had selected to be in their yearly football release. Something that's quite strange looking at the tracks they have for FIFA 14. They would never choose something as hard-hitting as this again.

I love FIFA. Been getting it since 2002. So if an artist's song is in there, if it is good, I will be able to decipher the lyrics and sing along to it all the time. "Cosmopolitan" was no exception.

With a lone guitar playing the riff for the first few seconds, the track then explodes into life. Brilliant guitar playing in the left and right channels while Sam Forrest really sings from the stomach - it's almost like melodic shouting. It's cool.

It's very dark. But that's no surprise. I say 'dark' all the time when I talk about this band but I can't help it. They write dark stuff. "Everything Is", lyrically, is especially dark. That album's great.

P.S. Um... hello Hatch Records. If you see this, thank you for following me on Twitter. If you like this post could you comment below.... or favourite my tweet. It's really awesome to know that one of my most liked band's label has noticed me.

My iPod #200: Nine Black Alps - Coldhearted

SONG'S HERE. CAN'T GET VIDEO ON.

Merry Christmas! I hope you are all having a wonderful day.

It did not feel like Christmas was coming for the past few days. There has been terrible weather over in the UK, along with no snow (but we are used to that anyway). Christmas television hasn't been so great, surprisingly. Except for a few Pixar films.

But now I'm with my family and I have opened my presents and stuffed myself with food. I can definitely say Christmas is here.

After that sentimental start I can now talk about today's special song to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. "Coldhearted" by Nine Black Alps!

Yeah, that was dumb. It has nothing to do with Christmas or Jesus.

No official studio version of this track exists. It has only been released on the EP the band released after their debut "Everything Is", and it was recorded live at a performance the band did in France. That explains the "Merci beaucoup" that is said when the band finish and the audience claps with appreciation.

There is a demo of "Coldhearted" that is available on Nine Black Alps' website, which may mean that it was in contention to be a track on their first album. I can only assume this did not happen because they could not get a good take that was good enough. But don't believe me on this, it is just a theory.

This is a great performance of a track which is one of the lighter songs that the band has ever done. No mentioning of weapons, or bodily harm. Just a simple rock song about nothing important in particular.

My iPod #198: Nine Black Alps - Cold Star

Skip to 10:07 of the video. It's the whole album if you want to hear it! But 10:07 is when the song starts.

So I was out yesterday. Went to my friend's house to play a bit of FIFA and watch the Arsenal match (which was terrible). I was out for almost half the day, and so could not do my post.

But here is the first one coming today! I have plenty of Nine Black Alps songs on my iPod, and I could talk endlessly about all of them. This one I'm not so sure about. I'm only kidding! Let's go.

"Cold Star" is another track from Nine Black Alps third album "Locked Out from the Inside" which was released in 2009. I've made it clear on two occasions before that it was a return back to form after the somewhat disappointing "Love/Hate", and "Cold Star" only made things so much better when I was listening to the full thing for the first time on the Internet.

Instrumentally, it's another three minute shock of loud and relentless, crunchy guitars and a stomping rhythm section. This and violent, depressing imagery such as 'tired faces', 'bleeding' and' 'amputation scars' altogether combine to make a song about hopelessness which is over before you even realise. All of this is done with a Beatles reference in the chorus too. Unbelievable.

A bit unrelated... but good news is that they have a new song out! "Novokaine". Hopefully, a sign of a new album to come.

My iPod #152: Nine Black Alps - Buy Nothing

I leave for university tomorrow, and I can't wait. So many opportunities waiting for me.... But wait.

Where does this leave "The iPod Times"? Is this finished will I ever get back to this. You'll have to wait for the last song of the 'B' series. Which is also tomorrow. I really don't know what I'll do.

-------

"Buy Nothing" was released as a free download from the band's website, and was the first taste of new material in two years after their second album "Love/Hate".

I wasn't a huge fan of that album. The band had completely dumped their post-grunge/hard rock approach they had on "Everything Is" and replaced it with - what I think was supposed to be a more radio friendly sound - which just didn't work for me. It's an okay album, but that's really it.

"Buy Nothing" was the sign that everything had gone back to normal. It has a hell of a riff which drives the song along as lead singer San Forrest tells us to forget about the government, advertising and consumerism are meaningless. BUY NOTHING.

That's all there is to the song.  It's one of the heavier songs on "Locked Out from the Inside", it's one of my favourite songs by the band too.

Jamie.

(Sorry for the late post. I'm packing, you see.)

My iPod #87: Nine Black Alps - Behind Your Eyes

There's no video for this song on YouTube. Click on this to listen to it.

Hmmm..... so Nine Black Alps. I briefly touched upon them on a previous post - one that was quite rushed, seeing as I had forgotten to do a post on it in the 'A' series.

I always go on about my favourite bands on here. There's They Might Be Giants, and Billy Talent too. Well, Nine Black Alps are another. Let me tell you why.

Why, I must have been ten years old or something when I first saw their video for "Unsatisfied" on MTV2. I always changed the channel when it came on, because the introduction sounded so depressing..... and the lead singer never smiled or anything. He just looked bored all the time. I didn't wanna watch that. They then released "Just Friends" as a single, and that was a song I didn't care for much either. For me, it was a much better song but it's 2 and a bit minutes long, and it goes by quickly. Nope. Nine Black Alps weren't the band for me

That was until the advert for their album "Everything Is" started airing on the television. It showed a few seconds of the two music videos for the songs I already mentioned. But it was the one for "Not Everyone" which really caught my attention. That's for another blog. Then their songs started showing up on every EA Sports releases. First, "Cosmopolitan" was part of the EA Trax in FIFA 06, and then another of their songs, "Shot Down" appeared on Burnout Revenge.

Long story short, I got the album as a present for my eleventh birthday. It's one of my favourites. "Behind Your Eyes" is a song from there.

"Behind Your Eyes" is one of the two acoustic songs on "Everything Is". It comes after five songs full to the brim with hard-hitting riffs, loud guitars and various lyrics about dying, obtaining weapons and other morbid subjects. The album as a whole has quite a war-like concept to it. I'm not sure whether it's a concept album or not. It could be.

Anyway, "Behind Your Eyes" introduces a sense of hope. A light, not quite at the end of the tunnel, but one  that shines for a few minutes until it flickers out. But you still manage to find a way through the darkness. That is until the light goes and then everything is dark again. I say that because as soon as "Behind Your Eyes" finishes, it's back to the guitars and dark lyrics.

Yeah, it's a pretty song amongst the madness.

Until tomorrow.

Jamie.

My iPod #74: Nine Black Alps - Bay of Angels

Afternoon everyone.

Sorry there was no blog yesterday. I went to the cinema with my friends.

We also broke the law too. Originally, we were only meant to watch "This Is the End" (which is a hilarious movie, I recommend it) but we ended up watching "Now You See Me" too, for free. :D

It was cool. I thought we would get caught. We didn't. It was fine.

Don't break the law guys.

Another blog will come up later today. This is the song that would have been posted yesterday.

"Bay of Angels" is the fifth song of Nine Black Alps' third album "Locked Out from the Inside". It's one of the less heavier songs on the album, but is placed in between two of the more rocking tunes and therefore is a song to chill out to amongst the noise.

Although it may not be as fast and loud as the others, it is a great song creating an almost ethereal and dreamlike atmosphere with its slow pace, echoey vocals and soaring guitar work.

Until... later on.

Jamie.

My iPod #57: System of a Down - B.Y.O.B.

Nannaannananannnananananananaannanaanannnanananna YOU!

That was meant to be the introduction to the song, by the way.

Hi everyone! I'm in a good mood. I am now a free man, exams are finished, nothing's gonna change my clothes until results day. Until then, I should probably get started with this again. It is time... for the B SERIES. YES! YES! COME ON!

So System of a Down.... what can I say?

In 2005 it had been three years since the band released their third album. I didn't follow the band so much, so I had no idea that this album was even out. However, "Chop Suey!" and "Toxicity" were two songs of the band that I saw on MTV2 and, although the former's video was quite weird and I was quite confused by the actual song, the band really rocked and I guess I wanted to hear more from them.

"B.Y.O.B.", acronym for 'Bring Your Own Bombs', was released as the first single from Mezmerize, the first half of a double album that would be out by the end of the year. It is considered to be yet another of System of a Down's trademark songs due its fast pace, contrasts between quiet and loud in the verses and chorus, and lines that you are able to shout out at the top of your lungs.

This was also their first single where Daron Malakian had lead vocals in the part of the song. I remember seeing the video when it first came out, and again I was confused at how the song randomly changed in the middle. They were singing about "having a real good time" and "going to the party" and then it was "BLAST OFF IT'S PARTY TIME, WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU!!!!!!". It was crazy. But it makes it that much awesome.

This is another song out of the hundreds in the world that are anti-war. I think this song depicts the message quite clearly. It is about how the government chat shite most the time and how much they suck. George Bush had been re-elected as president the year before, which I guess no one understood back then. So people were pissed. I'm thinking Serj and Daron pretty much felt the same way.

Why do they always send the poor? Why? WHY.

That was alright. It's good to be back.

Until next time.

Jamie.

P.S. I WAS LOOKING THROUGH MY POSTS YESTERDAY AND I REALISED I MISSED TWO BLOODY SONGS IN MY 'A' SERIES.

How did I do that? Yeezus. I might as well do them pretty quickly, and without focus.

George Harrison - Apple Scruffs

That is not the album version, but it's pretty close.

Another song from 'All Things Must Pass'. Not much to say about the song. I listened to the album back in 2011, and this song was one that caught my ear. Great harmonies in the chorus by Harrison, and a delightful tribute to the 'Scruffs' who would hang outside Abbey Road when The Beatles were there.

Very nice.

Nine Black Alps - Along for the Ride

OK, Nine Black Alps are one of my favourite bands ever.

They released their newest album "Sirens" last October, which you can listen to here.

"Locked Out from the Inside", the album this song is on, was released in 2009 after the second album "Love/Hate". I was dissappointed by the second album, because their first album was so good. So good. It's one of my favourites. "Love/Hate" was just so mellow, and indie and using acoustic guitars. It was such a bore compared to "Everything Is".

"Locked Out from the Inside" for me was a return to form. Their crunchy, rough Nirvana-esque sound was back, no acoustic guitars in sight. It just felt like everything was back to normal.

"Along for the Ride" is the penultimate song from the album. I think it's about wanting a relationship, or being interested in someone. I don't know, I don't really look deep into lyrics. Even though I typed the lyrics up for every song and got them up on the Internet.

If you don't know Nine Black Alps, listen to their stuff. Please.

Jamie, again.