Got this impersonal, seemingly management company generated email, a generic press release, I assumed was asking for a review, without specifically asking for one (more of a statement than a request) and therefore, almost wrote this band off without listening to them. The press photo at left intrigued me enough, sorta thought, these guys might have something interesting to say over a cup of coffee. Listened to the tune, a minimal, synth, darkwave kind of thing and was pretty fucking impressed. In that email, "electronic pop" was mentioned, and I'm just enough of a music snob to be instantly annoyed anytime the word "pop" is used (I have to work on that). But this has an edge to it, where as pop is a butter knife that's only good for spreading butter, this is sharp and will cut you the fuck up. It's dark, but not contrived forcing a guy to have to put on eye liner, it feels natural, perfect for promoting thought. And I thought, the lyrics, what I can understand are pretty killer, so I wrote back to see if I could get those wrote up. Bradley kindly wrote back and reading along only makes the song that much better...
the sort of love that makes you ache
can't see a thing but you know you're awake
at the ole gin mill where everyone knows
stranger in town and he's moving in close
i am the pleasure to your pain i am the one who got away
the sort of nerves that show on your face nowhere to hide so you pick up the pace strollin' the boulevard right in plain sight stranger in town and he's staying all night
i am the pleasure to your pain i am the one who got away my love is cynical love so criminal i am the one who got away
So they've got a Soundcloud page, you can get to that below along with some other links, Femmefatality.net, Facebook.com/femmefatalitymusic, and Instagram.com/femmefatalityofficial/. Went ahead and started listening to some of their songs of the past on that Soundcloud page, there an impressive 43 of them, and song after song I was blown away. This newest song is the darkest of the lot, but these other ones are crazy good too. Poppy? Yes, but this electro power pop kind of thing,that is hyper catchy. How the fuck have I not heard of this band who like an iceberg the majority of their mass lies underneath the surface. Simply incredible composers and songwriters make up this band. I was kind of proud of myself for making this discovery, but of course I deserve no credit, it was that seemingly impersonal press release that ended up in my mailbox... [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gSneDejm6g][soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/users/20521136" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
Yesterday was my 46th birthday. Not a special or memorable number like 21 or 40 were, or I imagine like 50 will be, but still okay because it was a pretty alright year. Nothing mind blowing this year, but my life in general is fairly good...my Wife is still hot (way too fine, considering I'm fat and falling apart) and for the most part supportive, my Son is going to a division I university and is a well rounded individual, I have two beautiful Grandbabies, I enjoy spending time with my 4 dogs, ten (outside) cats, two horses and my miniature donkey Jet Li, work isn't my favorite part of my life, but I get paid well enough and what I do is important to the lives of others, I own my Great Great Grandfather's homestead, I have two pickups in case one breaks down and I have enough extra money to meagerly support my hobby, music. Life is good and I value it (which wasn't always the case). Most importantly, so I can enjoy all that, is I'm not a slave to the bottle anymore. Didn't do much on this birthday, worked, came home, changed into my pajamas, had coffee, a juicy steak and watched a decent movie, Lucy (actually I dug it tremendously). And thanx to the paradoxically good and evil Facebook, I got lots of birthday wishes from the people I love. My Native Brother Tom sent me the killer vid/tune below...
[video width="540" height="360" mp4="http://mustard-relics.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Peyote-Birthday-Song.mp4"][/video]
...then my buddy Nazz sent me the icing on the cake...
[video width="640" height="360" mp4="http://mustard-relics.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/The-Ramones-Happy-Birthday.mp4"][/video]
Happy New Year imaginary audience. I can remember some really bad years, so even though this year wasn't particularly mind blowing, I am grateful. I don't put forth a lot of effort in life and am satisfied with pretty much taking what I can get. Shit happens sometimes that is out of our control, but I've found that the quality of life that you have is for the most part in your hands (short of being born into some crappy situation in life). This place is as good as it gets for me other than being happy for the family and friends around me. In 2014 I did manage to discover a few electronica related blogs that are worth of mention. I highly recommend you check out 
Can't believe I've never posted any Joy Division, perfect for those moments of apathy and self-loathing. My buddy Dougie Grime turned me onto them in 1987, at the time he said that I looked like the singer. I really felt these guys back then wallowing in my own teenaged depression and nothing goes better with a dark mood than dark music. The epitome of post=punk and perhaps the first coldwave band??? If you don't know this band, then you should and this is a perfect place to start. Written on the jacket is, "unobtainable session tracks and live recordings" and I couldn't agree more. The candle was burning at both ends for singer Ian Curtis, who of course hung himself in 1980, live fast die young baby. Crank this puppy up, grab your favorite razor blade and start cutting designs into your flesh, live it up a little bit...
Colony (Bbc Maida Vale Studios London 26.09.79)
Komakino (Britannia Row Studios London 18.-30.03.80)
As You Said (Incubation 2) (Britannia Row Studios London 18.-30.03.80)
Shadowplay (Arrow Studios Manchester 03.-04.05.78)
Interzone (Arrow Studios Manchester 03.-04.05.78)
The Drawback (Arrow Studios Manchester 03.-04.05.78)
Atmosphere (Cargo Studios Rochdale 10.-11.79)
Dead Souls (Cargo Studios Rochdale 10.-11.79)
Insight (Eden Studios London 04.03.79)
Glass (Eden Studios London 04.03.79)
Ice Age (Eden Studios London 04.03.79)
She's Lost Control (Strawberry Studios Stockport 03.80)
Ceremony (Tj Davidson's Rehearsal Studios Manchester 28.04.80)
In A Lonely Place (Tj Davidson's Rehearsal Studios Manchester 28.04.80)
Candidate (Pennine Sound Studios Oldham 04.06.79)
The Only Mistake (Pennine Sound Studios Oldham 04.06.79)
Chance (Atmosphere) (Pennine Sound Studios Oldham 04.06.79)
Autosuggestion (Live In London 02.08.79)
I Remember Nothing (Live In Bournemouth 02.11.79)
Atrocity Exhibition (Live In Manchester 13.07.79, Wrong Date On Cover)
EDIT: The links are long gone, thanx to the copyright wars (I might be persuaded to upload to YT if asked). Here's a cool live set...