Thursday, February 28, 2008

GeekPop '08

Now listen up you two, the good folks over at the Null Hypothesis are doing a GeekPop science music festival podcast type thing. Check it! It's got Jonny Berliner and the Amateur Transplants on it, which is no bad thing.
Also is no bad thing is that a tune cobbled together by three members of my band (excluding the singer lady and drummer, rather key people) was sent to them too late. You are spared the horror of my, ahem, singing .

Friday, February 22, 2008

Science Singles: Late feb 2008

There has been muttering that my choices for these reviews have been too obscure. So in order to rectify this, I'm now picking reviews from the home of all that's popular, youth and hip: the BBC Radio 1 playlist, and the A-List at that. You have been warned

What's It Gonna Be by H Two O Feat. Platinum





Science? H2O will lead to the oxidation of many metals. Leave an iron bolt out in the rain for long enough and it will become encrusted with rust as negative hydroxide ions react with the positive Iron ions ( Fe2+) to form the iron oxides that make up rust. Platinum however won't oxidise with water and so doesn't easily corrode, a property which gives platinum it's high value.
For a two-step speed garage crew, H Two O is a pretty good name. However, I wouldn't collaborate with a group called Platinum. H Two O and Platinum don't react. I'd want my speed garage hits to be under a moniker that sounds vibrant and exciting. H Two O Featuring Iron is a bit better, but evocative of rust, corrosion and death. What you want is H Two O featuring some exciting alkali metal. Like Caesium. Yeah, H Two O featuring Caesium, that' be skill.

Is it any good? Oh no. Please no. Is this what gets played on day time radio 1? I thought speed garage died with DJ Luck and MC Neat. What happened? No one sent me the memo.

Next!

We Are Scientists with After Hours




Science? I'm a scientist. In about 10 minutes it'll be "after hours" in my lab. I won't be here though. I'll be in the pub. We Are Scientists are not scientists though, which is a shame. More rock stars should be scientists. I bet Brain Cox would never sing "Time means nothing".
Is it any good? This the acceptable face of safe and slightly dull US indie rock and roll. Take notes The Killers, you could learn a thing or two.