Why The Demise Of Teletext Is Bad News For Music Lovers

Today, bleary eyes squinted at crude images crafted out of large primary-coloured pixels for the last time, as Teletext stopped functioning in the UK. If, like me, you had a special affection for the service's music magazine, Planet Sound, you'll probably shed a blocky tear of sadness.

In a world caught between lusting after the latest media technology and reviving retro mediums like the fanzine, Teletext and Planet Sound stood in a no-man's land between the past and the present. But because it was such a unique medium, standing apart from the competition, Planet Sound (formerly called – wait for it – Blue Suede Views) grew to become a lovingly independent source of new music, reviews and interviews.

Established in 1997 and edited by John Earls since 2001, the hallowed digital pages of P:S gave early demo reviews to bands such as Maximo Park, the Twilight Sad and Hope of the States and won a devoted army of fans in the process. In a parting message, Manic Street Preachers' Nicky Wire paid tribute to Planet Sound by saying: "I love the feel of books and records, and I loved the feel of the remote control to give me information." Elsewhere, the Beautiful South's Paul Heaton voiced his support: "I refuse to accept that Teletext won't be with us any more. I'm going to carry on pressing the text button on my TV, like a dog who can't understand that his owner's dead."

Whilst it's easy to get dewy eyed about the loss of another music publication, in this case we are losing a true one-off. Future generations will surely find the very concept of Teletext baffling. Today's music news, after all, is distributed by a horde of anonymous bloggers whereas Planet Sound represented something altogether more cosy, a warm haven of musical discussion and recommendation. The sense of community amongst those who wrote in (affectionately known as Voiders, after the letters page the Void) is often lacking in the cutthroat commenting world that's developed since. So raise a glass to Planet Sound. I, for one, will always have a special place in my heart for it, accessible only by keying in the digits "3", "4" and "0".

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June: Blog Highlights

June will forever be remembered for one event, an occasion so monumental it will go down in the history books and be remembered for ever more. A once great and succesful figure but one that had fallen on tempestuous and difficult times in recent years tragically released this as their new away kit.

Michael Jackson, the King of Pop also passed away.

In blog-land these things all happened.

I had a few chats with Maximo Park, Dizzee Rascal, Beth Ditto, Marina and The Diamonds and Florence and The Machine.

Blur came back and tore Rough Trade East a new one. Watch it here.

Bloc Party and The XX debuted new singles. One is a lot better than the other but Bloc Party try hard bless them.

Crocodiles introduced themselves to the world.

Pains of Being Pure At Heart put in a set of two halves in London.

T-Pain jumped the bling shark with his new Big Ass Chain.

And I made my first effort in beoming the next Scott Mills by appearing on Radio 1's Steve Lamacq show talking about Lost Knives.

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Words with... Maximo Park

Had a little chat with Paul Smith this morning about all things Glastonbury. Read what he had to say here on Gigwise.

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Maximo Park- 'Quicken The Heart'

This is Fake DIY

Since emerging in 2005 Maximo Park have slowly but surely built up a devoted fan base and a solid supply of indie dance floor hits. From the frenetic ‘Apply Some Pressure’ to the anthemic ‘Our Velocity’ the North Eastern bands combination of the romantic and intellectual have proved a huge hit. So it’s a great shame on the first spin of the bands third album that none of the urgency is present. The tracks trudge by barely registering themselves and no spark or energy are forthcoming. The likes of ‘Wraithlike’ and the new single ‘The Kids Are Sick Again’ lack a certain magic, the Maximo factor if you like that ran through their previous work so strongly.

In fact it’s quite possible to really dislike ‘Quicken The Heart’ on first impressions, it is only with repetition that the gems and treats reveal themselves from behind the rocks of disappointment. For example the chorus of ‘Roller Disco Dreams’ is a classic Maximo ode to future love and starry-eyed excitement similar to say ‘Books From Boxes’ or ‘Once, A Glimpse’. Similarly ‘In Another World’ expresses the small town way of life in a way Tom Clarke could not even dream of. Fans of dodgy nights out in Newcastle or Ross Noble DVD’s will quickly relate to the line “On the revolving dance floor, in the middle of the river.” Melodically ‘Quicken The Heart’ is a winner, singer Paul Smith has crafted a series of hooks that are easily unforgettable and none more so on the destined to be a crowd favourite ‘The Penultimate Clinch’- it’s Joy Division esque bass line adding a darker air to the bands sound.

Whilst positives can be drawn from this album there are also a lot of negatives. It’s is comfortably the worst of Maximo Parks discography thus far and symptomatic of a slump that, dare we say it, started after the bands very first single. There is far too much filler on ‘Quicken The Heart’ with tracks such as ‘Calm’, ‘Tanned’ and ‘Overland, West Of Suez’ seeming particularly surplus. Special criticism must go to ‘Let’s Get Clinical’ though, a painfully bad attempt at being erotic instead coming out sounding like the prelude to a sexual harassment case.

Existing fans of the band will lap this up and the haters will take ample ammunition from it but to the neutral ‘Quicken The Heart’ simply feels undercooked.

6/10

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Maximo Park- The Kids Are Sick Again

Still not sure if this is any good. Also, Duncan Lloyd looks like Bono pretending to be The Edge in this video.

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First listen- Maximo Park and Gallows return.

Gallows- 'The Vulture' (Part II)

Everybody's favourite major label punk band come back with more tattoos and even more attitude than they showed on 'Orchestra Of Wolves' in 2008. The Vulture, the first foray into the forthcoming new album 'Grey Britain', is a relentless audio pummeling so intense that it feels on the precipice of destruction. Frank Carter's vocals are gritty and bold, a deep swirling growl bursting forth from the huge sounding drums and guitars. Nothing new here to entice the haters but more than enough to enrapture the masses who have already taken this band to their hearts.

Maximo Park- 'The Kids Are Sick Again'

Hmmm, I love Maximo Park but the early signs of 'Quicken The Heart' aren't looking too promising. The free download 'Wraithlike' was certainly a grower and is now lodged somewhere near the best things I've heard this year however I can't help feeling it was a desire to like it that informed my opinion rather than the quality of the music itself. 'The Kids Are Sick Again' is another initially underwhelming effort. This is a band who premiered previous albums with 'Apply Some Pressure' and 'Our Velocity', massively urgent songs with energy and heart in abundance. This single though feels phoned in, as if Maximo Park issued a guide book to writing their songs then used it to the letter to create new material. Let's hope it grows with repetition and the album is hiding a few gems.

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Top Of The Pops #3

Ten tracks currently stuck on repeat in the Boringbythesea HQ (my room). You can download three of them below too.

• Cocknbullkid- I'm Not Sorry
• Metric- Stadium Love
• Maximo Park- Wraithlike
• The Dead Weather- Hang You From The Head
• Little Boots- New In Town (Fred Falke Mix)
• Favours For Sailors- I Dreamt That I Dreamt That You Loved Me In Your Dreams
• Golden Silvers- True Romance (True No.9 Blues)
• Copy Haho- Pulling Push Ups
• Chew Lips- Solo
• Filthy Dukes ft. Orlando Weeks- Nonsense In The Dark

Maximo Park- Wraithlike MP3
Little Boots- New In Town (Fred Falke Mix) MP3
The Dead Weather- Hang You From The Head MP3

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Maximo Park- 'Wraithlike'

Brand new from Paul Smith and co. 'Wraithlike' was premiered on Zane Lowe's Radio1 show this evening (March 9th) and is now avalable to download for free.

Maximo Park- 'Wraithlike' MP3

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