My Bird Performs

That, right there? I used to feel like that during the summer. Now, I wake up at noon, drink herbal tea, and spend more time in Lower Blackrock Spire than I do outside my house. Oh, how times have changed.

To those of you who've been biting your nails waiting to find out which satellite radio provider I ended up choosing: worry not, for your time has come. Today I officially signed up for a monthly contract with XM, and I've spent the evening getting acquainted with broadcasting of the land-free persuasion. The first, and basically only, channel I tuned to was #146: FIFA's 2006 World Cup Network. All in all, this coverage has me sufficiently pumped for Friday and the opening ceremonies. Last time the World Cup was on, I was in Charlotte, NC competing in the National Forensic League's annual national tournament. The pressure of competition, coupled with 9am rounds and a crushing time difference between the US and Japan, meant that live matches were essentially out of the question for me. This year, though, I'm a lazy, unemployed college graduate with literally nothing better to do than bask in soccer-mania. With that in mind, I'll get back to thoughts on other channels in tomorrow's post.

While XM does offer clear advantages over its competitors, I can already tell that I'm going to miss some of Sirius' exclusive channels. While not having NPR, PRI, or BBC 1 isn't the end of the world, it's enough to inspire and "aww, shoot" and a snap of the fingers every now and then. For instance, without the BBC, I never would've found tonight's band as early as I did.



The Fratellis - Henrietta (Live at SXSW). Readers, meet Scotland's next big thing. From the rowdy streets of Glasgow come the Fratellis, Britrock upstarts and proud owners of this week's BBC Radio Single of the Week. These guys scream conglomeration; their selective borrowing ranges from their sound (Supergrass' exhuberance, the Libertines' unpolished snarl, T. Rex's eccentricity) to their naming convention (much like the Ramones, members of the Fratellis have cheekily adopted their band name as a common surname). However, all this mixing makes for an enjoyable romp. This gets my early vote for the summer's finest mischief-making anthem. The studio version of "Henrietta" comes out next week. Until then, satisfy your Fratellis cravings on either MySpace or the band's official site. Fans can also sign up for the band's new singles club, and gain access to this and other exclusive odds-n'-sods-type tracks.

BONUS: The Fratellis - Creeping Up The Backstairs. This song, taken from the band's debut EP, is available on iTunes as part of a showcase for unsigned bands. However, since the compilation's release, the Fratellis have gotten the call up. Last October, the lads inked a deal with Shoot The Runner, a well-concealed subsidiary of Island Records. With tracks like this, it's easy to see why they were picked up by such a relatively high-profile label. With a stomping, rag-like rhythm and lyrics doused in the spirit of edgy merry-making, the song is quite a fun little ride.

Edit: The link for the second song is officially fixed, so grab away, you heathens.

Posted by Tyler on Thursday, June 08, 2006 at 1:20 AM | Permalink