Remember last time I asked you to check your pop calendar?

It was just before Christmas, and you’ll fondly remember how we all marvelled at the fact that not only was 2012 close, but how the BRIT Awards 2012 were also agonisingly within our collective grasp.

Well guess what? The UK’s annual musical blowout is now within spitting distance, arriving on February 21st.

Not that you’d want to expectorate anywhere near it of course; what with our aunties’ favourite rambunctious autobiography-shifter – that’s James Corden, of course – hosting an event that promises glamour, spectacle, celebrity, sponsorship by MasterCard and maybe JLS, who’ll probably do backflips whilst rubbing their abs a bit.

Well, by the time you read this, the Brits will have trotted out their nominations, which, let’s face it, will probably feature the part-rap, part-indie, all-scallywag Ed Sheeran in there somewhere, Adele (inevitably), and possibly even the bewilderingly unsmiling US blood-obsessive Lana del Rey.

But just watching this all take place might not be enough. Some of you want something more. Something special. What you want is Something For The Fans, which gives you the chance to win a Priceless Duet with one of music’s biggest names, including JLS, Emily Sandé and Labrinth. All you need to do is enter online and you too could be nervously duetting with them on national TV.

And whilst you’re dreaming of duetting with your squeaky-clean popstar of choice (Lemmy from Motörhead is sadly unavailable), Mastercard users can use their Priceless London service to help make slipping in and out of the capitol as easy as pie.

So hurry along and apply, and you could be tunelessly wailing along with JLS so soon, it’ll make your head spin. (Or that could just be Aston from JLS doing flips again.)

Viral video by ebuzzing

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photo by Jodi Kaufer

You can tell a lot from a name, rightly or wrongly. It’s a very human response – there’s a reason that the man who devastated half the world in the 1930s and 40s changed his name. Even desperately poor Germans couldn’t take Adolf Schicklgruber seriously.

And so what type of music do you think Thunder Buffalo make? Ten points for those of you who correctly guessed ‘grimy rock’, but minus ten points for those of you who thought that predictable song titles like Be-Bop Sing-A-Long means that their songs are dull good ol’ boy rawk.

Thunder Buffalo - Be-Bop Sing-A-Long

Fact: while Thunder Buffalo chew up stubborn guitar riffs, clobbering drums and fuzzy vocals like countless other bands, the resulting songs bely a deft touch and blaze with a hip-wriggling sexuality that few can match.

It’s not throwback rock: Black Cat Rising is the sound of a band who know their sonic palette and their sound’s structure – and start bending it into more interesting places.

Riffs are taken to repetitive extremes – just a bar too long here, a drumbeat too many there – and a strangely hypnotic drone-garage hybrid emerges. A surprising, yet homely band. Test accepted conventions and enjoy.

(Purchase their songs here)

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So, here’s a glance back at, erm, a glance back. But it’s entirely worthwhile – because today here’s the best five gigs and a sideways look at the most unpleasant musical aspects of last year.

Be prepared for Lethal Bizzle and Hot Chip almost pipping Public Enemy for Gig O’ The Year, and then brace yourself for the Blandest Band Of The Year, Worst Song Of The Year and The Moment When The Portal Of Hell Almost Opened.

They’re the creme de la creme of the corking and the crappy – so read all about it here (best gigs) and here (worst bands)!

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What actually goes on inside the head of the third in line to the throne? Apart from all the thoughts about skiing at Kloisters, shooting animals and spectacularly inappropriate fancy dress, you get the feeling that the wheel is still spinning, but that the gerbil died a long time ago. Today’s New Band, however, are as bright as buttons.

The Momeraths are a band existing in their own world, where it’s always summertime, there’s always a picnic in the park to go to, and when you get there, everything – trees, grass, dogs and all – are made of different coloured fudge. This precis is really the only reasonable explanation for their sugar-powered, youthful and happy sound.

Johnny Coop is a racket, in the nicest possible way. It clatters and clicks enthusiastically, and threatens to collapse under the weight of the jingles, jangles and scattering sounds, but actually emerges as bright, joyful pop. The Boyfriend Song jigs frantically around its teenage bedroom, daydreaming about the captain of the football team, who’s, like, totally lush.
The Momeraths are cute without being twee, fey without being pathetic and jangly without being clichéd. For this achievement alone, they deserve an invite to one of Harry’s parties, though I’m not sure how at home they’d feel amongst a load of hairy-arsed squaddies. Find out for yourself here, and then have a go at racially abusing someone yourself.

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1. >Todays New Band – Like A Stuntman
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3. >Today’s New Band – Frantic Clam

If you’re desperate for a new band fix, try the ANBAD Archives, in case there’s some you might have missed. There’s bucket-loads of the damn things.

Happy Holidays!

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3. >Today’s New Band – Syntaks

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