ON THE RECORD: JIM CARROLLon music
Has the time come to put the music back into MTV? MTV UK announced plans this week for a new flagship channel that will – hold the front page – play music videos.
The new channel is to be called MTV Music and, according to the network’s David Lynn, will break new artists and develop new talent. It will also feature “some of the greatest live performances ever”, so Dire Straits fans are catered for.
Of course, it's a long time since MTV was a channel that just played music videos. It's become synomous in recent years with reality TV shows such as The City(Kerry footballer Paul Galvin is a big fan), The Hills, Jersey Shore, Pimp My Ride, The Real Orange Countyand My Super Sweet 16.
You want to see a video, old-timer? Go to YouTube or one of a zillion specialised music channels (including other MTV-branded ones).
But perhaps the time is right for MTV to re-establish its credentials and show that the “M” stands for music not mediocrity.
As people move away from purchasing physical and even digital music in favour of streaming, it’s noticeable that YouTube, in particular, is attracting a lot of traffic from music fans.
It’s unlikely that long-overdue record industry initiatives such as On Air, On Sale, which removes the gap between a record being promoted on radio and when it goes on sale, will change this.
However, we’re sure some MTV execs are looking at the traffic YouTube attracts and thinking about grabbing a slice of that advertising pie.
As they probably keep reminding themselves, MTV invented the music television shizzle (or at least had better PR than everyone else) so it could take time to reclaim the castle. Whether they actually succeed is another matter entirely.
NEW MUSIC
THE NORTHERN DRONESThe Dublin-based Northern Drones specialise in ramshackle, head-spinning psych-ramalama with a grand sense of fecklessness to the sound. Their self-titled debut album was apparently recorded in a cubbyhole under a set of stairs, and sounds all the better for it. thenorthern drones.com
KYLA LA GRANGE
If Jessie J is the sound of 2011, chalk Kyla La Grange down as the sound of 2012. With a magnificent belter of a voice and bewitching, soaring tunes (we're loving her forthcoming double A-side single Walk Through Wallsand Courage), La Grange is set to be a name to be reckoned with. kylalagrange.com
THE SUZAN
Fun, fun, fun with Japanese all-grrrl combo who mix garage rock, pop, punk and surfedelica into one big mess of sound. It shouldn't work but, as debut album Golden Week for the Poco Poco Beatshows, it often does. myspace.com/ thesuzan
NOW PLAYING
Foster the People Houdini(Startime International) Stunning tune from the Los Angeles band's new EP, which is every jot as good as much-played 2010 track Pumped Up Kicks.
Homeboy Sandman The Good Sun(High Water) Hugely enjoyable album from the New York underground MC with the stylist flow, which comes with hooks galore from producers Two Hungry Bros, Psycho Les and friends.
Bell X1 Hey Anna Lena(BellyUp) The first cut from Bell X1's forthcoming album Bloodless Coup is this low-slung, delightfully bleepy, alien torch song.
Beth Ditto EP(Deconstruction) Four infectious cuts from the Gossip frontwoman, as producers Simian Mobile Disco cast her as a classy disco/house diva.
Various Riddim Box(Soul Jazz) Smart basstastic decoding of the UK funky sound, with contributions from Zed Bias, MJ Cole, Kode9, Tubby T and more.
