Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day Ann - I'll Love You Forever.

Love is in the air everywhere I look around

Love is in the air every sight and every sound

Yes it's that time of the year again when Cupid's arrow goes into overdrive and the lovelorn greet the day with renewed hope that their love will be requited. So how could the Devil let the day pass without a post dedicated to love? And what better way to do it than with an amazing band with a name that fits too neatly to be true...

Cyanide Valentine

Forget Radiohead and their pay what you like tariff for 'Rainbows', Bostonians Cyanide Valentine have gone one step further. They don't want your money they just want your ears (metaphorically speaking they're musicians not butchers trading in human parts) . They have released two albums, both of which are available for downloading free of charge. That's nothing, gratis, without the exchange of any form of dosh.

Now I know what the sceptical amongst you are thinking, it's free therefore it can't be much cop otherwise they'd be charging for the privilege. Well sceptics shelve your entire belief system as not all artists are desperate to compromise their principles in the pursuit of the false god of profit. Not all musicians are looking to make a quick buck for the cash crazed corporate neanderthals. Yes both the free (yes free, no strings attached, no adverts to listen to, no newsletter to sign up to) albums are quality with a capital Q. Both albums are beautifully spaced out, dreamy, epics of lo-fo alt folkarockatronica (yes their style is a little difficult to define) that flicker, float and occasionally explode.

Latest album, 'The Three Sides of the Cyanide Valentine' is worth downloading just for the incredible fusion of Prefab Sprout, The Flaming Lips and Super Furry Animals that is 'Neanderthals' . The albums stand out track that is already the main contender for the Devil's track of the year, and it's still only February. If any Devil reader goes and downloads the album and doesn't like 'Neanderthals' then I'll refund the entire cost of the album (ok it's an empty gesture as the album is free but an empty gesture is still a gesture right?). The rest of the album dredges up fractured memories of bands and albums enjoyed in years gone by even managing to include a track that could have been an acoustic outtake from the Beatles White Album ('Ghosts of Boston'). Actually listening to is again it sounds less like an outtake and more like a track that was left out by mistake, yes it's that good.

But don't just take my word for it go check the albums out for yourself...

Go Try

Full Album - Cyanide Valentine - Let It Rot

Full Album - The Three Sides of Cyanide Valentine

Go Visit

Cyanide Valentine - Website

Maintaining the Valentine's Day theme here are a couple of brilliant bands named after the great day courtesy of those lovely people at Filthy Little Angels ...

MP3 - The Valentines - Cheshire Lane
MP3 - Vendetta Valentine - There's Nothing Safe
MP3 - Valentine - It's Not Hard

Ann here are some little extras for you on Valentines Day...

Elvis Costello
My Funny Valentine




Matt Damon
My Funny Valentine (The Talented Mr Ripley)

Nico
My Funny Valentine