Words won't save your life

To catch the silence when it sings

2009-10-29T06:17:00.000-07:00

The Tallest Man On Earth, as most of you already know, is a man (Kristian Matsson) I have fallen in love with over the past year or so. His brand of Swedish folk via Dylan and beautiful guitar work has left me with the shivers man atime over the past few months especially. Seeing him live at The End Of The Road Festival was a huge highlight of the weekend for me and his live show was definitely something to behold. Just one man, a guitar and that voice to keep the tent warm. He blew me away and he's been doing it ever since with his melodies and his poetry. So beautiful, wordy and honest in places that it brings me out in goosebumps. His debut album proper, 2008's Shallow Grave, has been keeping me warm over the Autumn nights and I have recently discovered a session he did for NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts. This video WILL make you sigh heavily and, if you listen closely to the words, make you fall head over heals in love.

The Tallest Man On Earth - NPR Tiny Desk Concert:

Chasing the stuffed rabbit around the track...

2009-10-11T06:22:00.000-07:00

The Joy Formidable is a band I've been on about to all my friends, family and anyone who'll listen for ages. Their debut record, 'A Balloon Called Moaning', has been a staple of my musical diet during 2009 and harks back to rock and roll when it was darker, slightly more dirty and epic. Q Magazine recently described the band as being like My Bloody Valentine and Smashing Pumpkins. It's shoegaze with a pinch of grunge, never mind the build of sweeping guitars and vocals.

The Joy Formidable have released a brand new single in ainticipation of their live album, due later in the year. This new song, 'Greyhound In The Slips', sees the band team up with Mansun's Paul Draper for vocal duties and they get their rock on. It's classic Formidable, but there is a sense that the band have come a long way since their debut was released earlier in the year. The melodies are more prominent, for example, and it's less fuzzy, more epic. They are reaching for something bigger and the ambition shines, but doesn't flop. I can't wait to hear what a) the live record sounds like (recorded on tour this year) and b) what they do for the second record.

The Joy Formidable will be supporting Editors, Passion Pit and The Temper Trap on their UK tours this Autumn. Be sure to check them out. You should also head to the website to get details on that live record and the free download of the new single!

'Greyhounds In The Slips' video:

Spoiling us with remixes and excitements...

2009-10-11T06:03:00.000-07:00

That's right, Johnny Foreigner spoil us. They've gone on tour and to celebrate it they've released a brand new EP full of new songs (and a few old ones) re-done in a dance-like stylee. You should be flattered, it's all for you and available from their website for free. That's right, I said FREE.

The EP features remixes from Sky Larkin, Los Campesinos! and more as well as being damn right brilliant from start to finish. If you like JoFo then you'll probably enjoy dancing about any room to their noise. This is noise for just that but not necessarily dance-able. The reworked tunes sounds great and I can't wait to hear what the real, studio versions sound like on their BRAND NEW SHINY RECORD which hits at the end of this month. You can pre-order it here.

My favourite from the EP has to be the rework from Tom Campesinos!. The brand new single, 'Criminals', gets the treatment and it's downright marvellous. Go forth and dance to it like a goon. It's worth it. I'll be playing it to death until the new record comes to my doorstep.

Johnny Foreigner are touring a few more places and then the new album 'Grace And The Bigger Picture' comes out on the 26th October in the UK. You should get on that. I'm excited about it already. It's just too much, guys. We're spoilt!

What would you do if I sang out of tune?

2009-09-30T13:00:00.000-07:00

Joe Cocker at Woodstock, anyone? It doesn't get better than this when it comes to covers than are better than the originals (I will often tell you that The Beatles version is probably one of my most hated Beatles songs; I very rarely listen to it all the way through). This is the definitive version of the Joe Cocker version of the song. Yes, Ringo tried to sing the original, well, Joe Cocker has one of my favourite rock and roll voices and here is why. I don't really have a reason for posting it other than it felt right to do so, Woodstock was 40 years old last month and I think some of you will benefit from either seeing it again or seeing it full stop.

Best Beatles cover ever? Oooh. Maybe, just maybe.

I've been feeling like my old self again...

2009-09-30T12:47:00.001-07:00

Cory Chisel. A man I just discovered through the wonders of Brendan Benson. The announcement that Chisel will be supporting Benson on his next UK tour, has led me to the interwebs to find out more. Turns out that Chisel is Benson but with added religion and Springsteen comparisons. The Springsteen comparisons aren't misplaced, either. He really does sound like Springsteen in his younger, more depressing days (try listening to 'Nebraska'). The video that I found and I thought I'd share with you is of Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons single 'Born Again'. Co-written by Brendan Benson and featuring the cameos of members from The Raconteurs and My Morning Jacket. If this isn't impressive enough for you then you should simply drag your mouse over to that 'PLAY' button and watch every last second of this lovely little video. Yes, I think that might just be the medicine you're after. Listen closely to the lyrics, you might just fall for him.

The End Of The Road

2009-09-17T04:23:00.000-07:00

I spent the last weekend at what I believe to be the best and most civilised festival in the UK right now: End Of The Road Festival in Dorset. Granted, it's a long way to go for a festival when you don't have wheels (a car). We travelled by train, which was fairly easy if not a little tiring and the festival organisation made it much better than you'd expect. It was actually a joy to travel hundreds of miles on several trains and a coach.

The trains being a mess meant that I missed most of Friday and we did have a tent to put up, so we definitely missed some great acts due to our organisation skills (or lack thereof). However, first band we did manage to catch - a band called Spokes - were very impressive. I'd not heard about them before and they put on a great show. Think epic rock music without being too whiney (I'm looking at you, Snow Patrol). It was a nice way to kick off the weekend's events and we followed it was a soft-rockin' set from Vetiver. I know it sounds unlikely, but they did really get the crowd dancing. Those harmonies helped me drift off to sleep and I missed Explosions In The Sky on the main stage. Never mind, getting up at 7am takes it out of me.

The long, restless sleep of Friday night faded into Saturday all too quickly and I was up and about in the gardens again. The sun was blistering by midday and we headed over to the main stage to see whoever and whatever happened to adorn it. The band that we were treated to were the lovely (if not a wee bit twee) Leisure Society and their cover of 'Something' by The Beatles started my Saturday perfectly. We took in some sunshine, some ridiculously nice organic food and then headed back to The Garden Stage to see The Low Anthem (their second set of the weekend, I missed Friday's set in the smaller tent). I can only say good things. They blew me away. Although there were clearly nervous to be on such a huge stage in front of quite a large crowd, they did well and performed beautifully under pressure. The highlights included 'Charlie Darwin', 'Cage The Songbird' and 'To The Ghosts Who Write History Books' all including passionate harmonies, great melodies and such a relaxing beats that you couldn't help but drift off in the sunshine. Pure bliss.

Later on the Saturday we headed into the Big Top Tent to see Dent May and his Ukulele play a storming set - everyone was dancing about and nodding their heads to the tunes that May was thumping out on his trusty uke. He got quite the reception. Lots of fun. After Dent left the stage, Mr. Malcolm Middleton hit the stage for half an hour. I have, of course, seen him this year already and he was fantastic, but this set was different and Malcolm was airing a few oldies. We got treated to my favourite Middleton number, 'Blue Plastic Bags' from 'Sleight Of Heart'. We were also rocking out to the title track from 2007's 'A Brighter Beat'. They turned him up loud on the sound desk and everyone was stomping along. Great set mixing old and new. Best set of the day by far.

In the evening, after yet more gorgeous food, we headed over to watch Okkervil River play the main stage. They were ready to rock and played a lot of the happier stuff from their catalogue. They ended their brief set with a killer version of 'Unless It's Kicks' from their record 'The Stage Names' and almost everyone around me was smiling and tapping their feet (about as rock and roll as it gets). Then the headliners and the set that everyone was buzzing about this weekend: Fleet Foxes. The field was so rammed that over half of the festival attendees were in there. The band played a great set, but I couldn't help feeling it was more hype than substance this time around. The band seemed ill-at-ease and the on stage banter came across as a little forced. I cannot complain about the music, though. Those harmonies were spot on. It sent shivers down my spine when they started 'Drops In The River' and when Robin Pecknold came on in the encore to do 'Oliver James'. Beautiful way to end to Saturday.

Sunday was the big day for me. The day I was most excited about and, of course, had the best line-up of sets. We started the day with an incredible set from The Tallest Man On Earth. Just one Swede and an acoustic guitar. He brought tears to my eyes and his rendition of 'Sparrow And The Medicine' melted my very soul. I urge you all to check out this wonderful little man's work. After that wonderful set, we headed out for lunch and a nap. I went to watch Magnolia Electric Co. and they were pretty damn good. I wasn't expecting too much. I was tired and I don't know a lot of the band's stuff. But they rocked the Garden Stage and got my head bobbing. Nice to see a proper band rock out. Post- EMC I got a bit excited: Steve Earle was on next and he lived up to all the hype. ALL OF IT. The man may have had a drug problem, been in prison and had seven wives, but his honesty and songwriting was simply spot on for this festival. His on-stage banter between songs was self-depricating, witty and interesting. I don't think I took my eyes off him the entire time. Stunning.

Neko Case was up next, I know most of her work from The New Pornographers. Her voice is one of my favourites of the past few years. Her solo work, of course, is definitely worth checking out and her songwriting has been getting better and better. Her set at End Of The Road was full of banter with headliners The Hold Steady, lots of harmonies, soaring voals and guitar skills. She joked that she was soft-rockin' The Hold Steady off the stage before they'd even hit it. She did a damn good job of trying, to say the very least.

Then it was the big deal. The BIG ONE: The Hold Steady headlining the main stage on the Sunday night. I had been looking forward to this for way too long. It's so long I needn't mention it. The band came out guns -blazin' and opened with a great rendition of 'Constructive Summer'. It was just enough to get the crowd jumping and flailing. Into a set that barely stopped for breath they went. We were treated to a couple of new songs, 'Our Whole Lives' being the one that stood out best with another EPIC guitar solo from Kubler. The golden oldies like 'The Swish' got everyone around me dancing, waving their arms in the arms and bouncing about. This was already a massive night and they'd hardly started. The last track, of course, 'Killer Parties', was perfect in every way and I swear that seeing this band play live gets more like a religious experience every time. It was the perfect end to the weekend. I can't wait for next year!

"If she said we partied / Then I'm pretty sure we partied"

Please enjoy this mix of the best bits that I made using 8tracks:

They've sold you out! They've sold you out!

2009-09-04T01:56:00.000-07:00

Johnny Foreigner, writers of one of my favourite records of last year, have just put up a new single for you to go and have a listen to on their Myspace. I can reveal that it has the same raucous guitars, shouty boy-girl vocals and a chorus that will have you hooked after the first listen. It's catchy, it's fun and I'm excited about it.

'Criminals' will be available for digital download from October 12th. You should all buy it because it's great and you get lots of great things with it. Head to Bloggy Foreinger for the latest from Lex, Jun and Kelly. They're always updating progress on the new record (with a bit of random chitter chatter in between, which I adore because most of it is hilarious).

So Birmingham's best are back in action. I can't wait to hear the rest of the record. 'Criminals' is so very, very good.

Head to the band's offical website to download their Summer EP which features such lovely guitar-based wonders and this and more. Definitely worth signing up for.

A Whole Lot Better: Brendan Benson storms the fourth.

2009-09-03T12:14:00.000-07:00

“Well, take a seat, ‘cause there’s something I wanna say” Brendan Benson sings on the opener on his fourth record, the aptly titled ‘My Old, Familiar Friend’. The big riffs, catchy-as-hell hook, the huge chorus and the general power-pop wonder of ‘A Whole Lot Better’ really punches you in the gut. It’s the best opening statement you could want from the man formerly known only as Jack White’s sideman. It’s a statement of intent, too, for ‘A Whole Lot Better’ pretty much sums up what you’re about to hear in the next 50 minutes: classic power-pop tinged with massive riffs, lush strings and just a hint of Bowie.

Benson really has grown as a songwriter since 2005’s, ‘The Alternative To Love’. His writing always had a certain heart-on-sleeve quality. Some of his best lyrics come from songs that he is clearly spilling his guts on. This new record is no different in many ways, but somehow, Benson has matured and his arrangements show this new found skill off perfectly; the best setting for those passion-filled wails about love, lust and determination (with a touch of self-deprecation thrown in for that B. Benson good measure). It’s a balanced record with sweeping strings during the soulful ‘Garbage Day’ and Ben Folds-esque piano on ‘Gonowhere’. It’s pure pop in places. The big choruses get you on first listen. I found myself singing along halfway through the first listen to these songs; they have a certain way about them and they get under your skin quickly.

Having heard first single ‘Feel Like Taking You Home’, I knew that this record promised great things. It isn’t a fluke. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that it isn’t my favourite or the best song on ‘My Old, Familiar Friend’. Its jumpy piano and dark, offset lyrics fit right in with the happy sway of the brilliant ‘Poised And Ready’ and the deep and meaningful prowess of ‘Lesson Learned’. This record is an all-round entertainer, showing off all of the best sides of Brendan Benson’s skills. His song writing really shines, his way with the production desk shows off his best moments (those strings on ‘Garbage Day’ and ‘You Make A Fool Out Of Me’ sound really wonderful every single goddamn time) and the little things you can find listen after listen mean that it’s not only instant but grows on you more and more upon each listen.

In short, ‘My Old, Familiar Friend’ is the mellow of City And Colour, the clever pop-rock of Ben Folds and the classic song writing of ‘Ziggy Stardust’/‘Hunky Dory’ era-Bowie. It’s a varied blend of different styles but they are made Benson’s own. His voice sounds incredible throughout and the different areas of rock and roll that he touches upon sound like second nature to a man who has honed his talents and made an album full-to-bursting with songs that could easily have challenged Robert Williams in his ‘Life Thru A Lens’, “I live Oasis loads, so I’ll emulate them” prime (see the awesome ‘Don’t Wanna Talk’). Yes, proper pop-rock with swagger, honesty and massive sing-along-ability. Fantastic from start to finish. It’s good you have you back, Brendan. Especially in such style.

Brendan Benson hits the tour circuit this Autumn.

Heavens above!

2009-09-03T04:46:00.000-07:00

The Most Serene Republic is a Canadian band that may have just captured my heart. Hearing this song, 'Heavens To Purgatory', live on Youtube, I am convinced that they will be huge. The song itself - a wonderful little song dropping in at no more than two and a half minutes - is all guitars, harmonies and a whole ton of joy thrown in. I can't wait to see how they grow. They will surely be loved by fans of Fleet Foxes, Arcade Fire, Laura Marling and Okkervil River. They've got the tunes and they can do it all LIVE. A sign of a damn good band, methinks.

Their new record is out on Arts & Cratfs and is entitled '...And The Ever Expanding Universe'. Here is the aforementioned video wonderment that I fell upon but 10 minutes ago, thus cementing my new love for this band. Enjoy:

A fitting 'Tribute To'

2009-09-03T04:07:00.000-07:00

As many of you will know, I am a huge George Harrison fan. He was always my favourite Beatle. His work within the band was probably some of their best music (see: 'Taxman', 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps', 'Something', 'Here Comes The Sun' etc.) and his solo work, when compared to the other Beatles, was simply astounding in quality, honesty and spirituality. He may have been "the quiet one", but George Harrison was avery important songwriter in his own right, and many forget this. He was overshadowed quite a bit by Lennon and McCartney during his time in the band, only when they split was it evident what an incredible talent he was.

His solo album, 'All Things Must Pass', is among my favourite records ever. Not simply because I love George Harrison, but because the music is so far-reaching, so beautiful. Some of his words (like these tingle-inducing verses) were of a poetic nature but many of them were heart-on-sleeve, honest and searching. George Harrison was, and always will be, a great musician. And when I heard that Jim James (of My Morning Jacket fame) had done a covers mini-album, solely made up of Harrison's work, I was, at first, a little skeptical. However, as my curiousity grew, it seemed like it might just be a match made in heaven.

Although I am always suspicious of people covering my favourite artists' work, the thought of someone taking a Harrison song and changing beyond recognition seemed like a bit too much to bear. My fears were squashed when I heard the Yim Yames (clever disguise you've got there, Jim) version of one of my favourite Harrison songs: 'All Things Must Pass'. This song is truly beautiful and when Yim sings in his celestial howl, it takes on a new dimension. A simple version - just guitar and voice - this song made me swoon and I felt like this mini-album might be one of the few things from 2009 that I could really, really rave about.

Listening to 'Tribute To' all the way through a few times, you get the feeling that Yim didn't want to change George's songs too much. Like he has some sort of attachment to them himself and he wanted to do them justice. I, for one, am very grateful to Yim for this. It would just be wrong to mess about with it too much, let the master do his work. However, songs like 'My Sweet Lord' have been simplfied and this only magnifies their shear genius. I don't use the word genius often, but Harrison was and is when it comes to songwriting. 'My Sweet Lord' may have been his most famous song, but it was also one of his most searching. Looking for the answers to the questions of religion, faith and the aforementioned spirituality.

The highlight of the whole record is 'All Things Must Pass', but each acoustic, echoing word hangs in the air and all of the songs have been worked to the same standard. I was not horrified to hear these songs in such a beautiful setting. They'll never better the originals for me, but to hear them freshened up for a new audience is lovely. Definitely something that George would have approved of, I'm sure.

Fitting, beautiful, spine-tingling.

'Tribute To' is out now. You can order it online from the Yim Yames website, above.

Thank you for your thoughts, but I'm done.

2009-09-03T03:59:00.000-07:00

Good Old War, the band is getting some serious coverage on the blogosphere, so what you might have read here would not have been anything new. However, I think they deserve a mention anyway. I'm not going to ramble on and on about how they sound wonderful and they have a really great way with words (and their instruments). Instead, I am going to post the video for their single, 'Coney Island', which is not only clever but showcases what the band are all about: music, art, the city, the words. Listen carefully, you might just fall in love.

Good Old War - Coney Island video:

"I try not to make waves / I try to go with the flow"

2009-08-20T04:04:00.000-07:00

Many who read this blog will know of my love for Brendan Benson and his solo work up-to-date. His work with The Raconteurs has made him famous as Jack White's collaboration partner, but his solo albums - 'One Mississipi', 'Lapalco' and 2005's 'Alternative To Love' - have been largely overlooked by the public. This is, as I have always said, a great shame. His song writing is among my favourite and his ear for melody means that his brand of power-pop should be much, much bigger than it is in terms of the numbers of fans and record selling. This said, his latest solo record, 'My Old, Familiar Friend' is due out on Monday 24th August and it is sure to be his best yet. I can say this because I have finally had chance to sit down and fall in love with his brand new single, 'Feel Like Taking You Home'.

This new song proves that Brendan Benson should not be on the outskirts of mainstream. His melodies here are exactly what Robbie Williams should have done after 'Life Thru A Lens' (his Oasis album). This is not a bad thing. I know most of you will read the name Robbie Williams and run a mile; but this is proper pop music, with guitars and keys and catchy-as-hell choruses. Brendan Benson has never been all about Led Zeppelin-style riffs like his role in The Raconteurs demands. His solo albums are full of acoustic, heatfelt songs (see 'Metarie') and killer riff-driven rock and roll (see 'Good To Me', 'Spit It Out', 'Sittin' Pretty'). This new single finds the balance between 2005's 'Alternative To Love' and 2002's 'Lapalco'. The songwriting is still as wonderful and the pop shines.

'Feel Like Taking You Home' opens with the plinky and jolly bounce of Benson's keyboard. This is a sound that last throughout the song and gives it that unidentifiable sense of innocence. The guitars come in for the middle verses and choruses and they are big, brash and bold. It's instantly Benson as soon as he starts singing the ominous first line: "Something's not right / I'm overcome with fear." This fear and dread marks the song as lyrically dense and interesting but it's the arrangement that makes it pefection. It build to the chorus as Benson sings over keyboard, bass and cymbols. The guitar is what makes this song instant. I fell in love with this song upon first listen and it is this quality to Benson's songwriting that will make him a star.

He deserves more recognition than he gets and I predict that this new record will be the deep and exciting guitar-driven rock record that Brendan Benson has been building to over the past three albums. His ear for a decent tune and work with White has clearly left him able to pen the perfect power-pop I always knew he could create.

I absolutely cannot wait to hear the rest of this new record. I predict a favourite of 2009 already, especially if this is the sound of what is to come from 'My Old, Familiar Friend'. I am actually really, really excited about his new record!

Brendan Benson is going on a tour this Autumn. He is definitely worth checking out if you are in any doubt about his talents. Details can be found here.

Cheat on Marr

2009-08-20T03:34:00.000-07:00

The Cribs have found themselves at the centre of British indie's attention over the past few years. Ever since their insteresting behaviour at the NME awards a few years back (which resulted in Ryan Jarman having to go to hospital for a rather serious looking gash on his lower back) they have been indie darlings and have released and album that proved the hype. The wonderful 'Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever' was released nearly two whole year ago and was full of catchy guitar-based rockers with killer riffs and huge hooks. I fell in love with it pretty quickly and I don't think I was the only one.

Since all of the aforementioned madness and several tours, the band have recruited themselves a legend in the ranks. Mr. Johnny Marr is and always has been someone I have admired for his incredible guitar skills. His ear for a riff and creativity kept The Smiths afloat and have added something to Modest Mouse's dynamic. I was pleased to hear that Marr was becoming a fully-fledge Crib and that he was helping the Jarman brothers write the new record, entitled 'Ignore The Ignorant' and due later this year.

The first single from this sure-to-be-great record is the wonderful 'Cheat On Me' (video here). The song opens with what sounds like it could've quite easily been a Smiths riff, big clean with Mar written all over it. The vocals sound like The Cribs through and through, there is no mistaking this for someone else. It's angry, barked vocals during the chorus mark it out as classic Cribs. The riffs building into layered, intense guitars and some clever fret work from Marr post-chorus. This song will definitely become a fan-favourite fast. It screams festival, bouncing up and down and getting sweaty. It's almost perfect for hot gigs in close quarters. The chorus begs to be sung at the top of your lungs, too.

The song finishes in a haze of guitars and Marr genius. His handy work makes this song as brilliant as it is. His stamp may well be on it, but The Cribs themselves have made this record instantly recognisable. The lyrics, the howling vocals in the chorus, the build, the layering, the sound itself is imply Cribs all over. Marr as added something to this mix and it's definitely upped their game. I cannot wait to see where the album goes, there's been some seriously writing happening between the Jarmans and JM.

I await the results of this collaboration eagerly. This record is going to be one of the NME's favourites this year, for certain. I, for one, can't wait to hear the fruits of their labour.

'Cheat On Me' is released in physical formats in the UK on the 31st August. It is available on iTunes now. The band are also going on tour at the beginning of September. They have added dates due to the demand, get in there quick if you're desperate to see them live.

XX O(h)

2009-08-19T03:40:00.000-07:00

The XX, a band that has been hyped up by the NME and is soon to be on tour with Florence and Her Machine, no less. This band went to school with members of Hot Chip, Four Tet and Burial. These guys already have the "cool" tag but, in my world, they have to prove it with the music. I was excited to hear their debut record, simpley titled 'XX'. They really are as cool as they have been hyped up to be, even if it's not in the same way as the flamboyant Florence, the hop-skip of Hot Chip or the busy-beats of Burial.

The XX has a love of the minimal, the understated and yet beautiful. Most of the songs on this record feature no more than sparse guitar and vocals, and when The XX are "layering" they add a little electronic noise or two. This is not grandoise, this is not grand or over-the-top. This isn't a band that gets to the production desk and makes it shiny and polished. This is almost skeletol in terms of productions; as little as possible where they can get away with it. Most of what is on this record sounds like a demo. It's almost and indie-dance version of Springsteen's 'Nebraska' in that sense.

The band's apparoach may be a little different in an age where polished sounds and over-production rule the charts. I am under no illusions that this is going to be huge and bring us back to simplicity in those sense. The XX aren't destined for stadiums, their sounds deserves intimacy and the hushed vocals require heavy-duty listening and all of your attention. The perfect example of this is 'Night Time', which sees the band in full sleep mode. It's a great song, but it takes several listens to work that out.

The stand-out tracks on 'XX', are the tracks where the band let rip with their guitars, they shows off their funky side or they do something a little different with what they've got. The most original and wonderful song here is 'VCR', which had me from the first listen. There is something so innocent about the lyrics that makes it so addictive with it's child-like introduction (it actually sounds like a 2 year old playing the xylophone, but that isn't saying it's bad). It has a great 'impact' effect on the listener and I think it could be my favourite song here, save for the brilliant single, 'Crystalised'.

'Crystalised' is the big moment on the record, with the dance part of the XX coming to fruition. Their experimental approach to their songs pays off in dividends. When the bass comes into play, the song is taken somewhere else. It's different to most other things on this record, still simple, exciting and better with each listen. This is the song that is instant upon the first listen to this record. The guitar line that sits the whole way through is reminiscent of early Modest Mouse and then builds to what sounds like a Yeah Yeah Yeahs demo. It's still simplicity at it's best, but it's entrancing.

Elsewhere, 'Shelter', is the Burial moment on the record. It sounds like it would fit with the quieter moments on that record. The singers voice sounding like a slightly more introverted Florence Welch or even a rauncier Laura Marling. It's the sleepiest song on 'XX', but it is definitely beautiful. Especially when she sings "I want to drown when you leave". Heartfelt and affecting; not something I expected from a band with cred. A different sounds comes with 'Basic Space', with its hand-clap-based beat and duelling boy-girl vocals. The punch of the keyboard and the guitar lines are still hushed and understated. The beats take on a crispier sound mid-way through the song and the bass gets a quick look in. This is probably the funkiest moment on the record. The XX have swagger here and on their Womak & Womak cover, 'Teardrop'. There is evidence of a love of R&B, soul and funk here. Maybe we'll see more of that on the next record. I, for one, hope so.

So The XX may not be burning the disco out anytime soon, but there is evidence of more to come from these guys. The hushed tones of this record are really beautiful and spell-binding in places. All you have to do is listen out for those special moments of clarity and austere.

The XX are on tour with Florence And The Machine throughout September. They will also be doing their own tour starting in October at the Cooler in Bristol. Their debut record, 'XX', is out now.

Nobody better pinch me, bitch. I swear.

2009-08-19T03:10:00.000-07:00

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros is a band that is very much brand new to my ears. When I read that their new record, 'Up From Below', was an Arcade Fire affair with the same bold, wall-of-sound production style and epic melodies, I just knew I had to dive in and get involved. The first song I came across was the wonderful, brilliant single '40 Day Dream'.

Edward and his Zeros hail from L.A. and, as such, have s lightly happier approach to the music than the Arcade Fire, however, those lyrics are still on the same wavelength as those they are compared to. I will say this, though, if you are expecting another Arcade Fire, you will be a little disappointed. Edward and the Zeros are not Arcade Fire, for they are something slightly more fun when it comes to the prospects they offer. This debut single from their debut album is uplifting and witty in places. There are vocals that can and will become big sing-alongs at their live shows. This is all about participation and having a good time.

'40 Day Dream' opens with a big beat and huge instrumentation using strings. This slowly seems to build, with the strings adding little things to discover upon each listen. When The Magnetic Zeros hit the chorus, you can hear each of them singing along, some guitars strumming and that killer bass line underneath all the chaos around it. This is like listening to The Polyphonic Spree colliding with The Flaming Lips. You can't help but hum and clap with the big arrangements and laugh when Edward sings certain lines (like the one that has been stolen for the title of this post, for example). There's soul here as well as a hippy quality. This is not a bad thing, there is spirit in this single and I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of their record.

This could be the single of the summer, despite the chorus singing "oh, I could die." This is lush, grand and joyous (can you not tell from that picture up there?). I hope Edward and his Zeros make it big; they clearly have something special going on.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros are playing a few live shows in London this month. Their debut record, 'Up From Below', is out on Rough Trade records now.

"You could see the doubt in their eyes"

2009-08-19T02:56:00.001-07:00

The Dodos created one of my favourite records of last year, an album full of experimental folk and songs full of promise. That album, 'Visiter', had a few indie hits on it, not least the wonderful 'Fools' with its understated chorus and rhythm. Well, I was glad to hear that The Dodos would be back this year with a new album, titled 'Time To Die', which sounds depressing, but from the new single, may be the best thing they've done so far.

The new single, 'Fables', is an acoustic guitar driven ditty with an air of summer road trip about it. The song starts with that familar strumming (it featured prominantly on the debut record), but this time it has a different structure to it. The Dodos are out to get into your subconscious this time and this song builds up to several guitars, a lovely chorus and even (whisper it) a little bit of what sounds like a guitar solo in the middle. The folk-y disposition isn't gone completely, no no. This song would fit right in at Woodstock. The echo on the vocals, the overdubs making it sound like the singer is harmonising with himself. The backing vocals make you swoon when they come in on the first chorus. The beat driving the song forward, the electronic sounds leading into the second half of the song.

'Fables' ends in a haze of guitar and instrumentation; not overdone, not brash. It's catchy as hell and bodes well for the brand new record, due before the end of 2009. 'Fables' is, if nothing else, the most instant thing they've ever done and it's bound to be an underground hit at the very least. The vocals screaming participation. This could be a festival hit this year. They've clearly worked on creating something cohesive instead of messing about with pedals and it's certainly paid off.

The Dodos' new album, 'Time To Die' is released on the 31st August in the UK and 15th September in the US on Frenchkiss records.

I melt like a witch and scream...

2009-08-12T04:05:00.000-07:00

This Monday, I spent the evening in the company of Brooklyn-based band, The National, in the beautiful surroundings of London's Royal Festival Hall. This sentence, in itself, explains in part, the wonderful occasion surrounding this show. The National haven't been in the UK for almost a year and this one-off show in the capital had a lot of build up. Not least for me, as a huge fan of the band.

Before The National, the support act, Broken Records, came to get the crowd in the mood for a wonderful evening. Broken Records sound like a folk band gone wild. Their brand of folk-punk-rock combined with a dash of Coldplay and Ghost Mice gave the crowd something to tap their feet to and the band did a good job of raising a few smiles. Their song 'Wolves' was a particular stand-out track of the set. I can't say that the cavernous venue suited their sound, but they did a good job considering the pressure to perform; chatting and joking with the crowd in between songs.

At just gone half past 8 in the evening, The National took to the stage in a haze of light-show and cheers. They opened with a brand new song, from their forthcoming as-yet-untitled album. A track called 'Runaway'. It's sweeping chorus and simple, but effective lyrics were something to enjoy and it wasn't like "this is a new song, be bored", which happens at gigs. I was spellbound from the very start. It wouldn't be the last new song and it wouldn't be the last song that would give me shivers.

Going into 'Start A War' from their 2007 album, 'Boxer'; Matt Berninger got into the swing of the show. His voice a deep baritone and having a certain quality that you can't quite put your finger on. Whatever the quality is, it had the whole crowd's attention and silence fell upon Royal Festival Hall as the aundience listening intently to the beautiful lyrics and melodies. The set was particularly 'Boxer' and 'Alligator' heavy and songs like the big choruses of 'Mistaken For Strangers' and 'Abel'. Other songs like the particularly beautiful 'Baby, We'll Be Fine' and 'Green Gloves' were highlights as this seemed to be where Berninger was most comfortable. He has the crowd in his hands, and he knew it. A quiet hush fell up on the large venue as he sang, "Take another sip of them / It floats around and takes me over / Like a little drop of ink in a glass of water." The light show made that moment particularly spectacular. It was hard to take my eyes away from the stage as the band poured their hearts into the music. It was like Berninger was bearing his very soul when he launched into 'All The Wine' singing, "I'm a birthday candle in a circle of black girls / God is on my side" and, of course, when he sang "You know I dreamed about you / For twenty-nine years before I saw you / You know I dreamed about you / I missed you for / For twenty-nine years" on the fabulous love song 'Slow Show', which had the brass instrument treatment for this gig.

It was the rockier moments that got the crowd most into the show, though. Songs like 'Apartment Story', 'Mr. November' and, a track that the band have not played for at least 3 years, 'Available' from their album 'Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers'. They all sounded fresh and exciting and you'd have no idea that 'Available' wasn't a staple in the setlist. The National sounded tight and looked like they might just have enjoyed the crowd's glassy-eyed wonder from the stage. The moment, for me, that summed up this show was the crowd in the stalls (seated) standing up to walk towards the front of the stage before the epic sweeps of 'Squalor Victoria'. Berninger took full advantage of them being there later in the set by getting IN with the crowd on several occasions. His more feral moments marking the rock and roll side of the set.

Finishing the set with the celestial sounds of 'Fake Empire' the band had hooked every single person in the crowd and had them wrapped around their little fingers. There was clapping, singing, and general participation. Many of the crowd getting up to dance no matter where they were seated. The encore with another new song, 'Mr. November' getting the biggest cheer of the night after Berninger went mental (as he does) and thrashed about the stage like a man posessed by his own emotions. Ending the evening on the beautiful, amazing, and heartbreaking 'About Today' from their 'Cherry Tree' EP topped everything that came before it, for me. The quietly stunning piece captured the moment and when M.B. sang the following, it was one of the most emotional points of the entire evening and I think everybody in the crowd will agree.

"Tonight you just close your eyes / And I just watch you slip away / How close am I to losing you / Hey, are you awake / Yeah I'm right here / Well can I ask you about today"

Everybody was standing for the last beats of the song and many were in the aisles, dancing, clapping and smiling. I melted at The National's will. The words, the music, the occasion peaked with those last few bars of 'About Today' and it lead to a crescendo of sound so beautiful that it was hard to contain the tears burning the backs of my eyes. Simply wonderful. If only the venue has been more intimate like the music deserves. It felt like it had been despite the vastness of the hall. The National made Royal Festival Hall their club and they had all of those punters gagging for more.

The dog days are over, Florence has landed

2009-08-08T02:03:00.000-07:00

Florence Welch is many things. She is feisty, manic and obnoxious. But, she is also in possession of an extremely powerful voice and an ear for melody like no one else in the UK right now. Whether you like her personality or not, Florence and her Machine are making strangely addictive noises on this, their debut record, ‘Lungs’.

Having heard ‘Kiss With A Fist’ almost a year ago, I fell in love with the aforementioned noises. Florence And The Machine had hit me over the late-night airwaves and this single was rambunctious, exciting and ballsy (Florence was accused of glamorising domestic abuse shortly after its release - still madness!). The single, with its guitars and catchy-as-hell lyrics sounded just like the music I’ve been wanting to hear from a lady since PJ Harvey released ‘Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea’. The punchy (excuse the pun) melody and that voice captured something and I was hooked. I investigated immediately. I was only to be disappointed: Florence And The Machine had not released a record yet.

Having waited several months for this record, I heard the second single, ‘Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)’ and was less sure about this one. After several listens, it became as infectious as ‘Kiss With A Fist.’ Since then, Florence And The Machine have played Glastonbury - a set that has been talked about as “best of the weekend” in hushed tones. Her energetic performances thrusting her into “great live band” territory. Her voice was still the thing that was capturing my attention.

‘Lungs’, in a word, is unique. Welsh’s voice, imagination, creative ideas and the willingness to play with different styles make this record different to the Amy Winehouses and La Rouxs of this mainstream female world. Her song writing is often based around fantasy or dream-like narratives. Her voice is always celestial and powerful. Songs like ‘Blinding’, with that brilliant beat, are less instant than you imagined Florence playing with. You have to work to fall in love with some of the tracks here. But once you understand, you’re already taken in. Same can be said of the incredible ‘Dog Days Are Over’ and ‘Howl’. These are pop songs with a twist, and I’m still not sure what the twist is.

The highlights for me are songs like the beautiful, heartfelt vocals (and lyrics) of ‘Cosmic Love’, which is probably my favourite love song of the year so far. The lyrics weren’t what I expected from Florence and it was nice to discover that side of her. My other favourite is the bonus of a cover(!) from Florence And The Machine. The Source and Candi Staton may have just been out done here. Welch’s voice and those strings propel this into the stratosphere. It’s perfect pop, and no, I didn’t think I’d be saying that this time last year.

Florence may be quirky, mental and pretentious, but her album is going to be one of the biggest hits of the year. That Mercury Prize nomination won’t hurt either. Those are some ‘Lungs’.

Florence And The Machine are due to tour the UK and Europe this Autumn and Winter.

One more time with feeling.

2009-08-08T01:55:00.000-07:00

Regina Spektor, a lady born in Russia and raised in New York. A lady that has wowed crowds at this year’s Glastonbury and T In The Park respectively. Regina is also a lady with a terrific voice and more song writing skill that most have in their little finger. Her new record, ‘Far’, has been out for a couple of weeks now and I am, yet again, in awe of what she has created. Her previous album, ‘Begin To Hope’, was full of heartfelt, honest and quirky pop. Her single, ‘Fidelity’, was one of my favourite songs of 2006 , with that killer opening line and that voice she uses to propel her songs.

‘Far’ may not be the huge leap forward in any way shape or form but it is a record full of that Spektor charm we all fell in love with. Her piano retains its bounce and opens the record. You know you’re safe as soon as you hear that first bar. When she starts to sing, it’s familiar and beautiful. Just like you remember, huh? This record has, with abundance, that kooky swagger that Ms. Spektor has always had. It’s her signature sound but it makes her recognisable from the off. Her lyrics have always been among my favourites (these for example are some of the most beautifully honest words I’ve heard for sometime) and her, on ‘Far’, she excels. Her humour, intelligence and heart-on-sleeve moments shine. Songs like ‘Eet’ with the wonderful line, “it’s like forgetting the words to your favourite song…” capture the imagination. These aren’t just songs, they are stories. Ones you and I can relate to. Whether her lyrics make you cry, swoon or laugh; there is something for everyone.

The highlights here are all a move away from her anti-folk past. Those times were put to rest when ‘Begin To Hope’ hit the shelves. Her song writing has grown and grown. Her sound has been tweaked and layered so that there is more with every listen. The tracks on ‘Far’ that get me every time are the ones where she goes wild with her imagination (and the listener’s) or explores her fascinations through song (see the wonderful, ‘Human Of The Year’ - produced by ex-Brummie Jeff Lynne - which expresses Spektor’s fascination with religion). The production is slick but Regina is so kooky that she won’t get lost amongst those samey songwriters. Her talent shines with songs like the pretty single ‘Laughing With’, the epic ‘One More Time With Feeling’ and the short-but-ever-so-sweet ‘Wallet.’

There is innocence juxtaposed with religion and a maturity that Regina Spektor has acquired over those years of anti-folk records and wonderful love songs. There may not be another ‘Samson’ among these songs, but the strings, the piano and THAT voice sound incredible throughout ‘Far’. I have a feeling that this record will be getting Regina Spektor the recognition she deserves. And you can say that one more time with feeling if you damn well please.

Your Art Matters

2009-07-29T03:50:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember, I have been in love with music. The reasoning behind it has changed beyond something to dance to, and my passion for the subject has become bgger than any other fleeting interest I've ever had. Music is, and always will be, my first love.

We music geeks each have our own version of the story I am about to tell. It starts with one band, album, song, lyric or show and it grows to obesession and entusiasm beyond anything else; a blinkered vision of something that started long ago. Something that gets bigger than any other important thing in their lives and, literally, takes over (your life, house, apartment, bedroom). My story is much the same as any other music geek's, but I make no apologies for writing this essay.

My story starts early, with a Dad that loves rock 'n' roll, folk and the "classic" sounds. Everything from Nick Drake and Tim Buckley to The Rolling Stones. I had my musical education before I was 6 years old. The beginning of my passion of all things rock and roll started with a cassette (yes, cassette) in Yorkshire. The cassette was the eponymous debut from The Stone Roses. I was 18 months old and I quickly became enthralled by the sounds I heard through the speakers. The seed of my passion was planted.

Throughout my early childhood I heard various classic records, brand news ones and all the stuff in between. I liked anything I could dance around to and I rarely knew any of the lyrics. Albums like "the very first one" by The Stone Roses were requested everytime Dad dared to open the doors on the stereo cupboard. I had a particular soft spot for 'Made Of Stone' by The Roses. Something I would revisit many times over my childhood and early teens.

I was a 90s kid. I won't lie to anyone about the stuff I listened to as an 8 years old, for example. There was "Britpop" and all the grunge stuff going on, and there was pop music; the kind of stuff that was all over Top Of The Pops and appealed to 8 year old girls. I was largely unaware of grunge at the time. I had no interest in the anger associated with it. I wasn't angry and I didn't relate the the fast guitars and the shouting. I was more concerned with the sounds of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Rolling Stones and, key to my musical landscape for the rest of time: Bruce Springsteen. As 1994 approached, more and more music would come into my little world via Dad. He was slowly educating me on allsorts of music. I heard records by The Beatles, Derek & The Dominoes, Elvis Costello and more. All of these artists would become more prominent and leave their mark in time. I quickly became aware of rock 'n' roll's power to take hold. I'd fallen in love.

"Britpop" arrived during my ealier school days. It was a more positive rock than grunge had been. Kurt Cobain was dead. The UK presented the world with Oasis, Blur, Pulp, The Lightning Seeds and more. The latter becoming the new favourite in my world and the writer of my new favourite record: 'Dizzy Heights'. Oasis sighted The Stone Roses as an influence and I went back and stole Dad's cassette. He never got it back. Blur spoke of The Smiths, The Jam and others and I went back and scoured my Dad's records. I fell in love with these artists too. The Spice Girls were around then and I was 8 years old, female and liked to go to school discos. I don't need to tell you that I love the biggest girl group that the world has ever seen. I'd be lying if I didn't mention them. I soon tired of The Spice Girls and they broke up. Then it was all about All Saints, who talked about the Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Prodigy. I was introduced to dance music for the first time.

At home, it was a slightly different story. There was less pop and more Alanis Morissette via Dad. I fell in love with her album 'Jagged Little Pill'. At school it was all about The Spice Girls, All Saints and dance routines. In the charts Oasis and Blur fought it out. I was more of a fan of Pulp - I related to Jarvis Cocker's air of the awkward eccentric. I got heavily into chart music where Robbie Williams reigned supreme and R&B became massive across the country. When I wasn't listening to the radio, I was obsessing over Bruce Springsteen, The Verve, Ron Sexsmith and listening to Radiohead for the first time. When I hit secondary (high) school, started to move away from the chart radio and took sollace in the weird and wonderful that I discovered on late (ish) night radio one. DJs like Steve Lamacq and John Peel became central to my musical discoveries. I discovered a wealth of new rock bands: Coldplay, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The White Stripes to name three. I fell in love with indie, punk, hip-hop and soul. The Strokes released their first record: it was like the second coming of guitars. The Libertines were getting hype all over the country. I immersed myself in rock music and spent hours listening to albums instead of doing homework. I stole my Dad's copy of 'London Calling' and never returned it. John Peel had introduced me to punk - old and new - and I was totally taken in by it. The Clash are amongst one of my favourite bands ever because of my Dad. I soon discovered The Ramones, Patti Smith and The Sex Pistols (though, I gave up on The Pistols pretty quickly) via John Peel.

Guitar-based rock music took over everything. I went to my first gigs. I heard new indie bands and lots of hype all over the radio. I was in my element and became addicted to finding new bands before anyone else at school. I listened to stuff that wasn't cool and wasn't in the charts; I was dubbed a weirdo. I loved my music - and obscurity - more than anything else in the world at this point. And then John Peel died and I was inconsolable. I didn't find anything new for 6 months after his death and I returned to Bruce Springsteen's 'Born To Run' and other albums that bring me comfort, like a warm blanket.

Since then, I've embraced allsorts of music. I will listen to anything once and it has given me great pleasure over the years. I've seen countless bands, fallen in love and out of love, I've spent more money on music then most people I know and I can talk about records for hours and hours and hours. I've fallen in love with more rockstars than you can shake a stick at. My lonely nights listening to music have become less and less lonely as I make friends because of the music. I geek out on new records, dance around when something makes me feel the need to, I had to get my bedroom floor reinforced due to the weight of my records and I go to a gig a month (money permitting).

"Your art matters" is something that really strikes a chord with me. Music has helped me deal with everything that life has thrown at me. Certain artists mean more than the world. Music got me to 2009 in one piece and kept me going. It gets me excited, it makes me smile and this matters more to me than jobs, money and the clothes you wear. Music is my life.

Welcome to the walk of wonder...

2009-07-14T03:17:00.000-07:00

My last post was the brilliant new video from The Rumble Strips. This band have been soundtracking my sunny days, train travel and funtimes since their debut record, 'Girls And Weather', hit the shelves in 2007. Back then, The Rumble Strips were my favourite brand new band. They had made an album that was damn near perfect and had a sense of fun to it. Since the debut, The Rumbles have toured and played and toured and played, but they've managed to write a whole new album in that time and they've recruited Mark Ronson (maker of pop stars) for the production duties.

This last piece of information left me a little unsure about this second record from the happy punk-soul-folkers. Mark Ronson's production is always very polished, very pop star - this is, afterall, how he makes artists like Amy Winehouse stars. His work is always erring on the pop and not the rock, and The Rumbles like to rock. So, I was a little uncertain about how this record would end up. My fears about the production have been quickly squashed. This record is wonderful from start to finish, though in a very different way to the debut.

'Welcome To The Walk Alone' is an album full of the same soul and thumping bravado that the debut possesses, however, this is muted in style. The writing is sombre, as ever but this time, the music is brooding and introverted, there is less openly joyous melody on this record than the first attempt. The horns are there and their layer of sound has been used to great effect by Ronson. It's not a brash but still has the same effect. The strings from Owen Pallot (Final Fantasy, Arcade Fire) are a brilliant change to The Rumble Strips' sound. I always thought that the band could pull off the ocrchestral movements and this record proves it to the rest of the world. The strings add to the layered approach, the emotion, the brooding that sits within the record. The inclusion of strings only makes the sound fresher.

'Welcome To The Walk Alone' opens with the title track, a meandering, slow number that doesn't sound much like The Rumble Strips at all, at first. When Charlie Waller's familiar voice kicks in, the song comes into its own. The song festures some of those strings and more emotion in on bar than most bands manage in a whole album. It's a very different Rumble Strips, but it's not a bad thing. This is a more mature apprach to songwriting and it's quite a statement to open your sophomore record with.

After the thought-provoking start we're introduced to the bigger, better Rumble Strips. Remember songs like 'Alarm Clock' and 'Time'? Well, they've taken those basic foundations, added more horns, more strings and more kick and they've created songs like the free-download, 'London', which boasts a catchy-as-hell chorus and Charlie Waller's wail in fine form. You can help but smile when he sings, "Why can't I love you in London?" Why, indeed. After this little flirt with epic pop tunes, we are presented with the irrepressible melody and riff of 'Not The Only Person'; those of you that have seen the video below will understand exactly what I mean when I say that this is probably my favourite song of the year so far. It just gets you by the hands and dances around the room with you. Repeatedly. Until you're exhausted. This is only the third track, The Rumbles haven't even started yet!

'Daniel' is the finest slow-moving epic on this record. It's a punchy little number with the usual suspects attending the ceremony of wonder we have come to associate with this band. The same can be said of 'Douglas', 'Sweet Heart Hooligan' (what an incredible title!) and 'Raindrops'. There is real substance here and it's not just a bit of fun. There are souful melodies, horns, strings, vocals full of emotion. Although there may be less dancing to this record, it definitely brings a smile to my face despite the lyrics in places. There is such a sense of excitement surrounding this band and the music embodies their feelings about making music: it's fun and they plan to show you why.

The record ends with the beautiful, earnest guitar of 'Happy Hell'. The build in this song is what makes it. When Charlie Waller sings, at the top of his lungs, you can't help but feel overwhelmed by the work that has gone into this record. They haven't made a pop record. They haven't let Ronson take them away from what made them The Rumble Strips, but they have adjusted what they knew and loved to something a little more vital, a little mroe varied. This is the record that I knew The Rumble Strips could make: part Dexys Midnight Runners, part World/Inferno Friendship Society and a little dash of Pulp for good measure.

It's The Rumble Strips party and they've erred on the side of sitting in with a DVD and some wine, except when they've had too much and they really insist that you must dance with them around the room, simply not caring whether it's the silly thing to do or not.

'Welcome To The Walk Alone' is not the fun-loving debuts twin brother, it's the older, wiser and brooding cousin and it's no less fun that before. You just have to work a little harder ot find it. Once you do, there's no stopping them.

The Rumble Strips are on tour during Autumn. You can hear the record for free on Last.fm. The CD is available everywhere in the UK from yesterday on Island Records.

The Rumble Strips are BACK! Massive hoorah throughout my house.

2009-07-06T11:55:00.000-07:00

The Rumble Strips are going to be releasing a brand new album this summer. In fact, soon. Very soon! This month, a couple of weeks away. I have been excited about this new record since the last one a few years back. The Rumble Strips just have a brand of rock and roll that makes me smile. It could be the horns, it could be singer, Charlie's voice, it could be the sense of showmanship and fun that surrounds songs like 'Alarm Clock' and 'Hands'. This new record has been produced by that mainstream favourite, Mark Ronson, so maybe his influence will make this band as big as they deserve to be.

The Rumbles new single, 'Not The Only Person', has a brand spanking video and it looks like the following embedded box. Enjoy! I sure as hell did. Their Daytrotter session is available now. Do download that, it features some of the brand new album tracks, as well as the single.

The Rumbles are going on tour, too this Autumn.

This world is a brand new video and a great hat

2009-07-03T02:46:00.000-07:00

Franz Nicolay's debut solo album, 'Major General', is out on the 15th July this year in the UK. To celebrate, he's made us a brand new video to oggle. I have to say, this song is fun and pretty catchy. Radio friendly rock and roll.

It helps that Franz is wearing an awesome hat, too.

The man himself is heading over to support a few people in Europe this summer. You can find the dates on his myspace and his website. I can assure you that he is well worth the money!

'This World Is An Open Door' video:

Malcolm full of Glee

2009-07-03T02:02:00.000-07:00

Malcolm Middleton live @ The Glee Club, Birmingham 01/07/09

"Malcolm Middleton full of Glee?" I hear you say. Well, sort of. Malcolm has been unkindly dubbed "the ginger winger" in recent years, which is unfair to say the least. On Wednesday I saw Malcolm Middleton at his best. His albums have always captured my imagination and his lyrics are always superb. His new album, 'Waxing Gibbous', has received critical acclaim from the likes of Q magazine and I feel like I have heard the lead single, 'Red Travellin' Socks', all over the show - although, truth be told, I've probably only heard it from my own stereo.

Wednesday night Malcolm Middleton played the wonderful, intimate rooms of The Glee Club in Birmingham. This is said to be one of Middleton's favourite venues to play because of it's brilliant sound, intimate feel and, of course, the fact that it is perfect for acoustic shows. This show wasn't to be the latter at all. Malcolm opened the show solo with his guitar and the rest of the night was full band a-rockin'. Songs like the aforementioned sock-related song sounded crisp and full of joy as the band ripped them up into little shreds, loud and proud. Malcolm was in fine voice, with his dry sense of humour lacing every song and every little intermission we got.

The set was 'Wxing Gibbous' heavy, for obvious reasons, with songs like 'Zero' coming out to play. This song is the proud owner of the first RAP on a MM song. It worked well live, too - with support act The Pictish Trail' coming up to do vocals and the rap. It was like watching a band made up of family - with in-jokes, coy smiles and little asides within the band. Songs like 'Kiss At The Station' really impressed the crowd, Middleton doing his best to impress (probably not, actually, but it sure as hell impressed me with his delivery of the song).

The moment of the night, for me, was the performance of the lovely, haunting 'The Ballad Of Fuck All', which induced goosebumps all over. Considering how hot it was, that's quite an achievement. Malcolm performed this with honest, pained delivery and the band did him proud with their rendition. The entire Glee Club fell silent to watch this one. I don't even think anyone was singing along, it was just beautiful.

There were few golden oldies thrown in for good measure, but it was the current album material that really shone through during this set and Malcolm appeared to be enjoying himself in the Birmingham heat (of which there was plenty, it has to be said). I am sad that I had to leave before the last song, but his set was one of the best I've seen this year. Perfect for hot summer days and the miserablist in you.

'Waxing Gibbous' is out now. Malcolm continues to tour the UK through this month.

Woke up, got out of bed, dragged a comb across my head...

2009-06-28T06:31:00.000-07:00

This is pretty insane, so I thought I'd share it with you. Last night in Hyde Park, Neil Young took to the stage to play his cover of 'Day In The Life' by The Beatles. He had someone special come up and play it with him.

Hippies everywhere just started exploding.

I’ve seen the past, present and future of rock and roll and it’s still Bruce Springsteen

2009-06-28T06:12:00.000-07:00

This Glastonbury weekend has been more important to me in so many ways. The biggest and most exciting of these was the fact that one of my musical heroes was finally taking to that famous Pyramid shaped stage. This hero was, of course, Bruce Springsteen. The man they hailed as the future of rock and roll in the 1970’s was finally coming to Glastonbury and he was definitely not going to disappoint the thousands upon thousands that wanted to see the great man himself.

Last night, the 27th June 2009, I sat and watched Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band play the best set Glastonbury has ever seen. I’m almost certain that no one can top this show for some considerable time.

Not being at the festival has never been a huge issue for me. Glastonbury is famous for the rain, the mud, the madness but I can never afford to travel down to Somerset to see it for myself. I prefer to sit at home, from the comfort of my bed, and watch the action unfold. This year, my heart had a slight pang when they announced that Bruce was playing: I’ve always wanted to see him play a show and I’ve always been too poor or too far away to do it. Glastonbury would’ve been the perfect first Springsteen show and I really would’ve paid the £180 just to see him.

I’ve been looking forward to this set being on the TV since they announced that Bruce was headlining the Saturday night. My Dad and I had “one Springsteen song a day until Glastonbury” from the end of May. We’ve been pretty pumped to see the great man on the stage of the greatest festival the world has ever seen. This is something that Brits are very proud of. We DO festivals and we’re in possession of the best one. To get America’s greatest living rock star on the bill is a pretty huge deal in this country, even if you’re not a fan.

It was all of this that meant the build up to this set was immense. Every person interviewed on BBC 6music this week had said that it was Springsteen’s set that they were looking forward to most. New Jersey was coming to the muddy glory of Somerset and the whole country is anticipating one of the greatest all-round rock shows ever to set foot onto the Pyramid Stage.

They were not wrong to anticipate such a thing. Springsteen’s shows are famous for being raucous, fast, hard-hitting, epic rock and roll shows. PROPER rock and roll shows, with knee sliding, chants, massive sing-alongs and, above all, passion. I can confirm that Springtsteen and his E Streeters brought all of this and more. The speech during ‘Working On A Dream’ from the new studio album of the same name, spoke of “taking the despair out there and building a house of joy.” They achieved their aim, in more ways than one.

The set saw a perfect mix of new and old, rapture and contemplation had places in the set. Springsteen clearly thinks about this set very hard before he decides on the final thing. Last night, the set saw some great favourites get aired, as well as a few that rarely get played. All of which was surrounded by awe from one of the biggest crowds the Pyramid Stage has ever seen (if not the biggest, this is yet to be confirmed: it’s got to be pretty close to the top). People started gathering early in the day for this set and barely moved throughout the day, making sure they could see The Boss (or “The Employer” as Spinal Tap called him earlier in the day) rock the festival to its muddy foundations.

It was at this point that I realised how big this set was going to be. Springsteen promises a good time, but this was GLASTONBURY, his first ever, and that calls for something special. The Boss took to the stage in a haze of anticipation and blew minds before the end of the first song. During ‘Badlands’, I am fairly certain that if Bruce had asked the crowd to marry him, every single God damn one of them would’ve said “YES!” The adoration was apparent in the eyes of each of those audience members as Springsteen ran about the pit between stage and crowd. He jumped onto to boxes specially placed at the front of the crowd, got in with the crowd and broke down that audience/performer barrier like it was made of paper. It wasn’t quite hysteria behind those crowd-control barriers, but it was definitely love, awe and worship.

Then, Springsteen threw out that golden oldie, ‘The River’. I had never expected this song to be in the set, ever. The band played it as if it was their last ever version of the song, the was passion in their eyes. Bruce sang it like his life depended on it, but not over the top in any way. Understated, controlled, raw, honest. I was speechless as the last bars played. I had never seen anything like this. The whole crowd was silent as Bruce played the last harmonica part. No one else could silence thousands of people in a field like that. NO ONE.

The biggest moments, for me at least, were those where my favourite Springsteen songs came out to play. The crowd bounced and sang at the top of their voices, arms aloft. Bruce ran about the stage, the pit, the steps in between, like a mad man possessed by some rock and roll feeling. These moments were during songs like ‘Born To Run’ (celestial in feeling, guitars raged and I have to admit I had a tear in my eye when he sang “the highway’s jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive”), ‘Thunder Road’ which sounded better here than it could anywhere else. The crowd really got into the singing and the arms went for miles back. Songs like the aforementioned ‘Badlands’ just required bouncing throughout. It was great to see so many people joined together by one man and his band. It was simply incredible to watch these guys work and get so much appreciation.

The biggest reaction of the night was probably that famous hit ‘Dancing In The Dark’, which saw a mass sing-along, dance-along and all-round party in the field. The crowd has smiled three feet long across their faces and every single one of them seemed to be having the time of their lives. On stage, Springsteen went all out. It was the peak of the set. The flags waved in time. There were flares in the crowd. This was not just a festival set, it was THE festival set.

I am convinced that no one will touch this set for years to come. It will become something of legend, a show that millions of people will claim to have been at. My hero conquered Glastonbury last night and he did it in such a fashion that only a man with as much passion for music, love and rock and roll could out-do him. Right now, I don’t see anyone like that in music. Springsteen’s love of his fans, his respect for them shines. The fact that he ENJOYS every single minute on stage is something rarely seen these days, which, I have said before, is some sort of weird phenomenon, one that needs to be redressed.

It was once said that rock ‘n’ roll could be transcendent in the right hands: I am certain that Bruce Springsteen’s hands are these hands. Glastonbury will take some time to recover from such a rockin’. And we thought that Neil Young would be hard to top. Let us never doubt The Boss again.

I doff my cap to the man, the myth, the legend: the past, present and future of rock and roll: Bruce Springsteen. The man who rocked Glastonbury, England and thousands upon thousands of people in 2 hours and 40 minutes, breaking curfew in the process. It’s going to take some beating…

See highlights of the set, the setlist and photos from the BBC here.

50 years of Island Records

2009-06-22T03:55:00.000-07:00

Island records has always been a sign of quality. 2009 marks the 50th anniversary of its founding and 50 years of diverse, wonderful music. Many of my favourite records belong to the palm tree symbol that all us music lovers have come to recognise as a sign of great music. Island may well be 50 years old this year, but it hasn't shown any signs of stopping just yet.

Island was created merely for the reggae and roots music of Jamaica. It's sole purpose was to import the reggae of the island to England. For years, this is how it went. Island was a sign of great reggae and little else in the early days. When the record label began to expand and started to sign rock music, the label changed the colour to pink. It was a bold statement and would soon become the sign of wonderful rock music - and much, much more in the years to come.

Island is responsible for so many amazing artists: John Martyn, Nick Drake, PJ Harvey, Bob Marley And The Wailers. The list is seemingly endless. This is a little insight into some of MY favourite Island Records from the past 50 years of unstoppable, undeniable music. Some of the best music of the 50 years was successful and heard because of Island records. Thank God for that palm tree and its ear for great tunes.

PJ Harvey - Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
This album is PJ Harvey at her all-round best, in my eyes. She's never bettered it but she's written so many wonderful albums. This was, of course, a Mercury Prize winner back in 2000 and got much critical acclaim. Island signed PJ when she was writing grunge-tinged rock epics like the ones on 'Rid Of Me' and 'Is This Desire?' Both albums show of different sides to PJ Harvey, but this album was the one that showed off her best bits. She is a sexy rock siren, with that voice purring over telecasters at every turn. Her ability to write a love song was honed here and songs like 'This Is Love' scream sexuality as well as the beautiful 'This Mess We're In' featuring Radiohead's head moaner, Thom Yorke. This album is about love, sexuality, rock and roll. It is also the best place to start with PJ Harvey and one of my favourite Island records, ever.

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Exodus
Music of jah people. Bob Marley was, and always will be, one of the greatest singers and writers to ver walk this earth. His approach to music was always one with heart and soul on sleeve and his intelligent lyrics and political stand often leave me breathless. When Island signed Marley and his Wailers, they were a raggae band, pure and simple. When Bob had made a relationship (one described by his wife as like "father and son" in a recent documentary) the Wailers were making very different waves. Ragge was always funky. It always had the greatest groove, but back in the day you would never catch a rock fan listening to reggae. Marley changed that with his rock-tinged sound. It's hard for most people to hear thesedays, but if you compare Marley and his Wailers to old school reggae, there is a clear rock sound coming from the former. 'Exodus' was written in London after an attempt on Marley's life. The title speaks for itself and so does the music. These songs are the best in Marley's back catalogue and the ones that will always stick with me. If you haven't heard this record, then you need to locate your inner-rasta. Immediately. And get you groove on.

Nick Drake - Bryter Layter
Nick Drake is an underrated soul. No only that, but he was a tortured one during his short life. He suffered with depression and often found it hard to perform. This is what led to his obscurity during his life. His refusal to perform shows meant that he was hard to market and eventually, Island fell upon a problem trying to sell his records. This isn't to say that he was going to be dropped - hell naw - this just meant a challenge. His records always screamed beauty to me. His voice so innocent and yet so knowing. He almost whispers to you through the headphones. His songwriting tinged with that sadness that so often lingered beneath the surface. We all know what happened to Nick Drake and it will always remain a crying shame. His talent was unprecedented and he could've been a star. From this record, you get the feeling that mayeb Drake didn't want to be that star and that he just loved to write. The passion and the sadness are what make this record so special to me. Never mind the beauty that laces every single track.

John Martyn - Take your pick from any of the John Martyn records
John Martyn is one of my Dad's favourite artists (much the same can be said of Mr. Drake). Hearing songs like 'Solid Air' when I was a kid, there was a strange mysticism about the man. His music seemed so relaxed and different to me as an 8 year old. I remember hearing 'Bless The Weather' for the first time and being completely stumped by the arrangement and the guitar and the ambiance. It's hard to explain now, but John Martyn was a man who didn't get the recognition he always deserved. His album, 'Solid Air', sold tonnes of copies and yet, to this day, you can say the name John Martyn and people will look at you like you've just punched them in the face. John passed away last year and I for was was gutted. His music will always be special to be and his voice will always remain a comforting sound. If you haven't heard the likes of 'London Conversation' and 'One World' and 'Grace And Danger' then you should go forth and find the gems within this man's catalogue. You will be taken away on a journey of fantastical arrangements, love, longing and beauty.

Tom Waits - again, take your pick from this man's back catalgue
This man has written so much of the great music from the past 50 years. His work is often dark, immense and, occasionally hard to listen to. His voice sounds like he's been gargling bits of glass for 20 years. In truth, it's probably the whiskey and the cigarettes that make Tom Waits sound so growly. Put it this way, his voice is one of the most recognisable in the music world. Even if you haven't heard that much of his music. His records, for the most part, are some of the best this label has ever released. Records like 'Swordfishtrombones' and 'Rain Dogs' tend to go untouched as some of the most original music Island has ever released with the Island name attached to it. Tom Waits is one of the few artists on the label that scream original, dark and interesting music. And afterall, that's what Island always promises. Variety. And within Tom Waits catalogue alone, there is variety.

There are many more records I could talk about in this post. And I am sure there will be more to come in the future. Island records is an institution in this country and I hope it survives for another 50 years, bringing amazing music to the people.

ART BRUT MAKE ME WANT TO ROCK OUT!

2009-04-29T08:34:00.000-07:00

Art Brut Live @ O2 Academy, Birmingham 28/04/2009

Art Brut have been a favourite of mine for a while now. It took me a little longer to get into them than it did for other fans, but when I caught up with the fun that was going on, I was there with my boots blacked and ready to sing their praises to anyone who’d listen. Having liked the band since hearing ‘Formed A Band’ a few years, and then Art Brut solidifying their awesomeness with a support slot on the NME tour in America (with my favourite band in the world, The Hold Steady). I got progressively more excited about the band that it the Brut. Rightly so. Since that fully-formed debut record, they have released a wonderful record in the form of ‘It’s A Bit Complicated’, full of songs about that complex thing of being drunk and not knowing what to say to girls (or boys). It’s easy to relate, and I think that this is probably why I love Eddie Argos and his merry band of men (and woman) so very much indeed.

Since the second album came out, there was THAT tour and then the band took a break. They have been writing for some time and entered the studio with Black Francis (former Pixies man) to create their third record, ‘Art Brut Vs. Satan’. This album was released last week and there will be a review up of this record soon. But for now, Art Brut are on tour and I had the chance to see them in my home city last night. It was my first Brut show and I had high expectations. I knew they looked to have a good time every time they hit the stage, so I knew that it wouldn’t be dull.

With this in mind as I left the house, I realised that Art Brut did have a lot to live up to. Their reputation proceeded them. They wouldn’t disappoint.

Art Brut took to the stage at around 9:15pm in a haze of drunken foolery (the crowd) and smoke. They opened with current single, ‘Alcoholics Unanimous’ and the crowd weren’t really sure whether to jump around to stand and watch Eddie and co. rip the stage apart. They got the idea when we were presented with ‘My Little Brother’ which was absolutely perfect live. Not note for note or anything like that, I mean that the spirit and the crowd seemed to convene and there were smiles everywhere. Not to mention a heck of a lot of shouting and the wonderful line, “STAY OFF THE CRACK!” Leading to lots of air punching. Eddie’s brother doesn’t like that song, but then, as he says, “it does accuse him of having a crack addiction.”

After this little dabble with the debut record, which includes ‘Rusted Guns Of Milan’, ‘Modern Art’ (we’ll get to that in a minute) and later, ‘Emily Cane’ (a request from the crowd). We are then presented from the opening track from their sophomore album. The track, ‘Pump Up The Volume’, is a particular favourite of mine, so hearing it live for the first time was particularly brilliant. The shouts of “I know I shouldn’t / Is it so wrong / To break from your kiss to turn up a pop song?” from the crowd led to more bouncing around and getting very hot and sweaty. This was then followed by a few from the new record.

Great renditions of new tracks, ‘DC Comics And Chocolate Milkshake’, ‘What A Rush’, ‘Demons Out!’ (with it’s “THE RECORD BUYING PUBLIC SHOULDN’T BE VOTING” shout along), ‘Slap Dash For No Cash’ and the brilliant ‘Summer Job’ with that epic riff from Ian Catskilkin. More raging, some knew the words, some didn’t. We got treated to a B-side from the new recordings, a song that Eddie wanted on the album but it didn’t make the cut. A Track called ‘Positively 5th St” which rocked just as hard as some of the debut album stuff. It wasn’t out of place on this punk-indie-rock set list.

Now, to THAT performance of a fan-favourite, ‘Modern Art’. This track has always made me want to jump around like a goon (which I have done on several occasions) but last night’s rendition was spectacular. Eddie Argos got into the crowd, teased us with fake chorus moments and bounced around with the common people. Loads of fun. Lots of shouting. Exhausting to say the very least. Eddie was telling us a story of how he got banned from a famous Parisian art gallery at the same time. It was like a party with your friends, but with an awesome rock band on the stage and the greatest rock storyteller in your living room. Great fun.

So all in all, Art Brut make me want to rock out. Lots. And hard, too. I hope they come back soon so we can enjoy the madness once again.

STAY OFF THE CRACK.

You're a liar and that's the truth...

2009-04-25T05:48:00.000-07:00

"I think I love you..." Annie Clark sings on her new single, 'Actor Out Of Work'. I think I love her, actually. This new single is fabulous, just so you know, and the video is down below all this writing. Annie's new album is out in May and she recently did a hub session for BBC 6music, which you should check out, too because it was awesome.

I think I love Annie Clark because her music is so wonderful, which is because she has that voice and she does it all on her own, you know, with pedals and stuff. It's quite ingenius and I adore it. More! More!

St. Vincent - 'Actor Out Of Work'. From the album, 'Actor', due in May.

Positively rockin'

2009-04-25T05:42:00.000-07:00

A wise man on the new Hold Steady Documentary, ‘A Positive Rage’, said something along the lines of the following: “A lot of people don’t believe that rock ‘n’ roll can save the world… I don’t think any of those people have ever seen The Hold Steady…” In many respects, this guy, in a moment of awe, summed up this documentary. The Hold Steady are lots of things to allsorts of different people. They are a wonderful rock band, they are a band that enjoy their live shows (therefore making the shows more enjoyable for the audience), they are bringing back rock and roll and they are five men on tour.

In the documentary part of this live package, we get to meet the latter of these things. We see how the band grow from a bar band to releasing ‘Boys And Girls In America’, their third album, and we see how this tour changes The Hold Steady and how they deal with their new fame. The interviews are insightful and interesting. The perspective of a rock band about to blow up in their home country is quite fascinating during this DVD. The laid back approach to touring and doing what they love is incredible. The modesty and gracious attitude that every member has is something to behold. The fans interviewed post-Hold Steady show are honest, funny, giddy and excited and the show shots are fantastic, with shots from London and Minneapolis showing off what this band can and does do every night on tour. There is a lot of heart in this documentary and it shines.

And then we get to the accompanying live CD…

This disc was recorded in Chicago, Halloween 2007. The show comes highly recommended if you’ve never heard this band before. If you’re new to the band then this is where I’d recommend you start. This is what The Hold Steady sound like live, in a nutshell. There are huge riffs, speeches, love, affection, screaming audiences and rock and roll in bucket loads. The songs that were new then have been rehashed and recorded for the latest studio album, ‘Stay Positive’, and give a bit of an insight into how things get changed between the road and the studio. The versions of ‘Stuck Between Stations’, ‘The Swish’ and fan favourite, ‘Killer Parties’ leave you with a full heart and a dire need to see the band live immediately.

If the latter does occur when you hear this record, I heartily recommend catching a real live show, buying all of the studio albums and a red bull. You will need the energy to keep up with the five dudes on stage.

This live package is incredible in every sense of the word. I know I’m a “fan” and would say this, but I wouldn’t be saying it if I didn’t believe it. This package (when bought from the shop) also comes with brand new free songs ‘40 Bucks’ and ‘Spectres’, which I will have to review separately because they are something completely different to the package: you cannot get these anywhere other than with the disc itself. Worth every single penny.

The Hold Steady are on tour throughout May, June and July.

You wouldn’t walk by this woman (or this man)!

2009-04-25T05:26:00.000-07:00

PJ Harvey is, and always has been, a force to be reckoned with. Her previous albums have seen her undertake carious guises, whether it be temptress, forlorn lover or the siren on the cliffs PJ has create many different album, all of the wonderful in their own way. Her latest, with an old collaborator (Mr. John Parish), is no exception to this rule.

Regarded by many critics as PJ’s follow-up to 2000’s Mercury Prize winning ‘Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea’; ‘A Woman A Man Walked By’ is in a similar place lyrically. This record sees Harvey return to guitar, with help from Parish, after her last album, ‘White Chalk’, dabbled with piano. All of the music here is scored by Parish. His writing sees the use of several great guitar moments (see lead single ‘Black Hearted Love’) and a few brilliant organ-led tracks (see the fabulous ‘Sixteen, Fifteen, Fourteen’ and ‘April’). Some of the new tricks that Parish brings with him suit PJ down to the ground, others see her embracing new ideas and a more experimental approach to her music. Her voice, of course, I spectacular as with every other record she has ever released. It’s familiar, beautiful and wailing (particularly on stand out track ‘The Chair’). Some of Parish’s tricks sound alien-like, like something that fell from the sky.

The aforementioned, ‘The Chair’, is a highlight on this record. Polly Jean is in full temptress mode voice-wise, whilst playing the forlorn love lyrically. She is as sexy as she’s been since ‘This Love’ and the jaunty arrangement makes it different but PJ’s powers make it accessible somehow.

Overall, this album encompasses some of Harvey’s best moments and Parish’s melodies are interesting, epic and beautiful without being over the top or cliché. The words are fabulous as usual, Polly sounds great throughout and the whole record has something new to offer to the PJ back catalogue, even for those who haven’t heard any of it previously. It might be a bit edgy and weird in places but its experimental side compliments the straight up side without ruining the flow.

Oh Polly Jean Harvey, how I adore thee.

Angela!

2009-04-24T04:08:00.000-07:00

The New Jarvis Cocker single is out and about. His new album, 'Further Complications', is out this May and I, for one, am excited to hear it. Produced in Chicago with Steve Albini, Cocker has embraced his rock and roll side and taken what he started with 'Fat Children' to create a whole album of suchlike wonderment and joy. I simply cannot wait to hear what the record sounds like.

Here is a video of Jarvis playing the new track for BBC 2's The Culture Show. Enjoy!

For more info head to Jarvis Cocker's offical website where you can get your hands on the recorded version of 'Angela' for free.

Yeah baby we were savage / We existed to kill...

2009-04-24T03:25:00.000-07:00

The Thermals - Now We Can See; Kill Rock Stars, 2009

The Thermals have always been the fun side of rock and roll. Their debut album was full of intent and great riffs. Their album, 'The Body, The Blood And The Machine' , is one of my favourite albums of this century. I played it to death when I got my mits on it. Well, they are back with their fourth record, 'Now We Can See', and I have not been disappointed. The riffs and the fun are still there, but this time it's pop-rock.

The lead single from this record, and the title track, promised a great deal from this record. The Hold Steady-like woahs and the massive riff suggested a slightly new direction, embracing mainstream. I fell in love with it very quickly and found it randomly popping into my head on occasion, which is always nice. This track isn't alone in its catchiness. Oh no. The Thermals have perfected that art on this record.

The noted catchy tunes start the record off with a bang. Songs like 'When I Died', 'I Let It Go' and the aforementioned 'Now We Can See', really grab the attention and then we are presented with 'At The Bottom Of The Sea', a break in the proceedings. This track brings out The Thermals softer side, with another catchy little chorus and some lovely guitar parts. You don't complain and you've been dancing so much that you need the break to catch your breath. It's a little bit forgettable in the context of the album. But still great on its own.

After a small break we get back to business with more riffs to dance around the house to. The soundtrack to bouncing might be a more accurate name for this record, with breaks in between for you to gather yourself. There are epic guitar anthems a-plenty here. Some of it isn't quite as exciting as their previous record, but it's solid and it's catchy so I won't complain.

The record ends on a slower point with 'How We Fade' closely followed by 'You Dissolve' both great tunes, very nice indeed, but not quite reliving the speed and the ferocity of the earlier records except for those riffs being incredibly catchy. The only moment here that I can, hand on heart, say sounds like it could fit on an earlier Thermals record is 'When We Were Alive', which at 1:45 is a short, sharp shock to the album and kicks it into gear.

Great record overall, with a few moments that don't quite seem like The Thermals. This isn't a bad thing, this is a sign that they are embracing new ideas and directions. I can't wait to see how they flesh it out for album number 5.

The Thermals are on tour this spring/summer.

Blitzing the old, bringing back disco.

2009-04-23T03:55:00.000-07:00

Yeah Yeah Yeahs always has been a cool band. It’s lead singer, Karen O, is fashionable, crazy, passionate and energetic. She oozes the cool up front while “the other two” thrash about on the instruments, trying to make exciting noises. They’ve always succeeded in the latter. Yeah Yeah Yeahs debut album proved that. All guitars and shouting, bringing in the indie cool and showing off their softer side with the instant classic, ‘Maps’.

This trick was later followed up with ‘Show Your Bones.’ An album full to bursting with finger-on-the-pulse guitar-based noise, with a dash of melody and a couple of hit singles. They’d hit their stride and proved that they were one of the more important guitar bands around and they had glitz and glamour.

After a long break, which included a great EP dubbed ‘Is Is’, Yeah Yeah Yeahs have come back and this time, they’ve all but forgotten the guitar. Nick Zinner’s skills aren’t sidelined in anyway, of course. It’s just time for a change. The lead single, ‘Zero’, showed off their intentions perfectly. There will be less rock and roll noise and shouting and more glamorous groove.

And with this mission statement, YYYs have created an album full of shiny dance floor pop/rock. This isn’t an album like the other two, it’s something new. A new direction? Yes. A horrible idea? HELL NO. This album still retains YYYs cool. It still has the glitz. But this time you want to dance it to all night long, possibly in a shiny outfit with some glow sticks in hand. ‘It’s Blitz!’ also stands a chance for best cover of 2009 too.

‘Zero’ is, of course, the opening track on ‘It’s Blitz!’ A track which sees the band start as they mean to go on. Its killer beats and synth hark back to ‘Date With The Night’, but this time there’s disco involved. It’s sparkly and exciting and it doesn’t stop there. ‘Dull Life’ is probably the only track here that sounds anything like “old” YYYs. There is Zinner guitar and Karen O shouting, but there is a twist. Notice how damn catchy it is.

We get presented with ‘Heads Will Roll’, a thumping, new wave track with synth-aplenty. This track builds to its chorus and then Zinner lets rip on his guitar. You can’t help but nod your head and tap your feet when it all kicks in and as it gets funkier and funkier you want to dance more and more. No mean feat for an indie band. The same can be said of ‘Dragon Queen’, another keyboard rocker with Blondie written all over it.

And then we come to ‘Hysteric.’ This track is ‘Maps’ bastard child, with Karen O singing about feeling complete and all that jazz. It’s a love song for the nu-rave generation. I just hope they have left nu-rave behind and are embracing the sound of Yeah Yeah Yeahs instead.

Great album, earning its ! Straight away. Just make sure you’ve got your dancing shoes ready before you press play.

Further Listening:
Blondie - Parallel Lines
PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love
Does It Offend You, Yeah? - You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Yourself Into
Sons And Daughters - This Gift
Bloc Party - Flux (Single)

Not so rusty. Not so rusty at all..

2009-04-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

Doves - Kingdom Of Rust; Heavenly Records, 2009

Doves, a band that have had their ups and downs. A band that have a superb live reputation and have recently released their fourth studio album, 'Kingdom Of Rust', into the world. Fans, like me, have been waiting some considerable time for this record to hit the shelves and on hearing the lead single, the title track, the excitement grew all too much.

This record, is brilliant. If you liked Doves before then you'll have to brace yourself for this newer, bigger, layered version. Doves have taken their original sound an made it twice the size. They have branched out and seen ideas through to the end. Most of these involve taking the noises Doves were making up a level. The guitars a bigger, there's a hint of electronics, the choruses scream for the terraces. This is Doves very own version of The Seldom Seen Kid, but without the Elbow factor and the loss of friends.

Broken hearted? Dust yourself off, listen to Doves. They've been there before and they have come back fighting!

'Kingdom Of Rust' opens with the keyboards of 'Jetstream' and those guitars. Its melody ebbs and flows and then kicks in towards the end. The build isn't quite so gradual and Doves have clearly worked on their arrangements to the point that they will become people's favourites and have their songs sung in pubs all over the show. It's a trick that continues throughout the album, too.

The first single, as I mentioned earlier, wetted the appetite for the new album. 'Kingdom Of Rust' is a tale of lost love, a subject Doves are good at, like their Manc counterparts, Elbow. The track has that classic Doves feel. Jimi's voice, familiar and yet sounding more mature than it ever did. This is no bad thing, his voice has improved somewhat in tone and texture and it comes out best in the next little section of the record. The section that will have you singing as loud as you can.

This section starts with the elctronic noise of 'The Outsider's. This track may start with the sound of keyboard sounds and looped vocals but when it kicks in and Jimi's bass line thunders through your bones, you can't help but think "oh my, Doves are BACK". This is cemented by the fact that this track has sing-along-a-bility. After the second listen, you'll find yourself singing that chorus randomly and humming the Williams guitar licks. Second in this section of wonders, is the brilliant, 'Winter Hill'. Now, I don't want to scream and shout too much about this song, I'll let it speak for itself, but it is up there with the best of Doves, the best of the record and the best of this year so far. The riff at the beginning embodies summer '09. Just you wait and see. After this, we head into a slightly more heartfelt side of Doves. '10:03', which refers to a train time to Manchester, is a song about love. It goes along, steadily and then we are presented with the breakdown. Oh! The breakdown!

More bass lines, more tracks that will sound infinitely better in the sunshine (this, I can confirm), more Doves letting rip. This isn't a band holding back anymore. This is a band ATTACKING the mainstream and, I have to say winning.

When we get to the last songs of this wonderful album, Doves are really calling all men. You can imagine scarfs aloft when it comes to the sound of the epic closer, 'LIfelines' and that chorus gets stuck in your mind for the rest of the week. My personal favourite, so far, from the album is 'House Of Mirrors', a song that has been likened to U2. I think that's a little harsh, but it does have the smae immense rock-ability to it. That layered, wall of sound approach to songwriting and arrangement. It's not an attempt on U2's crown, but it is an absolutely fantastic track! Catchy, great guitars, epic structure and Jimi Goodwin's purrs. Their laid back approach to rock and roll belongs at Heavenly, a label which likes to party when a record is done.

I hope they have all the success in the world with this record. It deserves all the praise it gets.

Doves are on tour now!

Elbow room - New Elbow Live Package

2009-04-22T06:36:00.000-07:00

Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid (with the BBC concert orchestra) Live at Abbey Road

Elbow are, it has to be said, getting bigger by the month. Their debut album barely sold and the band toured constantly to get it promoted. Since then, Elbow have released three studio albums, toured the world and won that Mercury Prize. That latter has seen them catapulted into the stratosphere here in the UK. Nearly every mum in the country owns a copy of their last album, 'The Seldom Seen Kid', and they recently sold out Wembley Stadium. As a proud fan, it's great to see the band get the recognition they always deserved. It also means exciting pieces of wonderment like this new offering from Elbow: the live package.

A while ago, Elbow were offered the chance to perform their biggest selling album in front of a very small audience, with the BBC concert orchestra and the BBC radio three choir of the year. Of course, the guys lept at the chance and the performance went out on BBC radio two and the red button. This performance took several hours of scoring for one man. His work on the score for this performance proved vital and the whole show sounded absolutely wonderful.

And then Elbow decided they must release it as a package for the fans. Well, I am very grateful for this as the gig was so beautiful from start to finish (much like the album itself). The live record that features in this package is stunning in every sense of the word. From the opening moments of 'Starlings' to the thunderous strings on 'Grounds For Divorce', this record gives that little something extra that Elbow couldn't quite achieve in the studio (with a three ladies and various sting instruments). The most wonderful performance here, surely, is 'Weather To Fly'. The goose bump inducing section of 'The Seldom Seen Kid' and the track that oozes more beauty than anything Coldplay have ever recorded. This is also true of the performances of 'Some Riot' (Craig Potter using that Grand Piano to great effect) and, the never before performed, 'Friend Of Ours'. The latter was so wonderful, I cried.

You can see on the faces that this show meant the world. I hope they conquor it. All of it. This is just another step towards domination, I can't wait to see where they go from here.

Well worth the pennies, just for the instrumentation alone.

Elbow performing 'Grounds For Divorce' live at Abbey Road.

Franz Nicolay - Shiny video joy

2009-04-11T12:08:00.000-07:00

Franz is a Words Won't Save Your Life favourite. His debut solo album is incredible. His moustache is fabulous and now he has an official video to add to the wonders. 'Jeff Penalty' is the opening track from Franz's album, 'Major General', and it packs a killer punch. It is, of course, just the beginning to that record, but I'm pretty sure I've mentioned that before...

Stereogum *have premiered the brand new video from Franz, I have stolen it and embedded it here for you all to view and ponder. I love it. Very swish indeed. I can't wait to see more (or watch it over and over again...).

'Major General', featuring the following brilliance, is available from all good record stores or here if you don't fancy looking (especially if you are in the UK). Please head to Franz's MySpace, too. He'd love to hear from his adoring fans...

Play this LOUD.

*do follow the links to the new Daytrotter session and the free download

Leave the rest at arms length - Frightened Rabbit @ The Glee Club, Birmingham 30/03/2009

2009-04-05T08:02:00.000-07:00

Frightened Rabbit are, it has to be said, one of the few bands around right now that give me the shivers. The Rabbits are very good at crafting songs that hit you right in the solar plexus, a little too close to home for those of us of the emotional disposition. Their recent album, 'The Midnight Organ Fight', has met mixed reviews on this side of the ocean (it should be noted, that this is their side of said ocean) with many music publications claiming that the record lulls into dull patches that don't grab you the way the rest of the record does. I think I am one of the few that actually believes the entire album is worth listening to - over and over again. It's the lyrics that will get you, not necessarily the tunes.

I had been looking forward to a night out with the Scared ones. I had heard that the live shows were something to behold, whether you enjoyed the album or not. It was something about Scott Hutchinson's voice that would make you fall in love when it came to the live show and he was about to take to the stage and stun the Glee club crowd.

Before this could happen, though, the audience was treated to a performance from the support act, Ross Clark & The Scarves Go Missing. Ross is a solo artist who has roped in a band to help him beef up his tracks while on this tour. A 20-something from Glasgow with incredible wit and character, his songs were just as brilliant. The songs were layered, affecting and fun. I went and bought all of the CDs available, with the stripped down versions. Clark's voice something of the strained, emotional type with shouting and dancing. He was clearly enjoying his time on stage and so were the audience who all had their feet tapping and heads nodding by the end of the set. It warmed us up nicely for the Rabbits.

A short break meant that the crowd that was gathered could locate the nearest bar and then get ready to be assulted by the FR guys. Everyone got back to their seats and Frightened Rabbit took to the stage, guitars and synth at the ready. Opening with a staggering beautiful verison of 'My Backwards Walk', stripped down for the "acoustic" evening, kept the audience glued to the stage. I don't think anyone managed to look away as Scott sang with more emotion in his little finger than any band I've seen for a while. He meant every single word.

After this spellbinding opener, Frightened Rabbit played almost all of the latest album, bar about 3 tracks. Each track getting its own acoustic make-over where needed and others getting the crowd clapping, smiling and tapping those feet. The perfect example of the latter was 'Old Old Fashioned' which saw the seated crowd enjoying the Rabbits' more upbeat song, along with 'The Modern Leper', 'I Feel Better' and 'Head Rolls Off', which all saw the crowd participating from their chairs.

The moments of the evening that were the most cause for 'celebration' in this little review have to be the performances of 'Good Arms Vs. Bad Arms', which was so beautiful that I could feel the tears stinging the back of my eyes and the hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention as the band played a simply perfect version of the album favourite. The other incredibly moment that I have to mention is the song that opened the encore, 'Poke'. Scott took to the stage, just him and his acoustic guitar, walked away from the mike and unplugged himself completely. He then went about singing one of the most affecting songs from the album, one which uses the c-word to great effect. The crowd sat in stunned silence as he sang the last bars; none of them had seen anything like this before.

Another, comepletely different, highlight was the yell of "SET YOU FREE!" from the back of the room. Frightened Rabbit, four guys and their instruments, set about covering the N-Trance song with great aplomb, they made it their own and they got the crowd smiling along. "Everyone's been felt up to Set You Free..." - Scott Hutchinson.

Frightened Rabbit ended the set with one of my favourite songs from the latest album, 'Keep Yourself Warm'. A song that does emotional like no other track on the record. A song about one night stands not fulfilling the need to be with another human being. "It takes more than fucking someone you don't know, to keep warm..." The build of the song gets me every single time and when Scott wails "Can you see in the dark, can you see the look on your face?" for the final hit, I get goosebumps all over. That night was no exception and the Rabbits kept true to the record where possible, even if it meant a few wobbly notes here and there.

Overally, the show was deep, thoughtful, witty and had emotion in buckets. Much like the Rabbits themselves who came across as a very different kind of "rockstar". These guys clearly didn't do this for the limelight, this was just for the music. I think I enjoyed that fact as much as the set itself which oozed beauty at every single turn.

There's no need to be Frightened anymore, Rabbits.

Frightened Rabbit performing 'Poke' at the Glee Club:

Patrick Wolf is filthy

2009-03-24T07:58:00.000-07:00

Patrick Wolf. A man of various talents and fancy costumes. When I think of Wolf I think of colour and great melodies. Well, he has a new tune running about the internet and I have to say, it's not quite what I was expecting. The new direction he's been talking about sees him embrace his smutty side and take electro back to Depeche Mode's filty rhythms. He pulls it off to, with great results. It's dirty, sexy and you can dance to it. Think, less colour more black and shiny, possibly with whips and chains. His almost hoarse vocals make it sound even filthier. His lyrics on 'Vulture' are seductive, dirty and almost naughty. His scream of "HARD!" is not something you'd necessarily equate with the man who penned 'The Magic Position', a tune of niave melody and knowing lyrics. I suppose all he has really done is vamp it up, but it's thrilling.

If the video is anything to go by, Patrick has embraced the bondage electro-rock idea with open arms. The video has been given an "inappropriate for television" status and you can only see it on Myspace. It helps if you're over 18 too. Patrick Wolf writhing about in leather anyone?

It may have been deemed too explicit for the TV but it matches the tune perfectly. I cannot wait to hear what Mr. Wolf does on the rest of the album, 'The Bachelor', due out later this year. This is part of a project concerning two albums, a concept of sorts. I can't wait to hear the fruits of this exploit.

Here is the video, I trust that you're all old enough to view it:

Patrick Wolf - Vulture

Bouncy castle, rain, Polly Jean Harvey...

2009-03-20T04:37:00.001-07:00

PJ Harvey, the wonderful talented English woman who has released so many great albums I kinda can't tell you how much I adore her. In fact, I would go as far as to say that she is probably the best female artist in Britain at this moment in time and she is about to release a new album with Mr. John Parish. The brand new single, 'Black Hearted Love', premiered its video today on the NME website. I have to say, given that I hadn't heard anything from PJ since 'White Chalk', which is an album full of grace and piano-led beauties, this is a great come back. It sees the lady herself pick up where her Mercury prize winning 'Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea' left off. John Parish is clearly a very good influence on the guitar-led side of Harvey, the music getting back to the rock side of her music. Her voice, as ever, is spellbinding and rawkous. I don't know how she manages this simultaneously, I do not care. It's great to have her back.

From this single (and video) alone, I predict another brilliant album. The album, 'A Woman And Man Walked By', is due out at the end of this month. And you should go and buy it after hearing the 5 previewed tracks on Last.fm from Monday. Oh yes. You should definitely check that out.

Here is the video for 'Black Hearted Love' is available for viewing HERE; featuring a bouncy castle and rain.

Stage invasion-tastic!

2009-03-14T07:44:00.001-07:00

The Hold Steady. My favourite band. One of the best bands in rock 'n' roll right now and just getting their deserved success. This band are so important to so many people. It's quite hard to quantify the love the fans have for The Hold Steady. However, with the new DVD/CD package 'A Positive Rage' due out at the beginning of April, we have been gifted with a few people trying to put it into words. AFTER the show.

The shows are religious affairs, almost. There is something about rocking out with a room full of strangers that LOVE this band that creates a unifying feeling. The atmosphere is always electric, the joy is obvious to the band and the fans. It's like a shared experience. This band love what they do and we fans, well, we love what they do too. Possibly too much.

The new trailer for the DVD hit this week and it features fans talking about what The Hold Steady means to them, Craig Finn talking about what the band has accomplished and some amazing (quite emotional) footage of several stage invasions from around the 'Boys And Girls In America tour'.

I cannot wait to see this DVD. The documentary looks like it might be insightful, honest and interesting. The live show will be fantatsic too. There is nothing like it.

Trailer fun. There really is so much joy.
The band are touring the UK and the US, eheck out the link above for more info.

Drunk? A Documentary

2009-03-14T06:54:00.000-07:00

Eddie Argos and his merry band of men, Art Brut, are back and with a new, very famous producer for their third album, 'Art Brut Vs. Satan'. I am excited by the prospect. The hiring of Frank Black for the album's production duties led to much speculation about the sound of this record. I can happily reveal that it is just as good as the old Brut noise but with a twist. Something I have yet to work out or put my finger on.

The new single, 'Alcoholics Unanimous' is a tale of a hangover and a hive of drunken activity. The shouting backing vocals add something new but the old slurr from Eddie and the witty lyrics make this an instant Art Brut tune. The new sound is heavier, more fun. I have been listening to this song for a while now and everytime I hear the opening riff, I smile. It's instant and exciting. The inclusion of "etc." at the end of the song is so Brut it hurts. I can almost guarantee you'll be dancing to this tune in indie clubs all over the country soon. It's just too infectious to go unheard! I hope this album sees them get the attention they deserved and not just from Pitchfork and the NME.

Art Brut are touring the UK! Check out their MySpace for details of where and when. 'Art Brut Vs. Satan' is out on the 20th April. Here is the video of 'Alcholics Unanimous'. Enjoy.

Then you should say nothin' more at all...

2009-03-14T06:27:00.000-07:00

The Maccabees, an indie band from Brighton who released their debut album two years ago. That debut was full of excited, happy and joyous occasions from the wonderful 'Latchmere' to the heartfelt 'First Love'. Each of the songs had something about them, something that made you smile each time. The basslines were funky, the guitar was twangy and the vocals were shouty and melodic. 'Colour It In' was a great album. However, by the sounds of it, these guys have been playing about in the studio. There is something much, much darker going on with this new tune, 'No Kind Words'. They have obviously felt hard done by at somepoint and this is more of a rant than a dance-able indie tune. Of course, even if it is a bit biting in places, you can still get on down to it without any trouble. I can't wait to hear the rest of the album. It'll be interesting to see if this bitter twist continues. I like it. It kills off the fluff and gets to the grit.

Here is a video of The Maccabees 'No Kind Words'. The guys are on tour in March and May, check out the MySpace for more details on that one. You can download 'No Kind Words' for free there. Or on the official website.

One Gig Like This - Elbow Take Llandudno, 09/03/09

2009-03-10T07:37:00.000-07:00

I have been waiting for this day for over 8 years. I have had tickets to it in my hand mere four times previously and had to give them up due to various reasons. I have been waiting to see this event for so long now that the excitement I feel about it now, after the event, is still immense. Of course, this event is seeing one of my favourite bands on the planet and my favourite British band, Elbow, live for the very first time. And last night was that very night. It did not disappoint, after so long waiting.

I still remember the day I heard Elbow for the first time. It was 2001 and a friend had handed me a mix CD with their track ‘Red’ on it. Everything else on the mix paled in comparison. The combination of heartfelt lyrics, a beautiful voice and a sound that I had never heard anything like before all made that the very first Elbow song I was to fall in love with. It would not be the last.

I have followed them eagerly since that very day. Awaiting every new album patiently but excitedly. Getting hold of the records and telling everyone about how good they were. No one ever knowing who Elbow was used to make me sad. Now, however, it is a very different story - in Britain, at least. Since 2008’s Mercury Prize win, Elbow have seen a sudden rise to the top of the pile and won the affections of the nation. It was a proud day as a fan. Then to see them win this year’s ‘Best British Band’ award at the Brits was an even bigger moment. Elbow had made it and I couldn’t be prouder of the fact.

With all of that said, I had still never actually enjoyed the pleasure of their live show. Never in person. I had tried and failed to see them on four (possibly even five) separate occasions, always having to give up my ticket at the last moment. The fact that this had happened made me want to see them more and more. And as I have watched from afar, their great rise to success, I have prayed that the next time they tour, I can be there in person! Well, it has finally happened and what a night it was.

Opening with 2008’s, ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’, album opener with the added touch of Welsh flags on the trumpets (nice one lads). Elbow took to the stage with smiles on their faces, amongst the bright lights of expectation. They played ‘Starlings’ with passion, belief and honesty. It was note-for-damn-note. Garvey’s voice sounding in fine form, the best it has ever sounded to my ears. There is something about the rough beauty he exudes that makes you believe every single word he purrs. Next was single, ‘The Bones Of You’, with that huge chorus that begs to be sung aloud and proud, which I did, of course. The band sounded fabulous. They were tight and happy. There is no better way see one of your favourite bands perform.

The set was an almost perfect balance of old and new. The old not going down quite as well as the new (most of the crowd were there to see the latest songs and had no clue when the golden oldies were played). The beautiful ‘Mirrorball’ was introduced with a wry comment about being love with “the woman I love”. Guy Garvey has clearly found his muse. The mirror ball effects on the ceiling adding a touch of atmosphere. They played the brilliant title track from 2005’s album, ‘Leaders Of The Free World’, much to my joy as that album is my favourite from Elbow. The poignant point made that the song is now out of date seemed like a great touch. Next, ‘The Stops’ and tears. The performance of this song was absolutely perfect. Guy Garvey’s voice soaring and whirling above the crowd. The atmosphere was electric, the honesty was too much to take. I am not ashamed to admit that I cried during this performance, it was simply stunning.

More music, laughs and tears were to come in the form of a dedication Garvey sent out to one “Stewie, from his mum and dad”, led the man himself to change the words to something more “appropriate.” Hearing the first line changed like that will never leave me, it was a golden moment as Guy sang “I’ll be the duck in your bathtub, useless…” Before this we had been treated to performances of ‘Any Day Now’, that great Elbow song with a whispered brilliance to it’s arrangement and a tone of escapism. We had the rocking ‘Mexican Standoff’, a personal favourite, dedicated to Mr. Garvey’s sister, Louise in the VIP area. We were then treated to another eerily beautiful performance from 2003’s ‘Cast Of Thousands’. Garvey himself telling the story behind the song - “a song about being able to choose your last words and your last moments” - and then delivering one of the most affecting moments of the night, ‘Switching Off’. I shed another tear or seven when he sang, “You, the only sense the world has ever made…” Perfection. We were also treated to a very different performance of ‘Weather To Fly’, the goose bump inducing wonder from last year’s record. The five guys crowded around one part of the stage playing acoustically and then bursting into the full track, which tonight had a certain poignancy about it. “Are we having the time of our lives?” Elbow certainly are.

Into ‘The Loneliness Of A Tower Crane Driver’ and ‘Grounds For Divorce’ they went, hitting another high point - there were no low points, I’ll be honest - with each played note-for-note and including crowd participation. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, it was lovely to be a part of. Then, the last track of the main set - the incredible, irrepressible anthem that is ‘One Day Like This’. This was the big climax of the evening, what everyone was waiting for and what a moment to have witnessed. Ever since Glastonbury, this song has become an anthem for the people. Something bigger than Elbow. It has been used everywhere and for everything and, for some reason, every time I hear the strings of this track I smile. That and, of course, the positive message of embracing the day in “Throw those curtains wide, one day like this a year will see me right”. Garvey encouraged all to sing, they did. Everyone had their hands up with a smile across their faces. The band were loving it. It was another joyous moment, one I will never forget.

So, Elbow stormed Llandudno and with it North Wales. They played a wonderful set, with no dull moments. Every single song had something about it, as they always have done, but tonight there was something extra going on. I’d like to put it down to success but it was bigger than that, it was better than that, it was something as simple as the fact that the band are really happy with where they are right now. And they have every right to be. A triumph in every sense of the word. Here’s to the next album, the next tour and 8 more years of Elbow being the best band in Britain. I will not be waiting another 8 years to see them again, that is for sure. One gig like this a year would see me right, indeed.

Elbow play Wembley Arena on Saturday 14th March. Their biggest gig to date.
‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ is available everywhere now.
Look out for ‘The Seldom Seen Kid Live At The BBC’, which was recorded a couple of months ago with the concert orchestra and includes a CD, DVD and book, out Monday 30th March.

The Gaslight Anthem Rock Birmingham Academy 2 - 03/02/2009

2009-02-07T05:20:00.000-08:00

It's a Tuesday evening, Birmingham has just received it's largest snowfall for 18 years and The Gaslight Anthem have chosen this day to hit the city's favourite venue: The Academy. More specifically, the upstairs venue. The smaller, sweatier version of the main room. I have been looking forward to this day for some considerable time, of course, getting to the show was half the challenge and Birmingham looks so much better when buried in 4 inches of the white stuff.

The support bands tonight were The Polar Bear Club, who I missed, sadly, due to the weather, and Frank Turner. The latter's guitar-based singer songwriter stuff was great. I wasn't expecting amazing things but this guy has skill. Just Turner and a guitar took to the stage and blasted out a few numbers for the more than enthusiastic crowd. There were fans here. They sang along to the cheerier songs in the setlist and I observed people hugging, kissing and dancing. He went down a storm and warmed the crowd up nicely for the main act who had, according to Turner, been redirected to SCOTLAND due to the snow and had been on a plane for 8 hours to get to Birmingham.

9:30pm hits and The Gaslight Anthem are ready to blow our minds. They have set up their own equipment, they have brought the case of beer onto the stage and they were ready.

TGA took to the stage with a bang, opening with the opening track of the new album, 'The '59 Sound', a track called 'Great Expectations'. They obviously knew that this crowd had just that after reading so much about this band's live shows, I have to admit, I was one of them. I wasn't to be disappointed. A set of new and old songs ensued. We were treated to mainly new album stuff, songs like 'Even Cowgirls Get The Blues', 'Film Noir', the title track and 'The Backseat' blew me away. This band has the same passion as the man they find themselves compared to: Bruce Springsteen. They punch the air, they rage on stage, they shout along and they SMILE. It's a rarity thesedays, what with it being somewhat uncool to enjoy your own music in 2009.

Lead singer, Brian Fallon, in blue levi jeans and a tight white shirt (showing off his punk rock tattoos) launches into 1930 and sings with so much effort and passion that it is hard not to believe that he himself is being completely honest with this small crowd. His rendition of new single 'Old White Lincoln', backed by that fabulous bassline, was big and exciting. The small break got the crowd going even more. We had a mosh pit, full of punks heavily tattoo'd with mohawks and rugby tackling eachother. We had men of 40 jumping up and down punching the air and we had the smaller, younger types singing at the tops of their lungs.

Everyone was having a blast.
Everyone was smiling.
Including the band.

All the songs were played note for note, perfectly. They were all played with heart (a punk rock heart). And they band joked and laughed on stage with each other and the crowd. It was great to see another band create a unity in the crowd. Lots of smiling and raging. The older stuff leaving the punks breathless and the new stuff impressing the kids new to the band.

A success in every sense of the word. And a helluva lot of fun!

Hold Steady maverick goes it alone. Salute 'Major General!'

2009-01-21T04:41:00.000-08:00

Franz Nicolay - Major General; Fistolo Records, 2009

Franz Nicolay is the multi-instrumentalist you see behind the keyboard at Hold Steady shows. He is the moustachioed maverick who has been a member of The Suckers, Guignol and The World/Inferno Friendship Society to name a few. He has collaborated with everyone from The Dresden Dolls to Emilyn Brodsky and he has been working on his debut solo effort, ‘Major General’ for sometime now.

After 2007’s ‘Black Paladin Demos’, Franz had laid the foundations for this, his first outing as a solo artist. The demos feature songs that make the final track listing but stripped down versions. After hearing these I was excited to see where Franz would take his songs next and how they would sound after a little production, a little experimentation, a little magic and some electric instruments.

After completing recording last year, Franz had been dropping hints that his album would be out as soon as possible. I didn’t care when it came out, just hearing the words “mixed by John Agnello” and “featuring the talents of Jack Terrincloth, Emilyn Brodsky and Brian Viglione” excited me. This was going to be a great album. Whenever it came out.

‘Major General’ has seen those original demos fleshed out and beefed up. All of the songs here are either staggeringly beautiful or rock ‘n’ roll wonders. The songs show Nicolay as a great writer and song crafter. The arrangements here are all a little different to what you would normally find on, say, a Hold Steady album; but they all bring something wonderful to the record. At 13 tracks long, this album doesn’t have any filler. None whatsoever. Every one of the songs belongs here, whether it be piano-led crooners or full-blown guitar-driven excitement; it’s all excellent and fun.

The record opens with the exceedingly catchy ‘Jeff Penalty’, a song penned about the former Dead Kennedy’s singer and featuring the talents of Hold Steady support act, Demander. The “woah” participation calls and the epic riffage make this song a great opener, and probably a great single. It’s instant, it’s edgy and it’s rock ‘n’ roll. What more could you ask for?

I’ll tell you what more you could ask for…

This song contains a few beautifully penned (and sung - yes Franz does possess that incredible voice!) ballads. Songs of romance, fine wine, adventures and fantastic arrangements. The first one of these that we meet is that old demo ‘Hey Dad!’ now featuring keyboard, piano, banjo and electric guitar. At first you feel like you’ve stepped into a classy jazz bar and then you hear the lyrics and you realise that this is much more than that. Lines like “sometimes a victory is just something you win” are simple but effective and as the song builds you feel yourself urging it on.

This theme continues with first single (and free download earlier this month) ‘World/Inferno Vs. The End Of The Evening’. This is a song featuring talents of that wonderful artist, Emilyn Brodsky on backing vocals. This song has been described as Billy Joel-esque. I know for a fact Franz would rather die. This is better than Billy Joel; it’s deeper, it’s more punk at the core. The music is well-written, the lyrics are heart-felt and Nicolay sings it like he’s using his last gasp. The beefed up version on this album features electric guitar and strings and is all the better for it. Nothing is lost with this new arrangement and that shows of the class of song we have here.

Next on the list, ‘Dead Sailors’, and one of my favourites from the Paladins’ sessions. This song is dramatic and exciting. There is passion here that you won’t find in any other artist’s songs. There is romance and soul. This song builds as Franz booms “I guess no one care about sailors in this bar!” and the piano looms; you almost wish there was a flamenco dancer doing her thing in the middle of the room. The accordion tops this one off perfectly and adds the Franz charm. This is closely followed by the wonderful ‘Do We Not Live In Dreams?’, which speaks for itself, as you’ll see. This hasn’t changed too much from the demo and I am pleased because it retains something special.

Next, get your air guitar and your fists ready, Franz is about to rock your world with what is my favourite track on the album (that did NOT feature on 2007’s demos). This song is fantastic, light and fun and contains my favourite lyric from ‘Major General’ in the first line alone. The song is ‘Confessions Of An Ineffective Casanova’ and that line is “She yelled ‘FUCK YOU FRANZ’ from the back of an ambulance!” Interested? You should be. This song has energy and cool. It comes equipped for infectious rock ’n’ roll. It jumps you and refuses to let go, and it gets better the more you listen to it! Awesome.

The track following that little gem is a song that Franz first wrote when recording with The Suckers. A song that was reworked for a Hold Steady B-side, and a song with a fair punch on ‘Major General’. ‘Quiet Where I Lie’ was one of my favourites from the demos and this version of it did not disappoint by any means. Think The Hold Steady with more melodrama and with Franz’s killer voice. Yep, it’s that good. Catchy as fuck too.

Next to a Franz/Jack collaboration. Jack helped out on the writing for this one and ‘Note On A Subway Wall’ doesn’t hold back. It’s another one of those great ballads, sad but powerful. Franz hasn’t messed with the arrangement too much on this one and I, for one, am glad because it keeps its sentimentality, its rawness and what makes it special. The same can be said of the closing track ‘I’m Done Singing’ and ‘X-Games,’ which don’t have much different except for a few instruments thrown in and the staggering voice of Emilyn Brodsky. The previous leaving you with chills, the good ones.

‘Nightratsong’ is the song which, to me, has changed the most from the demo. The electric guitar gives it strength and body, like a fine wine that’s aged over time. It’s punchy and flamboyant with the synth line. It’s Franz through and through. This is also true of Franz’s most mainstream song, ‘This World Is An Open Door’. This has been judged as a weaker moment on the album, but to me, it’s just a different version of the Nicolay music train. Another side he can play, another side he can impress with. So, the lyrics aren’t saying anything dramatically different but sometimes you need a bit of pop. A smidge of mainstream never hurt anyone and it certainly doesn’t hurt ‘Major General’, in fact, this will probably be the song that gets most play on the radio. It’s infectious, it’s fun and it features guitars. Nothing wrong with that!

The last few songs are the farewell. And the second of the three is one of my favourites from this record. ‘Cease Fire, Or, Mrs. Norman Maine’ is Franz’s banjo-led hurrah. It’s beautifully written and adventurous. I mean, where else would you find the sounds of an accordion, piano, electric guitar and a banjo? Alright, there may be some places, but would they use them to the same effect? I doubt it.

‘Major General’, overall, is a huge success. It has every side of Franz Nicolay: the fun, the flamboyance, the soul, the passion and the romance. This album features songs that will undoubtedly soundtrack my 2009 and many years after that. There are songs for every mood and songs which grow and grow on you until you’re playing them on repeat for hours and hours. This debut is individual, a reflection of the man (and the musicians) that built it. But now ‘Major General’ has got hold of me, I’m not sure that any album of 2009 can out-do it. Your move releases of 2009. Your move.

Further Listening:
The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
Emilyn Brodsky - Emilyn Brodsky’s Greatest Tits
The Dresden Dolls - No, Virginia
The World/Inferno Friendship Society - Red-Eyed Soul
And those demos!

Check out Franz on MySpace and Last.fm.

Taking a break...

2009-01-14T04:51:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,

As I am really, epically busy for the rest of the month due to exams and revision and birthdays and suchlike pandemonium. I thought I'd just shut this place down for a little while, just to get on top of things. Then I will be back with avengence! I just got Franz's debut solo album and it is excellent. You should listen to it on Last.fm, like, now. Bruce Springsteen is also releasing a new one. I'll be giving the lowdown as soon as I can, I promise.

See you on the otherside of the exmas business.

Bests,
LilHan xo

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-25T04:57:00.000-08:00

Dear all who actually read this little blog I've got going,

Whatever holiday it is that you are celebrating, have a good one. All I do know is that it will involve drinking too much and eating your body weight in whatever food you can get hold of! Have a great time and look forward to 2009 where I'll be bringing you more music funtimes and reviews. With a bit of luck.

New releases due in 2009:

U2
The Thermals
Franz Nicolay
Johnny Foreigner
The Rumble Strips
Franz Ferdinand
Animal Collective
Secret Machines
Antony And The Johnsons
White Lies
J Tillman
and tonnes more!

Get excited about it all. Have a great Holiday, see you in 2009!

LilHan xo

Man, we had some massive nights...

2008-12-12T13:15:00.000-08:00

Manchester Academy - The Hold Steady; December 10th 2008

I have been waiting for this day since July. The day that my favourite band on this good, green earth return to the UK for their tour. The day that is to let me forget about all of the rubbish that has been carrying on in my life and let go for a little bit. Well, it didn’t disappoint. Man, we had some massive nights…

Due to band illness the previously scheduled tour had to be cancelled. However, with Tad Kubler (lead guitar) now back and fighting fit it was time to remind the UK fans why they loved them and why they should be paying attention. I was more excited about this gig than anything else in the world. I needed it to make things better, they needed it to show the UK what they had been missing. They did it perfectly.

Hitting the stage at 9.15 sharp. The Hold Steady commanded the stage from the off. The crowd were into it. Very into it. You could tell that there was a lot of excitement in the crowd (not just from me, two girls in front proclaimed the Hold Steady lads to be their favourite band) and expectation hung in the air. Then they started to play. Into new album opener, ‘Constructive Summer’ they went. And off when all that atmosphere. Everyone around me was smiling and bouncing up and down. A succession of wonderment followed; into lead off single ‘Sequestered In Memphis’ then an early number in the form of ‘The Swish’ and fan favourite ‘Your Little Hoodrat Friend’ made an early appearance. The crowd were hungry and they were lapping up every single last note/syllable. This was a sight to behold too, as this band have managed to UP their game. They have never sounded so tight to my ears. They were perfection.

More dancing from ‘Massive Nights’ (a premonition?), ‘Navy Sheets’, ‘Chips Ahoy!’ and ‘Banging Camp’ with killer riffs, lots of crowd participation and Craig Finn’s smile never once leaving his face. It was like watching a kid in a sweet shop. He just couldn’t contain his joy! We were treated to B-sides, new and old, in the form of ‘You Gotta Dance (With Who You Came To The Dance With)’ and ‘Cheyenne Sunrise’ during a small, what felt like, breather from the bouncing. The latter being sandwiched between the ever-wonderful ‘Multitude Of Casualties’ and the new album’s harpsichord driven ‘On For The Cutters’. All of which sounded incredible from where I was, squashed by the barrier.

More rock ‘n’ roll ensued. Tad Kubler reaching for his double-necked Gibson to play the beautiful ‘Lord, I’m Discouraged’ and then we are instantly back into the jumping game with album title-track ‘Stay Positive’. Everyone is beaming and singing along, arms aloft. It was a real moment to be a part of. Into set closer ‘Slapped Actress’ they went with that epic, cinematic riff and those piano parts. All of the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as Craig Finn hit the first line: “Don’t tell my sister ‘bout your most recent vision…” This was magical.

A break. We weren’t gonna them leave after that main set! Much shouting for “MORE!” occurred around me and a lone Craig Finn wandered onto stage, slung his guitar around his neck and mutter the immortal words from that very first album opener; “Woke up in the 20s…” Having never seen ‘Positive Jam’ live this was a huge moment for me as a fan. The rest of the band joined him on stage and we rocked the Academy to the core; bouncing, singing, flailing, nodding. Absolutely amazing.

Next was that setlist staple since the third album, ‘Stuck Between Stations’. A personal favourite of mine, I am not ashamed to say that I went mental and that muscles ache in places I never knew I had! That riff is golden and that moment when Finn sings “we drink and we dry up…” never fails to kill me. After yet another great bouncing track we were greeted with our THIRD B-side of the evening: ‘Girls Like Status’ which most of the crowd obviously didn’t know but it got them dancing for sure, especially when they could see where we were going next…

‘Killer Parties’. Now often being removed from the set in favour of more recent songs, this song encapsulates so much of The Hold Steady live for me. I have seen them end on different songs and still blow me away but this song, this song, is the one that pin points what the band is all about: joy, unity, rock ‘n’ roll. All of this in one package and, live, it goes somewhere else entirely. Another stratosphere. The happiness in the band’s faces, the crowd’s faces and yet another incredibly sincere speech from the lead singer led to the most fantastic atmosphere in the room. Everyone was raging together. It was lovely.

Not to mention the sight of a neon pink gorilla dancing around the stage with Galen Polivka, Franz Nicolay and Craig Finn.

That gig was transcendent, as ever, but the tightness of the band blew me away. Everything they do floors me. I cannot continue to watch them get much better. My head might explode… Either way; “You guys, us guys and that pink gorilla… we’re ALL The Hold Steady…”

Get a taste of Major General!

2008-12-04T06:47:00.000-08:00

Franz Nicolay, of The Hold Steady and World/Inferno Friendship Society, has a new album coming out January 13th and you can get a sneak preview of the track, 'World/Inferno Vs. The End Of The Evening', on the Rolling Stone blog here.

You should definitely check it out!

Franz says:

...a song about how no matter how much you will against it, the party winds down, the gang grows up, the credits roll, and the house lights and the sun comes up. With backing vocals from the estimable Anthony Da Costa & Emilyn Brodsky.

Also, "Major General" is now available for preorder at www.fistolo.com.
So go get that shit. January tour dates coming soon...

F

Albums Of 2008 - Number Ten

2008-12-02T05:42:00.000-08:00

Number Ten; Truckers pull another classic out of the bag
Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation’s Dark, New West Records

The Drive-By Truckers are a band from Georgia, USA. Their southern roots have inspired several of their incredible albums to date. This latest effort, ‘Brighter Than Creation’s Dark’, not only picks up where the Truckers left off, but it does it in such a fashion that you are instantly sucked into its world. Every song here is brilliant, even if not at first, they grow on you until you fall in love with every note, every syllable. This album did just that to me and now I cannot get enough.

The Truckers have three principle song writers, each with their own spin on the band’s southern, alt-country sound that made so many fall in love in the first place. This album is not short, in fact, it is 19 tracks long. However, the length of this album doesn’t make it better or worse. I could not imagine ‘Brighter Than Creation’s Dark’ being any shorter, I would not take any of these tracks away from the listener or the album. There is nothing here that doesn’t work. Every song on this record is tying into a theme, mainly of great song writing, but also tales of people living their lives. Some of which are sad, some of which are happy and some of which contain positive jams. You can see why Craig Finn of The Hold Steady is so devoted to this band’s brand of rock ‘n’ roll.

19 tracks of gold. Each of these songs has something special. Tracks like ‘3 Dimes Down’ have southern rock riffs and heart, the opener ‘Two Daughters And Beautiful Wife’ is catchy and beautiful. Patterson Hood sounds fantastic at many points on this record, not least this track. Listening to this album, you get lost in the sound. There is so much to love here. I have been completely taken in by it.

This album, although the longest of my top 10 by far, is truly wonderful in every respect. I can put in on in any mood and just listen to it; blocking out the real world for a little while. Its ability to grab the listener and suck them into its world is surely something to be applauded. The writing on this album, although from three very different lyricists, never seem out of place or wrong. There is a collective understanding of rock ‘n’ roll and you have to admit that it is impressive, none less so than the first minute of ‘That Man I Shot’. Everything on ‘Brighter Than Creation’s Dark’ works, it fits like pieces of a puzzle and it rocks you to the core on every listen.

It may not sell a million records, it may not be the perfect record of 2008, but it is a brilliant album that has something incredible about it. Something I still cannot quite put my finger on. Fantastic from the very beginning to the very end. I even enjoy their Hold Steady reference on ‘The Righteous Path’. Brilliant every single time.

Epic, dirty rock ‘n’ roll. Marvellous.

Albums Of 2008 - Number Nine

2008-11-29T06:04:00.000-08:00

Number Nine; A fleet of sly, furry creatures making beautiful noise
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes, Bella Union Records

Fleet Foxes were unknown until this year. I heard their ‘Sun Giant’ EP early on in 2008 and was impressed with what I heard and what I heard was music that sounded like nothing the music business had produced since the ‘70’s. Fleet Foxes sound like Crosby, Stills and Nash flirting with Gregorian chanting. There is something ethereal about their sound that sends shivers down the spine and it is incredibly beautiful.

Their eponymous debut set about building on their EP. The EP was full of beautiful melodies; stripped down and pretty. The album beefs up the sound a bit, but not to make it sound too much different, just to add layers that make their melodies more wonderful. Of course, you cannot escape the sound of Robin Pecknold’s voice. He sings like an angel and his lyrics, although nonsensical in places, are very haunting, just like his voice.

Every song on ‘Fleet Foxes’ sounds like summer or some bastardised version of it. The songs are tales of the old country, they have a sense of nostalgia buried within them with the lyrics, the melodies and the air of wonder that surrounds them. 2008 had never heard anything like it. Like My Morning Jacket making 19th Century religious music. It may be different, but it didn’t put the public off. This album has sold really, really well on the both sides of the Atlantic. Fleet Foxes might not be mainstream but they are reaching a lot of people with their music. Just as they should be.

This album, although clearly one of the most fascinating in my list, is there for a number of reasons, not least the shear power of the record to stun. Yes, ‘Fleet Foxes’ will feature in many a Best Of 08 list and, yes, it deserves to, but there is much more to this band than meets the eye. On seeing them for the first time you realise that these are boys who have honed their talents and created a sound that no one else was making this year (not even My Morning Jacket were making noises this celestial). I find this album stunning on every listen. It makes me happy, it gives me goose bumps and it makes me sad. None less so than ‘Oliver James’ which is simply one of the few truly beautiful songs of this year.

I hope this isn’t a one off and that they can build on this, make it better and create a sophomore effort to send them into the stratosphere. They clearly have the ear for melody and the song writing talent. There is so much evidence of that already.

Albums Of 2008 - Number Eight

2008-11-28T04:12:00.000-08:00

Number Eight; Rilo Kiley lady proves she doesn’t need the band
Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue; Rough Trade Records

Jenny Lewis: a child star actress, led singer of Las Vegas rockers Rilo Kiley and now one of the best solo artists of 2008. Her collaboration with the Watson Twins in 2006 was simply laying the foundation for her debut solo effort proper. Dubbed ‘Acid Tongue’ and featuring some of the finest music of this year; well crafted, arranged and penned country-pop-rock tunes. This was an album to be reckoned with this year. Upon its release it got good reviews and proved, very quickly, that Jenny Lewis was much, much more than her role in Rilo Kiley suggested. She is a great singer-songwriter in her own right. This was her chance to prove it and prove it she did.

All of the songs on the album are wonderful. Every single one made me feel something. This ability to effect the listener isn’t easily acquired but Lewis has it. I was impressed from the very start of ‘Black Sand’ and then right the way through. Lewis has a voice to send shivers down the spine of the hardest, stony-faced man. This phenomena occurs many a time on ‘Acid Tongue’, not least the title track which could melt any heart. Her country-tinged delivery makes her different to the other female artists in the list and this instantly makes her recognisable too. The stories she tells with her voice on this album are of debauched and fried lives juxtaposed with starry eyes and ambition. It sucks you in and keeps you enthralled.

This album makes my top 10 for so many good reasons. Jenny Lewis has given 2008 a record of wonders with ‘Acid Tongue’. All of the songs are good, her voice sounds polished and clear, the stories capture the imagination and it possesses the one thing that no other album in this list has: ‘Carpetbaggers’ which sees Lewis duet with Elvis Costello. This epiphany of sound and excitement stole my heart this year; the voices complement each other and the track is as joyous as it can get. It’s surely perfection.

‘Acid Tongue’ is a triumph and, for me, contains some of the best tracks of the year, providing for any mood. Who needs a band when you can do this?

Albums Of 2008 - Number Seven

2008-11-28T04:03:00.000-08:00

Number Seven; Why the hell not?
Why? - Alopecia; Anticon Records

Some of the finest lyrics of 2008 come from Californian band Why? Their latest record ‘Alopecia’ is the record to find them on. The blend of hip-hop, rock and indie sees one of the more exciting albums of 2008 become one the best overall. All of the tracks on the album are the type to admire, even if you don’t particularly like the sounds that Why? Are making, you have to admit that those rhymes are incredible. As a lyrics geek, Why? Appealed to me even more.

The melodies on this record are funky-beat driven anthems which would appeal to most without the lyrics. It’s big but not brash and it’s stylish without the flimsy credibility. So many dark songs about street life. The things Why? Write about are observational, you believe that they have seen these things, spat out with power and emotion. Every word is dripping with feeling.

This album is one of my top 10 of the year, hands down. I didn’t even have to think about it. ‘Alopecia’ has some of the best lyrics of 08, hardly touched by other bands. Its intelligent observational and honest style make it likeable, even if hip-hop isn’t your thing, the music here is not typical of the genre. It’s gritty and gets right down to the bone through great writing and instrumentation.

For me, ‘Alopecia’ is a great record of this year that won’t get the recognition it deserves from music press. It is too different to be heralded as brilliant in those spheres, it won’t appeal to everyone and that makes it less incredible to those in that world. Here in the real world it is easy to see (and hear) that this record harbours sparks of genius and that is truly the most exciting thing that you could find on any album.

‘Alopecia’ is wonderful, cool and edgy. The lyrics strike home reality and the instrumentation pounds your heart. It is just a shame that it’ll be the great album of 2008 that won’t get the recognition it truly deserves.

Albums Of 2008 - Number Six

2008-11-27T05:30:00.000-08:00

Number Six; Johnny be good
Johnny Foreigner - Waited Up Til It Was Light, Best Before Records

Nothing much has come out of Birmingham, UK for a long time. Too long. Finally though, my home city has something to be immensely proud of in the here and now. It’s name: Johnny Foreigner. It’s sound: indie rock played loud and fast. Sounds good? Damn straight it is. I’d go further and say it’s infectious!

‘Waited Up Til It Was Light’ features shouty boy-girl duelling vocals, fast guitars, pounding percussion and as much youthful exuberance as you could possibly need. Grittier than Los Campesinos! And more fun that Bloc Party ever were. JoFo is the band to take indie somewhere better. They may be the least successful of the three bands, but not through lack of talent. Exciting songs about nightclubs, work and romance with melody and cool that is so infectious that you find yourself singing it at every possible moment and dancing around the room when you put on the record.

‘Waited Up Til It Was Light’ is a great album all the way through to the end. The fast trash guitars sound like The Thermals in overdrive colliding with all the good British indie at once. From the first line of ‘Lea Room’ I was hooked. The home town references may escape the out of town-ers but to hear places you know on record doesn’t lose it’s thrill after the hundredth time of hearing it, I can assure you.

It’s exhausting on every listen, simply because I am dancing so much.

This record is one of my favourites of the year for so many reasons. It’s exciting, fast, passionate, different, interesting and from my own home city! Every song is a sing-along song and ‘WUTIWL’ never, ever gets dull. Fun and thrilling; I cannot wait to hear album number 2.

Albums Of 2008 - Number Five

2008-11-27T05:26:00.000-08:00

Number Five; Funk returns
TV On The Radio - Dear Science, 4AD Records

‘Dear Science’ will be hailed as one of the best albums of 2008 by almost every music publication that reviewed it. It’s simple - TV On The Radio have created an experimental masterpiece that blends funk, soul, rock and indie credentials. Of course, not all will agree with my “masterpiece” statement and that’s fine, but you cannot deny that the music on this record is fantastic from start to finish and hard to beat this year.

For me, ‘Dear Science’, broke out of a mould and created something wonderful from just being adventurous with the equipment you’ve got. Every song has something about it; that infectious quality that all good music has. It’s well-crafted and avant-garde, reminiscent of Bowie in his pomp. No one can deny the swagger and funk on this album, it oozes from every note.

TV On The Radio may never be mainstream the way that Coldplay or MGMT are, or what you could call a success in that sphere of music. But they have created something with an incredibly artistry and that alone is something to applaud. ‘Dear Science’ may not be my album of the year, but it’s up there. It has blown my mind consistently and I am still finding things to fall in love with on the 60th listen. Everything about this record is great; even the simplicity of the sleeve design is cool.

This record is the party and the comedown and you don’t want to miss out on either. Truly one of the best albums of the year: masterful, exciting and individual with hints at sheer power and fun. It’s like ‘70’s Bowie came back to conquer modern music, all the best bits thrown into one album.

Infectious, fun, adventurous and cool. What more can you ask for from an album of 2008?

Albums Of 2008 - Number Four

2008-11-26T04:25:00.000-08:00

Number Four; 20-something armed with a ukulele
Emilyn Brodsky - Emilyn Brodsky’s Greatest Tits,Third Story Records

Few female artists have impressed me quite as much as Emilyn Brodsky this year. Her songs of romance and beauty shine through 2008’s music catalogue. For one, few have utilised a ukulele so well and the musicians that feature on this album read like a who’s-who of good music. Emilyn has created not only the shortest record on the list (coming in at just over half and hour of wonderment) but also an album that be listened to again and again, without getting bored once. Her poetic lyrics are heartfelt and honest. Her sense of adventure is all over this record and by the end I felt like a gaping hole had been filled in my music collection. Where had this album been all my life?

Emilyn Brodsky has the ideals of a romantic punk. She is fun and exciting as new artists go. “Fun” would go some of the way to describing this album to someone that hadn’t heard it. She is, however, much more than fun. She has a lot of talent and it shines through on these ‘Greatest Tits’. There is so much hope, loss, wonder and beauty manifested in the melodies here. This is a complete album with heart-on-sleeve lyrics and classy rhythms. Nothing is over complicated here. Emilyn keeps it simple but purposeful. It works like a charm.

For me, this is an album of the year because it was instantly loveable, it was powerful and engaging and it was incredible. Every song on this album has something to say, something creative going on within it and something to empower the listener. After hearing this, I knew I wanted more and I knew that I’d love this album every after listen. I still sing “I hate your fucking ego” over and over days after listening to the record, it’s just so infectious. She is the romantic poet with the punk sensibilities and it’s exhilarating to hear her muse over men, bread and arguments. Something we can all relate to…

This album is a kick in the balls for the men on the list, a dance around in the party pit and purely wonderful from start to finish. Genuine tunes from a genuine woman with a whole load of talent to share in 30+ minutes. I hope to hear much, much more from this awesome artist in the future. The world needs ladies with heart, power, emotion and ukuleles.

Albums Of 2008 - Number Three

2008-11-26T04:22:00.000-08:00

Number Three; Punk Americana from New Jersey
The Gaslight Anthem - The ‘59 Sound; Side One Dummy Records

Having never heard of this band before August this year, this album has come from nowhere to sweep me off my feet. Stunning Springsteen-influenced punk rock with intelligent, affecting lyrics and hand-on-heart feeling. ‘The ‘59 Sound’ is Americana for those who like to rock hard. The guitars are heavy riffing and the atmosphere is fists in the air fun. Nothing on this album should be ignored. Its instantaneous energy grabs from the very start when you hear that first riff on ‘Great Expectations’ and doesn’t let go until the last bar of ‘The Backseat’.

‘The ‘59 Sound’ mirrors ‘Born To Run’s’ thematic edge. The lyrics are heartfelt stories about escapism and teenage lives. The melodies, although punk at the core, are epic and cinematic. There are no indulgent ‘Jungleland’ moments on this album but every song paints a picture: these boys are the directors of their own action-adventure-romance and the sound makes it epic.

Each song on this album has its own special something within it. Whether it be the underlying need to run away from the things in your life or the urge to punch the air in agreement or even the need to dance around the room to yet another great riff. ‘The ‘59 Sound’ never disappoints, it’s consistent and impressive right the way through. It continues to give something new on each listen and I am still finding nuances in the sound to enjoy after all the listens.

Characters, cars and rock ‘n’ roll dreams make this an album to pay attention to in 2008. For me it epitomises America and its music, it sums up a disenchanted youth and it makes me want to escape everything and take a road trip with my best friends and some questionable young dudes. The rock ‘n’ roll that oozes from every chord is as exciting now as it was when Bruce Springsteen did it for the first time on ‘Born To Run.’ The ideals are the same but the music is modernised and fun. Another damn fine record of the year, I can’t wait to see where The Gaslight Anthem take me next.

Albums Of 2008 - Number Two

2008-11-26T04:18:00.000-08:00

Number Two; Britain’s finest musical heroes
Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid; Polydor Records

Elbow have been together through thick and thin for 18 years. They have created four amazing records, each with its own sound and its own feel. Their latest release is not only beautiful but at the heart if all the music and words is a story of true friendship and the horror of loss. Every line that Guy Garvey sings is laced with sadness, love and grief - even if he is celebrating a life. For Elbow lost one of their best friends in 2007 and this is their eulogy to that man: eleven songs of incredible music filled with affection and a sense of ultimate wonder.

Having been dropped from their previous label, Elbow soldiered on. They recorded ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ themselves, not knowing whether they would ever be able to put it out. This is something that I not only applaud because of their bravery, but I find myself grateful for their hard work and guts.

Putting this record on, after three years of waiting for a new album, was like finding my favourite sweater at the back of the wardrobe - warm and comforting. I was pleased to have them back and in many ways it was like they’d never left. However, to have them come back in such a fashion brought expectation and sent tingles down my spine. I knew it was their turn for success. Of course, since ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’s’ release, Elbow have sold out tours in the UK and Europe, sold out shows in America and won that prestigious Mercury Prize which alluded them so when their debut was nominated but cruelly overlooked. Their success is deserved and it’s lovely to watch five friends make it.

This album is my second favourite of the year for so many reasons. It is the clear best British winner, nothing comes close from Britain this year for me. ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ harbours so much music. The arrangements are epic and grand, the words are heartfelt and it all comes together to give the listener goose bumps. It is the chalk to The Hold Steady’s cheese; the comedown album. A wonderful album with not one bad song. Garvey’s voice is angelic, the band’s arrangements and melodies are grand without losing focus and everything fits together like a jigsaw puzzle. Nothing feels out of place or self-indulgent on this record. There is a subtle beauty exuding grief and isolation as well as celebration (see ‘One Day Like This’). No album has been more affecting than ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ in 2008. It is truly wonderful in every way.

Albums Of 2008 - Number One

2008-11-26T04:15:00.000-08:00

Number One; untouched since July
The Hold Steady - Stay Positive; Rough Trade/Vagrant Records

When this record was released I could barely write about it without simply gushing superlatives. Reading the reviews, I knew that these journalists had had ‘Stay Positive’ on their stereos for months and that they too probably had the same problem. Reading Uncut magazine’s review summed up the record in just a sentence for me. Allan Jones put it perfectly: “If it was their intention with this record to, among other things, leave the listener speechless, they’ve done a good job.” This is exactly what the record did. It stunned me to the point that no words would really describe how this album made me feel; how it encapsulated that feeling of pure wonder. The same feeling you get when you fall in love for the first time, the feeling you get when something incredible happens in your life. ‘Stay Positive’, for me at least, summed all that up and more. It summed up a point in my life. It is rock ‘n’ roll in its purest form and it’s exhilarating to hear every single time.

‘Stay Positive’ is The Hold Steady’s fourth album and what a way to mark it. The expectation, from me as a fan, was high. Its predecessor, ‘Boys And Girls In America’, had wowed fans and critics alike and sold well on both sides of the Atlantic. This fourth album was their time to show what they’d got. And they’ve got it all.

This album sees the band take everything their third album had and step it up, rip it to pieces and rebuild it (“we’re gonna build something this summer…”). The Hold Steady said that they wanted to “make four very different albums” and they have succeeded. ‘Stay Positive’ experiments with their sound, taking them out of their comfort zone, being adventurous with their arrangements and showing that they are much more than all the Springsteen comparisons and the ‘bar band’ tags.

The record is my album of the year simply because it does everything that an album should; it has well-crafted melodies, storytelling, adventure and rock ‘n’ roll’s sense of excitement. Craig Finn outdoes himself in places on this album, his writing gaining something deeper than the surface level, there is much more going on here that what you hear. Listen closely and more unfolds. This is a tale of growing old, retaining young ideals, murder and mystery. This is cinematic music, none less so than the closer ‘Slapped Actress’, which continues to leave the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. Every single track on this record is stunning and nothing can take away the talent and shear enthusiasm that exudes from ‘Stay Positive’. It is everything the band wanted it to be and it’s epic structure, melodies and all, will leave the listener speechless in years to come. I am sure of that.

The Hold Steady - Stay Positive Video

2008-11-26T04:09:00.000-08:00

I am excited to find that The Hold Steady have finally put up their new video for their new single, 'Stay Positive'. It's a great example of the bands work, punchy, riff-driven rock 'n' roll with panache. It features participations parts that will get stuck in your head and shows off their skills as writers.

The video is extremely clever too. I wish all Hold Steady posters came to life like that...
Check out the video, it's purely awesome:

STAY POSITIVE - The Hold Steady

Steal the nose right from under your eyes...

2008-11-12T03:57:00.000-08:00

Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis has released one of the albums of the year with her solo effort, 'Acid Tongue'. On said album features the one of the best duets ever to come to fruition: Jenny Lewis with Elvis Costello. These two work together so well. The singing styles compliment each other and this song is amazing. Here is the video of 'Carpetbaggers' live on Letterman. Great live performance, incredible song.

Enjoy!

Jenny Lewis's album 'Acid Tongue' is out now. Hear some of it here.

Okkervil River - The Stand Ins; Jagaguwar, 2008

2008-11-10T12:15:00.001-08:00

Okkervil River have finally released the sequel to their wonderful album, ‘The Stage Names’, and it lives up to all expectations. These guys have worked hard to write a collection of songs that boast some of singer, Will Sheff’s darkest lyrics to date. All of this, of course, is backed by the sound of the band, layer upon layer of epic instrumentation and brooding melodies. What Okkervil River have produced is another great album, good enough to add to your ‘Albums Of The Year’ list.

‘The Stand Ins’ kicks off with a short instrumental (of which there are three during the album), spaced-out and including allsorts of Pink Floyd-esque technique. Each ‘The Stand Ins’ instrumental is a rest bite before launching into various lovely songs. The first of the three, ‘Pt. 1’ , leads into the beautiful, 5-minute epic of ‘Lost Coastlines’, which to its credit is never dull and will get stuck inside your head. The instrumentation and arrangement here boasts strings, guitars, vocal harmonies, claps and much more. All of these create layer upon layer of melody with nuances in the sound for you to discover. The also has a great participation moment, urging you to sing-along. Do it, no one will judge you for being cast under the Okkervil River spell.

Track three is one of the best on the album, ‘Singer Songwriter’. A tale of someone with a talented, creative family (writers, directors, photographers) and the want to write a great song. One could accuse Will Sheff of singing about himself on this one. The melody is all guitars this time, the train-like rhythm of the acoustic guitar laced with electric guitar lines. This is all reminiscent of Johnny Cash and the Tennessee two to my ears, but that parallel can only be drawn when the band hit the chorus and modern beats recall old sentiments. Awesome.

Next, we are gifted the wonderful ‘Blue Tulips’ and the first slow burner of the album. At 6-minutes plus it really does come under the title of ‘epic’ and provides us with the first spine-tingling moment of ‘The Stand Ins’. It is the first track to make all of the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end when Sheff sings his lines. The inclusions of organ and electric guitar make ‘Blue Tulip’ the big punch on the record, luring you to the build up and providing sheer beauty. The classic rock sound makes it great, the lyrics make it poignant and bitter.

‘Pop Lie’ is almost the complete opposite of ‘Blue Tulip’ with its electric guitar riff and what sounds like the River boys having fun with their music, and Sheff enjoying his writing. This song is the rock song of the album its subject being a pop singer who lied (simple really, but sounding oh so monumental in song-form) and boasting energy and zest that I cannot quite put my finger on, which presents itself in the chorus and creates a perfect moment to dance to - if you should feel the need. After this play with radio friendly melodies and guitar parts we are given the piano-led ‘On Tour With Zykos’, which was created by the same school of song writing that ‘Blue Tulip’ was. The lyrics provide some amazing imagery: “make this white lie big enough to climb inside with you” is not only beautiful and incredible but it shows off Sheff’s skills as a writer. The horns give O.R. another instrument to play with, the use of them in understated but works to perfection. Wonderful song.

On ‘Calling And Not Calling My Ex’, a sad song of loneliness and that horrible missing feeling, tinged with bitter jealousy. You would not know this of course, because the melody disguises the tone of Sheff’s words. There are slower, gaps in the melody which provide short moments in which to catch the darkest of the words. This would sound great driving along, sunshine blaring and the roof down; but listen closer and hear Sheff’s desperate, dangerous and sad words. There is much more to this song than a nice tune.

This can be said for everything ‘The Stand Ins’ has to offer. It’s dark, funny, sad, bitter, jealous and thoughtful but you don’t always catch it until you listen closely, under the epic wall of sound and get the clips of lyrics; his words driving the band’s music. This album is amazing in many ways, but you have to listen hard to find your own true feelings in Sheff’s words. There is an incredible power in that.

Okkervil River MySpace where you'll find music for your ears and to add to your profile.
Okkervil River on Last.fm where you can hear clips from the album.
Okkervil River's official website where you can find out everything you need to know!

Further Listening:
Arcade Fire - Funeral
Okkervil River - The Stage Names, The Black Sheep Boy
Brendan Benson - The Alternative To Love
The National - Alligator
The Mountain Goats - Get Lonely

Franz Nicolay Unveils Solo Album

2008-11-10T12:03:00.000-08:00

Franz Nicolay (of The Hold Steady, World/Inferno Friendship Society and loads more) has finally unveiled his solo album details. His demos are, I believe, still available through his website (USA only) and they are fantastic. With a little help from Yula Be'eri and Brian Viglione and some fine musical talent, Franz will release his debut, solo album on Fistolo Records January 13th 2009. It will be dubbed 'Major General' and features a ton of amazing artists and musicians, as well as being mixed by John Agnello, producer of The Hold Steady's third and fourth albums.

And I am excited to hear it and you should be too.

You can get more details (and maybe some tunes) here, here and here.

Apologies & About All Aboard

2008-10-23T04:25:00.000-07:00

Hello all, I am very sorry to those of you that read for not posting very much recently. I am ill right now so the blog has taken a sideline. However, I write to you from my sick bed about a Johnny Cash covers album featuring everyone from The Dresden Dolls (Feat. Franz Nicolay of The Hold Steady), The Gaslight Anthem and Ben Nichols from Lucero. This album was released in the U.S. on Tuesday. I am not sure about the release in the U.K.

It's a damn fine album with some amazing punk covers of classic songs, never mind the country covers giving their own take too. Bands like MxPx, The Loved Ones and more should not be ignored in any way shape or form, but their Cash covers are great.

Check out the whole album.

Tracklisting (for those who want to know):

1. Man In Black - The Bouncing Souls

2. Country Boy - Fallen From The Sky

3. Wreck Of The Old ’97 - Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music)

4. Let The Train Whistle Blow - Joe McMahon (Smoke or Fire)

5. Delia’s Gone - Ben Nichols (Lucero)

6. God’s Gonna Cut You Down - The Gaslight Anthem

7. Cocaine Blues - The Loved Ones

8. Give My Love To Rose - OnGuard (Feat. Jason Shevchuk from Kid Dynamite)

9. I Still Miss Someone - Casey James Prestwood (Hot Rod Circuit)

10. Hey Porter - MxPx

11. Cry, Cry, Cry - The Flatliners

12. Ballad Of A Teenage Queen - The Dresden Dolls Feat. Franz Nicolay from The Hold Steady

13. Folsom Prison Blues - Chon Travis (Love = Death)

14. There You Go - The Sainte Catherines

15. I Walk The Line - Russ Rankin (Good Riddance)

Bonus Track/Vinyl only: Delia’s Gone (Alternate Version) - Ben Nichols (Lucero)

Oh, will I be lost in twilight?

2008-10-08T11:44:00.000-07:00

Eugene McGuinness a guy you should really get to know over the next few weeks. His new album is out and from what I have heard (and read) it is something to be getting excited about. I first heard him on the Black Cab Sessions website and it was quite something. The London singer-songwriter is a thoroghly nice guy and seriously talented.

I thought I'd post it for you all to have a wee look at and see what you think. Do go out and buy his new album when it hits later on in the month. OR check it out NOW via his MySpace for a short period.

'Bond Street' by Eugene McGuinness (Black Cab Session):

The Aliens - Luna; Pet Rock Records, 2008

2008-10-08T11:32:00.000-07:00

The Aliens are the band that rose from the ashes of the wonderful, but extremely underrated Beta Band. Hailing from Fyfe, Scotland and having a box of psychedelic wonders between them, this trio have just released their second full-length album, ‘Luna’. It is a varied and interesting album with some really fantastic and beautiful moments on it, in between times though, we see what was going on in the studio through the music. For singer and main writer, Gordon Anderson suffers with bi-polar disorder and sometimes finds it hard to deal with it all.

‘Luna’ opens with the 10 minute plus epic of ‘Bobby’s Song’. A beautiful, shimmery pop number with guitars, synth and allsorts of weird psychedelic keyboard noises creating layer upon layer of cosmic sounds. It gets a bit tiresome towards the end but it harks back to the creative peaks of The Beatles with the melody sounding like it wouldn’t go unnoticed if it were slipped into ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’. The lyrics, however, would probably give it away. And it’s over-the-top inclusion of sounds would seem a little too much.

Next we are treated to a track that is completely the opposite to ‘Bobby’s Song’. Not only is it a tenth of the length but ‘Amen’ is slow and brooding, sounding something like Fleet Foxes’ Gregorian chanting but sent into space. This is a weird track to get your head around at first and probably sounds much better when under the influence of chemicals. After this we get to the first really beautiful track on the album, ‘Theremin’. The keyboards sound amazing on this one, really coming together to create an epic and lovely track. Gordon sings in harmony atop plinky keys and spaced-out noises. The clunkety-clunk of the percussion just tops it all off. This should surely be a single, although the slightly strange bit with the car in the middle would probably lead to it not being such. It is reminiscent of the wonderful, ‘She Don’t Love Me No More’ from their debut album, ‘Astronomy For Dogs’.

Track four is surely one of the best songs on the album by far. It is the piano-intro of ‘Everyone’, which slowly builds into one of the happiest pop-rock songs of the year. It is clear that ‘Theremin’ and ‘Everyone’ are meant to be played together at all times, but separate they carry a very different feel. ‘Everyone’ is the oomph to ‘Theremin’s’ chilled out clunk. They may sound at odds but the percussion sees them linked and the harmonies are simply wonderful.

Next is lead-off single, ‘Magic Man’, reminiscent of the debut album’s ‘Robot Man’, in name and style in that both are joyous occasions on their respective albums and that both are great crowd participation tracks when played live. The backing vocals are brilliant on this track, along with the general groove of the bassline and the guitar squeaks from Gordon Anderson. It is keyboards that take this track to the stratosphere creating layers for the vocals to rock on top of. That and it is the catchiest track on the album, getting stuck in your head for days and days and days.

Another ten minute epic follows and it all seems a bit self-indulgent, if not a little like losing the plot. Don’t let that take away the melodies and writing skills, but 2 ten minute songs is a bit Pink Floyd. We’re not in the ‘70’s anymore lads, let’s keep it listenable. Even if, at first, ‘Billy Jack’ is a great song, with rock riff and electronic wonders, it does tend to drag on after the first 4 minutes. After the length of ‘Billy Jack’ it is back to shorter service for a little while with the title track, ‘Luna’, sounding just like Pink Floyd in an air vent. Very odd and seeming a little pointless. It does build into something a little more recognisable as a song though, just slowly and not so surely. It’s like The Aliens’ attempt at ‘One Of These Days’ by Pink Floyd, but nowhere near as successful or unnerving.

After a few what -seem-like-filler and pointless-weirdness tracks, we get some shiny pop from The Aliens. ‘Sunlamp Show’, which has a bouncey piano line and sounds like a proper song. There is a lack of electronic squeak but the presence of the Theremin makes it seem slightly more spaced-out and interesting. The breakdown sounds a bit more promising with a bit of a jam that gets back into the song with ease. Not bad. ‘Smoggy Bog’ follows. All 1 minute 53 seconds of Syd Barrett inspired noise and vocals.

After this we are treated to ‘Daffodils’ with its slow keyboards and beat. Quite a pretty little track, the saddest of the songs here and sounding like an organ at a funeral. It is, however, a beautiful track to be greeted with after all that noise and kafuffle. A true highlight of ‘Luna’. Then we are presented with two 6 minute+ songs. It all seems a little bit much given the two previous 10 minute sprawls into the unknown. Psychedelic, trippy, rock colliding with space sort of tracks. ‘Boats’ is lovely but too long by half. The guitar work is great though, as are the vocals. The Beach Boys would be proud.

Overall, ‘Luna’ is a mess of an album, but a happy mess. The music may be self-indulgent in places but in others it is truly beautiful. The album in its entirety is too long and too much but when you dip in and out of it you find amazing gems like ‘Everyone’ and ‘Boats’ with their typically ‘60’s and ‘7o’s sounds. It’s like travelling through time and space with a furry monster and some glow sticks. There are nods to The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, The Velvet Underground and more on this album. It’s just a shame that it all went a bit too far.

Great but too long.
Creative but self-indulgent.
Messy but happy.

The Aliens on MySpace.
The Aliens official website.
The Aliens are on tour this Autumn, see here for details of where and when.

Further Listening:
The Aliens - Astronomy For Dogs
The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band/Revolver
The Beach Boys - The Best Of The Beach Boys
Pink Floyd - Obscured By Clouds/Meddle
Syd Barratt - The Madcap Laughs

The Hold Steady Reschedule Dates

2008-10-07T04:59:00.000-07:00

In my previous post I explained that The Hold Steady have had to postpone UK dates due to, guitarist, Tad Kubler's recent illness. However, all is not lost. Although the band have had to cancel UK and European dates, it looks like we shall get to see the band back here before Christmas. The new UK dates include a brand new date at Sheffield Leadmill and a support slot with Counting Crows in Glasgow. We have yet to hear if there are more dates on the way and we are also yet to hear what is to happen about the continental dates.

Disappointed fans should keep their eyes on the MySpace and their inboxes.

The new UK dates look like this. Tickets, for the most part, remain valid, you should email your ticket provider for further information:

7 Dec 2008 Leadmill Sheffield, UK

8 Dec 2008 Academy Oxford, UK

9 Dec 2008 Rock City Nottingham, UK

10 Dec 2008 Academy Manchester, UK

12 Dec 2008 Anson Rooms Bristol, UK

14 Dec 2008 Wedgewood Rooms Portsmouth, UK

15 Dec 2008 Wulfrun Hall Wolverhampton, UK

17 Dec 2008 Roundhouse London, UK

18 Dec 2008 SECC Glasgow, UK (w/Counting Crows)

There is also a date with Counting Crows in the Netherlands on the 16 Dec. Check the MySpace for more information.

Hope to see you at a few dates. Stay Positive.

The Hold Steady Cancel UK Tour

2008-10-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, if you haven't already heard, The Hold Steady have had to pospone their UK tour until a yet unspecified date due to illness. Having heard reports that there was illness in the band, it has come to light that guitarist Tad Kubler has been hospitalised with pancreatitis, which I am sure you'll agree sounds nasty and very painful.

I will be sure to let you know when the new dates are rescheduled for (December or January time we hope) and there will be a full report from at least 2 shows on the tour. Until then I wish Koob a speedy recovery.

Get well soon, sir. Take it easy.

The Hold Steady are still planning to tour with The Drive-By Truckers from the end of October. If there's any news of something different happening, then you'll be sure to find out here. The Hold Steady have yet to confirm the European dates, but we doubt that they'll take place due to the aforementioned hospitalisation. I am sure they'll be back as soon as possible, we will just have to wait a little longer.

If anything changes, I'll let you know.
Stay Positive.

TV On The Radio - Dear Science; Touch And Go/4AD Records, 2008

2008-09-26T04:29:00.000-07:00

TV On The Radio is a band that has been thrilling audiences with its avant-garde zest of experimentations. The band has been hailed as brilliant by many music journalists, fans and artists and it doesn't stop at last album 'Return To Cookie Mountain'. This new album, 'Dear Science', has been given fantastic reviews across the board and having David Bowie as a fan never hurt anyone. In short, this album lives up to the reviews and the hype. But will it transfer into sales?

'Dear Science' is, without doubt, nothing short of a masterpiece even if only an independant, outside, creative masterpiece. It goes without saying that this album won't be heralded as genius by the mainstream contingent; for 'Dear Science' is probably too "out there" for many. However, its melodies and adventurous arrenagements make it accessible to those who dabble in the arty side of indie music.

Opening track 'Halfway Home' has a backing vocal that urges participation. The vocals are reminiscent of Bowie in his pomp. The clapping adds a layer to the guitars and drums, brooding funk. The chorus sees the vocals move up a range, out of Bowie and into Jake Shears (almost). One could almost compare this track to later Bloc Party, but they don't deserve the compliment. The build is gradual but the electronic sounds get bigger and then we are propelled into the stratosphere by all of the layers. Then it burns out and leaves us with a spacey noise. And that's just the first track!

'Crying' is a funky number with guitars and bassline from heaven. One can imagine this sounding much better in the sunshine as the chorus gets a lacing of trumpets and electronic sounds squeak adding that little something extra. Curtis Mayfield would be proud. Next is the dirty-synth groove of 'Dancing Choose', aptly named. This track wouldn't be out of place in an indie club at all.

'Stork & Owl' has an intro that sounds like Elbow's 'Snooks', slow and electronic. The Bowie vocals sneak back in and then take on a Robert Smith air to them, The strings on this track are absolutely fabulous. They provide another layer to the funk and cool oozes from each sound. The same can be said for first single, 'Golden Age', with its guitar-bass fusion that urges movement. The high-range vocal takes precident and makes it all infectious. Strings and electronic squeaks have never worked so well together.

The slower numbers on the album mark come-downs from the rest of the grooves. Tracks like 'Family Tree' with its beautiful piano line and fresh instrumentation sound incredible in context and builds slowly. The same can be said of 'Love Dog', another hypnotic rhythm beinging in keyboards and samples. Truly amazing.

'Red Dress' is the funkiest track on the album. The guitars leave the feet tapping and the head nodding. Brilliant. The same can be said of the last three tracks on the album, even if you need to listen hard to find the groove. The basslines kick it, the electronic noises float about and the strings and brass make up the TVOTR orchestra. 'Shout Me Out' works its way into your head and stays there, with a driving bassline and a killer beat. 'DLZ' broods, Flaming Lips style, with participation lyrics.

However, it is the last track that delivers 'Dear Science's' crushing blow. The track that tops it all off and leaves you wanting on more listen is 'Lover's Day' and it is a spectacular end to a fantastic album. Opening with understated percussion and brass punches, vocals urging the build of the melody. In comes the bass and electric noise. The lyrics to this track top it off perfectly. Just wonderful. Every stop is pulled out. Like a wall of arrangement, they is so much to discover in the nuances of sound.

'Dear Science' is a triumph. It may not sell millions of copies, it may not break through to the mainstream but it is a masterpiece. The more I listen to it, the more I find to impress me. TVOTR have a made a comprehensive album that flirts with experiementation and dabbles with adventurous arrangements. It's the album they wanted to make and it sounds like it was a great experience in that studio. Just awesome.

'Dear Science' is available everywhere now.

TV On The Radio's official website.
TV On The Radio on MySpace.

Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night; RCA Records, 2008

2008-09-25T09:43:00.000-07:00

So much hype has surrounded this album from the Tennessee rockers that it is hard not to get sucked in by the music journo-centric word of mouth. However, upon hearing this album (the band’s fourth), you being to realise that the apparent over-egging of the wonders isn’t unfounded. This album sees Kings Of Leon picking up where third album, ‘Because Of The Times’, left off and taking it further into anthem-quality that will see the band fill stadiums.
Opening with the slow build of ‘Closer’ an epic, brooding number which introduces us nicely to Kings Of Leon’s new vision or arena rock with electronic noise, a thumping bassline and lighters-in-the-air feel to it. Then onto the free download that was offered, ‘Crawl’. Many of you will have already heard this track via that means and it still packs a punch in context of the album. Its funky bass rhythm and catchy hook still grabs the attention.

‘Sex On Fire’, the band’s first number one single in the UK, is next. With its infectious chorus and yet another driving bassline sees a well-placed number that, on the album, takes on an entire new force. It sees a high watermark on the album but shows off the new found anthem quality in Caleb Followill’s writing, It is all but the beginning… As we are shown on the incredible ‘Use Somebody’, which smacks us around the face just after we have recovered from the fiery sex number. A plea to an unknown fancy to take notice, this track sees Caleb Followill show off his introverted, thoughtful and self-conscious side. The backing vocals scream participation from the off and it has an ‘everyman’ feel that will see much help from crowds in a live setting. Nathan’s drums drive it forward and the vocals ebb and flow atop Matthew’s guitar (and later epic rock guitar solo). This is a true highlight on the album and we are only just into it.

‘Revelry’ is the next track to catch the ear. An amazing track that really shows how far KOL have come in 5 years. It is slow and melodic, much like old favourites ‘Milk’ and ‘Trani’, but Kings Of Leon have broadened the sound-scape to make it bigger, epic if you will. Jared’s thumping bassline carries the tune and the vocals hit the spot just right. It is a real joy, even for a slow one. This is the first track to really show off the deeper, darker side of Kings Of Leon and, surprisingly, Caleb’s writing.

KOL have never been known for the quality of their lyrics. It was hard to make sense of them under the screech of Caleb’s vocals. However, on this album Caleb sings properly, annunciating his words and for the first time, we hear exactly what he is singing about. It reveals darker, solemn songs on ’Only By The Night’. There is an increasing sense of want, loneliness and introspection (sees lines like “hold me closer” on the opener) on this album. Songs like ‘I Want You’ and ‘Cold Desert’ show an internal struggle between love, loss and religion. It’s a striking theme to have found, not one you expect from a former indie band.

The band haven’t just grown lyrically either. The inclusion of piano, electronic noise and other little nuances to notice gives the band an extra layer to play with and they really add to the sounds they already had perfected (see ‘Notion‘s‘ piano line). Jared’s bass is central to this album, adding groove. Nathan is the powerhouse of the band, smacking the shit out of his kit (see ‘Be Somebody’). Matthew adds guitar solos and excitement and Caleb sounds better than he has on record since, well, ever.

Overall, ‘Only By The Night’ is a great success, musically. The band have kicked themselves into overdrive and found that “ANTHEM” button. The music is layered and melodic, brooding in places as well as rocking out with big riffs too. Caleb, finally, lets his voice sing properly and everything seems much clearer for it. The band sound tight and the creativity obviously flowed in these sessions. It’s not perfect by any means, some of the tracks begin to grain after a while, but it is definitely a statement of intention. We have just got to wait and see where they take it next. Your move boys…

‘Only By The Night’ is available everywhere now.

Kings Of Leon official website.
Kings Of Leon on MySpace.
Kings Of Leon on tour.
See the making of ‘Only By The Night’ with the “home movies” the band made here.

Richard Wright - R.I.P.

2008-09-17T03:17:00.001-07:00

This week the sad news that Richard "Rick" Wright has died at the age of 65 after a short battle with cancer hit. Needless to say, the news left me gutted. Pink Floyd are still one of my favourite bands ever and Wright was a huge part of their being and the music they created over the years. His various piano and keyboard parts gave Pink Floyd another level of melody and experimentation to play with and his compositions still send shivers down my spine on tracks like 'The Great Gig In The Sky' and his keyboards on 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond Pt. 2' He was a great musician and will be greatly missed by all who knew him and his music.

An underrated but fantastic musician who always seemed the perfect gentleman in interviews and kept his life very private in a world where being a rock star sees that privilige taken away.

R.I.P. Richard.

Shine on, you crazy diamond.

Fighting With Wire

2008-09-17T02:30:00.000-07:00

A band from Derry, Northen Ireland and having been hyped as one of the breakthrough bands of 2008/9. Fighting With Wire is a band with a great sound. They rock out, hard, but without too much screaming. Their sound owes a lot to the quiet-loud dynamics of Nirvana, the rocking-pop of Jimmy Eat World and the vocal style of Foo Fighters and Biffy Clyro. They have been playing as a band for 5 years after forming in 2003 and touring endessly - supporting some huge names like the aforementioed Biffy Clyro and Reuben to name but 2! Their debut album was completed last year in their home country and released to much acclaim in the rock press.

I have been impressed by what I have heard of their stuff - the 4 tracks on their MySpace to be precise - and people that have seen them live have reported good things too. It's no wonder they have been tipped for the top by journalists and fans alike. Bands that have requested Fighting With Wire's presence on tour have also been spreading the word via UK-wide tours and name-dropping in interviews.

I foresee a Biffy Clyro-esque rise to the top for these guys. The songs rock hard with massive riffs, drum licks and vocals, not to mention the catchiness of the tunes themselves. Fighting With Wire will be playing bigger venues in no time and having several thousand people bouncing up and down to the likes of 'Cut The Transmission' and 'Strength In Numbers'. You'll be hearing more from them very soon indeed, I am sure.

The album is called 'Man Vs. Monster' and is available to buy now from Smalltown America records.
Fighting With Wire on MySpace where you will find a band bio, videos, reviews and tracks from the album to sample.
The band are also touring as I type, playing venues all over the UK. Check the above for details.

'Everyone Needs A Nemesis' by Fighting With Wire:

Bon Iver - The MySpace Transmissions EP

2008-09-17T02:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I discovered that Bon Iver has recently recorded a session for MySpace. This live-acoustic session has been released as an EP on the website and is free to download now. The EP features 4 tracks from Justin Vernon's album, 'For Emma, Forever Ago', including the title track, the wonderful single 'Flume' and an amazing version of 'Lump Sum'.

Having downloaded the EP, I have done little else but listen to it on repeat. The vibe is different to the album, less isolation more experimentation, and the music is truly incredible (as ever). The little embellishments that feature on the album are fewer in number but played about with in this session. The electronic squeaks are minimalised and the drums are a little more prominant, but the sound is still very much Bon Iver's. On 'Blindsided' (A full 7 minute version of the song) Vernon opens the song singing alone, without instruments and slowly the music builds around him; it is a spine-tingling moment when the guitars come in.

The version of 'Flume' on this EP stunned me slightly, not only because of the length (over 4 minutes, nearly an entire minute longer than the album version) but because Vernon's voice sounds so amazing atop his acoustic guitar. The experimental ending was also a lovely surprise, and it works to perfection.

This entire EP is yet another brilliant and beautiful release from Bon Iver and it just shows that even in a live setting, Vernon sounds fantastic. I thoroughly recommend this EP to fans of the studio album. Well and truly amazing.

Bon Iver on MySpace.
Get the EP from the MySpace Transmissions site for free here.

Bon Iver is currently on tour in the UK and Europe. Check out the MySpace for details of where and when.

The studio album, 'For Emma, Forever Ago', is out everywhere now.

Tourmaline - The Swindle

2008-09-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

Tourmaline is a band from New York that has slowly gathered pace and a fan base through small shows and, it seems, amazing music. Their Myspace page sees tons of friends, loads of comments about how good the band are and tracks that sound killer at any time of the day. The band have recently released their debut album proper via their official website. You can download the album either for free or for a small sum with the inclusion of extra goodies (artwork and original lyrics). Well, worth the purchase in this instance.

‘The Swindle’ opens with the awesome melody of ‘Afraid Of The Same’, with strong lyrics and a killer bassline, it is hard not to fall in love with the track and the album from the off. Line lines “I changed my beliefs to feel peace” showing off the writing skills in the band. The hook will reel you in too, this song is incredibly catchy. Being catchy is not something that comes easily to many bands, but Tourmaline seem to have it in oodles. The second track on the album, the electro-rock of ‘The Swindle’, will get stuck in you head for days, weeks even. More lyrics that are instant and powerful come and then you get greeted with that chorus. Glorious.

Track three has a riff that is a slow burner, we take a wee break after the slap in the face off the first couple of tracks, and yet more wonderful lyrics. Harmonies on the chorus of ‘Comet Sky’ show off this band’s more sensitive side and singer Matt Rauch gets up the high notes with ease and aplomb. Lines in this particular song are simply beautiful but remain passionate and self-reflective. This is a style that Tourmaline make their own on this album, with songs like ‘A.M.’ (another slow one), ’Shelter For The Downpour’ (featuring what sounds like an accordion(?), and some lovely acoustic guitar) and ‘Prepare, Plan, Stay Informed’ (the band’s pop song with a lovely guitar line being met with keyboards) retaining that melancholia, power and enthusiasm for what they are singing. The latter of the two really showing off the band’s political stance, a song about dishonesty and escape on the surface but harbouring a political anger: “I will fight your policies… Am I so blind to be looking for a rescue?”. This is a little less self-reflective but works incredibly well.

The song that pulls off the band’s balladry best is ‘Levity’, which hit’s us at the half way mark of the album. The track builds into a rousing chorus, which would not be out of place in a stadium and will surely see hands swaying side to side and lighters in the air. It makes this reviewer want to punch the air and sing along at the top of her voice. The chorus is just that empowering: “Levity has taken control, fortunes have brought me down…” Just fantastic.

This band is clearly made up of talented musicians and writers. Tourmaline harbours great lyrics like “I watched the world drink lemonade” (‘Sullivan & Bleecker’), seriously great melodies with guitar, keyboards, bass and drums all working together incredibly well. The band’s keyboard player, Corey Zaloom provides layers for the band to work with, little melodies to discover as you go along and their drummer is a powerhouse (see ‘Yesterday Always Forgets’), working with their bassist to provide that driving force as a rhythm section. Their talent combined has created an album of variety, excitement and emotion. The arrangements keep the listener guessing and retain a layered, interesting quality. There is much to get enthusiastic about and enough to keep you listening for sometime - it is not an album to get bored of quickly due to the fact that there is so much to enjoy each time!

This album is a huge success creatively and I hope that that reaps rewards commercially too. This is not an inane indie rock band. This is a band that has buckets of talent that should not be allowed to go to waste, which ‘The Swindle’ shows. The band should be proud, this album is a great foundation for a longer stint in the music business. Let’s just hope that more people take notice of the hive of activity that is Tourmaline.

Tourmaline on Myspace where you will find samples from the album, details of an upcoming tour in New York.

Tourmaline’s official website where you will find the shop section selling the album in it’s entirety.

P.S. Although the band are offering the album free, it is well worth purchasing the second bundle for the extras and to support the band who have worked extremely hard on this record. They have costs to cover and it is always best to support the artist (as there is no record label). These guys aren't Radiohead, they will thoroughly appreciate the fact that you have bought their music. Thank you.

Elbow - Mercury Prize 2008

2008-09-13T03:58:00.000-07:00

The wonderful news that Elbow won the Mercury Prize 2008 hit this week. After three years of turmoil and much hard work, the band released 'The Seldom Seen Kid' (dedicated to the band's friend, Bryan Glancy who died a few years ago) into the world after being dropped from their previous record label. The album is wonderful, to say the very least. The band did well not to fall into that "we need a commercial success record" trap and made the album that they wanted to make (without a label at the time). It was a worry to the band because many didn't know what the future held.

Well, it turns out that this album is the most popular Mercury Prize winner in 16 years of being. The band performed a live version of 'The Loneliness Of A Tower Crane Driver' on the night to a crowd hushed in awe. Although the judges don't work on the live performances on the night (it is the music on the album that wins the prize and nothing more) it surely showed off how wonderful this band is.

When the result was announced the Elbow table was stunned and smiling - you could really see how much this award meant to the band. So much hard work and perseverance paid off and it was a visible shock. Guy Garvey said that it was "customary to play it cool, but it means the world to us, it really does." I for one am really pleased because, for once, the Mercury judges chose the album that contained the best music. 'The Seldom Seen Kid' was the album that stood out on the list of nominees and, in honesty, is the album that I could play to death and not get bored of.

A thoroughly deserved win! I hope the band get much more recognition from now on and go on to take over the world and become Britain's best band (which, in my eyes they already are). I am so pleased for the band - it clearly meant an awful lot to be given such a prestigous award after 3 years of hell.

Next on Elbow's list: the new tour which kicks off next month in the UK. You can find details of this on the band's Myspace page, where you will also find many a video and some music from that prize-winning album.

Brilliant news.

'The Loneliness Of A Tower Crane Driver' by Elbow (Live at the Mercury Prize 2008 ceremony):

The Black Cab Sessions

2008-09-13T03:49:00.001-07:00

Many people will have already discovered and be addicted to this wonderful idea. The online wonders of 'The Black Cab Sessions' where musican-type people are invited to play their tunes in the back of a Black Cab in London. The artists to adorn the very small stage (well, back seat) are varied from unknown's (see The Mules and The Bright Lights) to massive names (see The Kooks and The National). Recent sessions have been from Badly Drawn Boy and the beautiful Bon Iver as well as Martha Wainwright dropping by to have a wee sing along. The concept may be simple but the results are wonderful.

Head to the official website to find high quality video and details of new sessions.
Join the group on Facebook and get addicted like the rest of us.

I shall leave you with The New Pornographers in session in the back of a cab as a taster.

'All The Old Showstoppers' by The New Pornogaphers (Live in a Black Cab):

But everytime I think I'm close...

2008-09-13T03:31:00.000-07:00

Unbunny is the name that Jarid del Deo records under with various musicians helping along the way. His brand of folk music is reminscent of Neil Young's heyday. His album, 'Snow Tires', is being re-released this month to much acclaim (again). This is a track from that album and it is stunning.

Unbunny on Last.fm for more information about the band and samples of their music as well as a decent biography.
The album is available everywhere to pre-order or re-order now.

'I Leave Stones Unturned' by Unbunny:

The Gaslight Anthem - The ‘59 Sound; XOXO/Side One Dummy Records 2008

2008-09-12T11:11:00.000-07:00

A band that finds itself releasing their new album to much acclaim over here in the UK. A band that has been described as “this year’s Hold Steady” by Q magazine and a band that I myself have heard nothing but good things about. That band is The Gaslight Anthem and their sound will fill your head for sometime. That sound is one of punk rock wandering into epic territory. And it is wonderful.

Having heard the wonderful ‘Wherefore Art Thou, Elvis?’ from the band’s ‘Señor And The Queen’ EP, I went off to find out about this band. I found lots of general hype from the American side of the proceedings but nothing from this side of the ocean. Having discovered that a new release was due, much to my delight, I waited to hear more about this band and it came thick and fast. For this album is something special and no music journalist can deny that just yet.

The new album is called ‘The ‘59 Sound’ and sees the band take on epic and exciting sounds of their hometown and their musical heroes. The Gaslight Anthem have cited bands like The Replacements and legends like Bruce Springsteen as influences; it is not hard to see where those Hold Steady comparisons came from. However, it must be noted that The Gaslight Anthem are not really carrying the same sound as The Hold Steady in many ways. They are grittier, punkier and rough - in the best way possible. They are possibly reminiscent of The Hold Steady’s ‘Almost Killed Me’ days but bigger. This sound has been expanded to sound like it could fill a stadium (though it seems unlikely unfortunately). The being more towards punk means that when this band kick it into the classic rock gear, they stand out. And the lyrics are killer.

Songs about escapism, friends, adventures and loves lost. This album is full of things to celebrate lyrically. The words are reminiscent of Springsteen in his ‘Born To Run’ days and they do sound like the familiar style of Craig Finn but they are no less original or creative. They install in me a sense of romance and long-forgotten pastimes as well as hitting a little close to home as good lyrics sometimes do. We have been here before but it is no less thrilling…

These songs make me recall younger days but, in places (see ‘Even Cowgirls Get The Blues’) they make me think about the future. This is powerful stuff to sing along to, at the top of your lungs preferably with one fist in the air and a beer in your fee hand! The songs to do this are songs like the epic title track, the blues-dropping of ‘Miles Davis & The Cool’ and ‘Old White Lincoln’. There are several moments that make the listener want to punch the air on this record though.

Fantastic album. Underrated band. Thought provoking lyrics. And all in one sweet package. I thoroughly recommend this album to anyone who likes their rock ‘n’ roll to have an epic quality, to anyone who likes their lyrical stories, their imagination to run wild with an album and I especially recommend this record to all who like to raise a fist in the air mid-song. This is rough diamond rock music with big riffs and it doesn’t get too much better in 2008.

The Gaslight Anthem on Myspace for tour dates, videos and music.
The Gaslight Anthem’s official website for general information that you might want.
Side One Dummy Records official website

Further Listening:
Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run, Darkness On The Edge Of Town
The Replacements - Let It Be
The Hold Steady - Almost Killed Me, Separation Sunday
The Loved Ones - Build & Burn

Kings Of Leon Home Movies

2008-09-05T04:04:00.000-07:00

Kings Of Leon have started uploading videos to Youtube of them making the new album, 'Only By The Night', which is due out at the end of this month.

To view them, head to the Kings Of Leon Youtube channel here.

'Only By The Night' is out on the 22nd of September.

Emilyn Brodsky - Emilyn Brodsky's Greatest Tits; Third Story Records 2008

2008-09-05T03:31:00.000-07:00

Emilyn Brodsky. The Cupcake Punk. A lady whos songs are beautifully crafted and honest as well as having a deep (and, it has to be said, very female) meaning and message. Her lazyness led to learning the ukelele instead of the guitar, which makes her different but not in a bad way. Her sound is gorgeous and this debut album is amazing from start to finish. It also contains some of the finest sings of 200, sung expertly and with passion by the lady who wrote them on her beloved uke.

A title a ballsy as this shows a confidence that shines throughout this reord. Emilyn has watched an learned from some of the best bands and artists on her travels and she holds a personality which is yet to be bettered on a record this year. She is passionate, creative, intelligent, funny, sensitive and all of this is demonstrated by her amazing writing. She has an incredible sense of self and it shows. Her songs about daily life, men, women, art, promise and ambition fill this album with a creative energy and you could never call Emilyn Brodsky dull.

Basically, Emilyn writes about the stuff she knows best: songs about men, relationships and what goes on around her. Songs like 'Bombs Away' talk of arguments, hopes, fears and orgasms. It may be a simple song featuring a lacing of synth but beneath the simple exterior is purpose and it all comes across in E.B.'s vocals. The same can be said about several of these songs on the album but don't start to think that that could get repetitive, far from it. Songs like 'Ebony (Bread Helps)' are simple songs with the power to provoke goose bumps. With lines like "bread helps when you drink to much" they are words of experience and maybe a little humour thrown in. This is great stuff.

The highlight of the album is the wonderful 'Real Good Men' where Emilyn puts in one of her finest vocal performances atop her ukelele. It is a tale of men thinking too much of themselves, women looking for more than arrogance and comparisons. Lines like "I hate your fucking ego" become instantly singable and you find yourself wailing along with her. Participation is key. It's infectious to the extreme and will be stuck in your head for days. Another highlight of these 'Greatest Tits' is the epic 'Always Mean It' where Brodsky and her collaborator Anthony da Costa duet. Guitars are prominent on this one and we are treated to accordion courtesy of The Hold Steady's Franz Nicolay. This song is so very wonderful and shows off the feeling behind E.B.'s lyrics. She is honest but not painfully so and she delivers the words so sincerely it is hard not to be agast.

Overall, this album is brilliant, perfect in it's simplicity. It holds a confidence but this is juxtaposed with the insecurities of a young woman. It is inherrently female in quality but the male contingent should not be put off because they will be captivated by Emilyn's spirit and beauty.

It makes me want to buy a ukelele and sing about how shit men are too...

Emilyn Brodsky on Myspace where there are tracks to be heard!

Emilyn Brodsky's Offical Website for tour information and suchlike.

Third Story Records Website where you will find details on where to buy the album.

Further Listening:

The Mountain Goats - Tallahassee

World/Inferno Friendship Society - Addicted To Bad Ideas

Ghost Mice - Any

Joni Mitchell - Blue

Elbow - Live At Abbey Road

2008-08-30T03:56:00.000-07:00

I was flicking through the TV listings last night after a hard day at work and what did I find? Elbow, my second favourite band in the world, are performing on More4's 'Live At Abbey Road' series. The series is where artists, bands, performers and general music folks play a short set in the studios made famous by The Beatles. The series has seen big names such as Snow Patrol and Stereophonics play as well as those that aren't as well known (like The Black Keys and Manu Chao).

Last night Elbow, MGMT and Alanis Morissette take over the studios for their mini-sets. Elbow played a three song set, did a fantastic interview and told interesting and insightful stories about their past as a band. Charming as ever. The set consisted of lead single from the latest album, 'Grounds For Divorce', the Gershwin-esque 'Bones Of You' and the uplifting and wonderful, 'One Day Like This'. All of which were performed note for note and with panche from Guy Garvey and the band. It left me with goosebumps all over when I heard Garvey sing the line "I've been working on a cocktail called Grounds For Divorce..." and from then on in, it was a set to leave even the non-fans agog.

A triumph all round then? Definitely. It just shows how far this band has come, and how far they can go. I cannot wait to see it for myself on the tour in October.

Head to the Elbow Myspace for details of the tour and other videos of the band performing live for Jo Whiley on Radio 1.

'Grounds For Divorce' performed on 'Live At Abbey Road':

'One Day Like This' performed on 'Live At Abbey Road':

'The Bones Of You' performed on 'Live At Abbey Road:

The New York Fund At V Festival - Photos

2008-08-30T03:43:00.000-07:00

A few choice photos of The New York Fund rocking the 'Sessions' tent a V Festival 2008 (Staffordshire). They were awesome live, again. Looking forward to new material...

The Aliens - Magic Man

2008-08-26T08:12:00.001-07:00

The Aliens is the band that the remnants of The Beta Band created after they disbanded a few years. The trio (Gordon Anderson, John Maclean and Robin Jones) have debuted their new single on their myspace page. The track, called 'Magic Man', sees the band get back into the groove they kicked off on their first album proper, 'Astronomy For Dogs'.

Starting the track with beats and synth we get into guitar anarchy and some more synth action as Gordon Anderson sings, distorted, over the top of the happy chaos that goes on around his vocals. Sounding like that old joy, 'Robot Man' and 'Setting Sun' combined into one great big Aliens concoction, this is a happy little ditty from start to finish. Not only is it classic Aliens but it is infectious. Instantly catchy and funky, you can't help but want to dance about to this new piece of Aliens catalogue.

The ooh-ing and ahh-ing hasn't ceased. Backing vocals are harmonies atop the melodies and the distorted Anderson. Ending with guitars, synth and what sounds like brass, it has a sense of particpation about it, much like the aforementioned tracks. This will grow to be a live favourite in now time methinks.

They are back and they are ready to bring you silly, space-like grooves to dance along to. I think this sophomore effort might just impress us all, all over again.

'Magic Man' is out on the 22nd September 2008 on Pet Rock Records.
The new album from The Aliens is due out in the Autumn.
The Aliens official website.

Maximo Park Live - V Festival 2008, Staffordshire

2008-08-26T03:21:00.000-07:00

Maximo Park, a band who have come up through the ranks over the past few years after their debut album, 'A Certain Trigger', hit us around the face in 2005. With it's Mercury Prize nomination that year and several tours which saw thousands of people hop out to see the band play their brand of happy indie-rock and roll. V Festival 2008 saw the Geordie lads take to the stage late afternoon on the main stage. Pumped up and ready to party.

Opening the set with the wonderful 'Girls Who Play Guitars' and visiting new and old through the set, the band were on form. Singer, Paul Smith was energetic and witty as ever and kept the crowd well and truly entertained in the mud. Adorned in a checked suit and, now trademark, bowler hat; Smith proceded to bounce around the stage and whack out the lyrics with such aplomb it was not only fun to watch but exhilerating.

The setlist was 'A Certain Trigger' heavy with the odd visitation to the less successful, but no less fun, 'Our Earthly Pleasures' and the crowd were also treated to a first play of a brand new Maximo Park track. Smith declared that the Park boys were ready to go back into the studio. Hoorah! Tracks like 'Apply Some Pressure', 'Graffiti', 'Going Missing', 'Our Velocity' and 'Books From Boxes' were all played, the crowd dancing, sliding and singing along. The smile across the singer's face was plain for all to see. This was fun and it showed.

The set was tight and energetic. The band were on form. The crowd had a ball, even in the mud. We even got a few minutes of sunshine!! A brilliant set, bring on the next tour and album.

Maximo Park on Myspace
The Maximo Park official website

Maximo Park boys interview at V Festival 2008:

The Hold Steady Live - V Festival 2008, Staffordshire

2008-08-23T03:39:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday. It's August. It's V Festival and it is as muddy as it has ever been in 10 years of the festival. However, I have got up and come to play in the mud for one reason today. Today sees the Channel 4 stage adorned by The Hold Steady. A band who have come a long way in the past 18 months over in the UK. Outdoors + mud + rock 'n' roll = joyous occasion? Of course! Not so much of a laid back Sunday afternoon... not even close.

After a morning of having to shut the field in which the 4 stage is situated, the mud is slightly better than it was after a horrendous downpour the night before. Opening the stage a little later than planned has meant slightly later running times (by about 5 minutes, poor old Air Traffic were only allowed 15 minutes on stage!), however, this did not stop The Hold Steady playing an awesome set, no chance.

Taking to the stage at around 2:30pm, they opened with the anthem of 'Constructive Summer', or should that be "summer" due to the British weather we had suffered. Craig Finn bouncing about the stage, face adorned with a massive, knowing grin and Franz Nicolay dancing. Into the wonderful 'Stuck Between Stations' they went with the front row bouncing up and down, hands loft. We may have been the only people in the crowd do such due to the mud, but we didn't care and THS were clearly bouncing off the energy. Then into crowd-pleaser 'Chips Ahoy!' with it's participation requirements, it wasn't long until the whole crowd were "woah-oh-oh-oh-ing" with the best of us.

Then followed the first single from the band's new album, 'Stay Positive', a song called 'Sequestered In Memphis', which seemed to get a good reception from the gathered audience. These new kids were only familiar with the new stuff, it seems. Good then that the band had anticipated this (all except the inclusion of 'Your Little Hoordat Friend', which seemed to leave some of the crowd bemused). Into 'Massive Nights' and 'Stay Positive' then went, ending with the cinematic sounds of 'Slapped Actress', a rendition of which left me fairly speechless for a little while in my muddy boots and waterproof jacket.

This set was tight and rocking, business as usual then? Not quite. It seemed like the band were enjoying the festival atmosphere and were soaking up the crowd's reaction, as well as having a bit too much fun on stage (Craig Finn, guilty as charged. So much bouncing and smiling!). Let's hope a few people caught this set and go off to buy the album. My highlight of the weekend, by far and untouched.

Roll on the UK tour in Autumn. Or if you're in America, roll on that tour with Drive-By Truckers beginning at the end of October!! Details here where you will also find some music to hear and details of where to buy the album(s).

"Stay Positive V Fest!" - Craig Finn.

Guillemots Live - V Festival 2008, Staffordshire

2008-08-23T03:21:00.000-07:00

I wasn't expecting to see these guys play at this year's festival, headlining the 'Union' tent on the Saturday night. Having made the decision that it was miserable outside and the weather would ruin The Verve, I headed over to see Guillemots on stage mania. And mania I saw.

After this year's new album, 'Red', has been dubbed as a disappointment by many music critics, the band have suffered a lull in the proceedings. Their fanbase dubbing the new album as too experimental and generally, not Guillemots. The small tent suited the atmosphere. Those os us that were there were there because we like the new stuff as well and everyone enjoyed the varied set.

Sticking to mostly upbeat tracks from both albums, the band had 50 minutes to fill. Playing fan favourites such as 'Made-up Lovesong #43' and 'Sao Paulo' as well as the new wonders of 'Get Over It' and the wonderful 'Kriss Kross', they impressed me no end, even with singer Fyfe running about all over the show. The set highlight for me was the Fyfe-only version of last single, 'Falling Out Of Reach', which stunned me into silence. So beautiful was the rendition that many a fan could be seen agog, looking towards the stage as Mr. Dangerfield strummed his guitar and sang so passionately that it was almost like he was actually singing the words to himself: "Slow down, slow down, you'll only get burn out..." Couldn't be more appropriate as he bopped around the stage for the rest of the set. Big single, 'Trains To Brazil', was sung loudly by the crowd and smiles began to break across faces. This was a triumph, even if just watching the Guillemots changing instruments madly and running about did leave me drained. Wonderful.

Guillemots on Myspace

Kings Of Leon Live - V Festival 2008, Staffordshire

2008-08-23T02:37:00.000-07:00

Kings Of Leon have come along way since that stint on the little stage at Glastonbury five years ago. They headlined said festival this year and now they have played one of the biggest festivals outside of Somerset, V Festival. Although they weren't quite headlining (pipped to the post by fellow Glasto headliners, The Verve) they played a blinder of a set. Hitting the stage at about 7:35pm, the Kings Of Leon opened with brand new track, 'Crawl' to rapturous applause.

Into a set of new and old they went, with much aplomb. Sounding tight and enthusiastic, they ripped through highlights like 'The Bucket', 'Four Kicks', 'Charmer', 'On Call', 'Molly's Chambers' and 'California Waiting' as well as playing some of their new album material like the brand new single, 'This Sex Is On Fire', which fitted in perfectly with the set, showing that this album may not be a huge departure for the band, but it will be as good as the rest.

Thrillingly they played mostly old material, tracks from their debut were given a damn good airing and the festival crowd that surrounded me lapped it up - arms aloft and singing at the top of their lungs. It was nice to hear this material live again after hearing nothing but the last album for a while. Tracks like 'King Of The Rodeo' also came out to play and they sounded more rawkous that ever. Fantastic. Closing with 'Slow Night, So Long' the band played a triumpant set in the rain and claiming this to be one of their favourite festivals to have attended. Even if Caleb Followill was a little bit drunk up there...

Kings Of Leon on Myspace

Performing 'Sex Is On Fire' live:

V Festival 2008 - The Mud Bath In Staffordshire

2008-08-23T02:30:00.000-07:00

It came, we saw, we got stuck in the mud and we danced about in large tents for 2 days. Yes, V Festival 2008 may have been a complete wash-out in many ways up in Staffordshire, but there were many bands to be seen and I went off to find some of the best of them. I saw everyone from The Kooks to Richard Hawley and back again. I said to you guys that I’d try to bring you a rounded view of the festival, so here I am bringing a few little reviews of the weekend. I will concentrating on the sets that caught me by surprise, the sets that got me bouncing and the sets that were, it has to be said, absolutely amazing.

The first of these reviews is of a band I think I may have mentioned before: The New York Fund who rocked the ‘Sessions Stage’ (tent) on Saturday evening. I went along knowing what to expect, of course, with the band having played shows this summer. Opening with a short, and impromptu version of Jimi Hendrix’s version of 'All Along The Watchtower' (because that was what the DJ had played as they adorned the stage, and no other reason) and the wonderful 'Guns Of Camden Town' played ferociously by all of the band and getting the crowd ready for a great, but relatively short, festival set. New and old tracks were given an airing. The wonderful ’Nobody Home’ getting everyone in the tent dancing along with renditions of 'Julie July' and 'Going To New York' (of no relation to that Wombats song, trust me). Vocalist, Joe, was really working the small but enthusiastic crowd with his calls for more clapping, stomping and screaming; all of which was an attempt to get more people into the tent. It seemed to work, the crowd increased as the show went on and by the end, everyone had a smile across their face.
They were fantastic, it was just such a shame that more people weren’t there to enjoy it with the rest of us!

The New York Fund on Myspace

Review two: The Drive-By Truckers who blew me away on Saturday just before The New York Fund took to the stage on Saturday afternoon. Again, in a tent, but this time there were more there to enjoy the alt-country sounds coming from Patterson Hood and his band of merry men (and woman). They played a set mainly of new album material, from the album 'Brighter Than Creation’s Dark.' Songs like 'The Righteous Path' and 'Home Field Advantage' really getting the crowd going. The epic ‘That Man I Shot’ ringing in our ears for much of the day, but that’s what happens when you play immense country-rock at high volume. Brilliant, tight and they looked like they were really enjoying it as well.

The Drive-By Truckers on Myspace

Watch out for more from my weekend in Staffordshire, I have reviews of Maximo Park, Kings Of Leon, The Hold Steady and Guillemots on the way.

V Festival 2008 Part.1

2008-08-14T03:26:00.000-07:00

It's upon us. V Festival 2008, one of the biggest festivals on the circuit and the one that sold out so damn quickly this year. With a massive line-up of artists taking to 5 stages in 2 days, this year's festival promises to be bigger and better than the last.

The line-up features some of the biggest artists in the world at the moment, with the return of The Verve and Muse's only festival date this year. The headliners are one thing but the rest of the bands promise to bring the noise with them. Bands such as The Hold Steady, The Drive-By Truckers, Maximo Park and Kings Of Leon to name a few. No wonder it sold out so quickly.

The smaller stages play host to some of the best new talent out there this year, with sets from The New York Fund, The Dodos, The Hazey Janes and Beth Rowley. They too promise variety and excitement. Not only do we have huge bands over on the Main Stage and the Channel 4 stage but we have the little, unknown bands to discover on the smaller venues. Variety is key, discovery is everything.

I will be bringing reviews/pictures/video (hopefully, if I can work out this camera) of several sets from the weekend including those mentioned above and many, many more over the 2 days. The list so far looks a bit like this (weather and stage times permitting):

Muse
The Verve
Kings Of Leon
The Pogues
The Kooks
Maximo Park
Alanis Morissette
The Hold Steady
Delays
The Rifles
Tokyo Police Club
The Young Knives
The Drive-By Truckers
Beth Rowley
One Eskimo
The Hazey Janes
The New York Fund
The Dodos
and Air Traffic.

All being well, I should give you guys a rounded view of the festival. New and old, massive and unknown, rock and roll. Looks like a good weekend. You can see the full line-up here and Channel 4's new channel, 4music which will be available from Friday 15th on Freeview and cable.

Here is a video of Air Traffic at last year's festival in Staffordshire. Note that they were on the little stage last year... P.S. it looks muddy again this year!

Rebuild after the hurricane...

2008-08-14T03:20:00.000-07:00

Conor Oberst graced Jay Leno in America recently and played one of my favourites from his brand-spanking-new self-titled album. The track is 'Get-Well-Cards' and here it is performed brilliantly by Oberst and his Mystic Valley Band. I thoroughly enjoyed this video, it was great to see Conor Oberst enjoying playing the new songs (okay, so he doesn't smile on stage and show he is enjoying himself as such, but you can tell it's good to play new stuff live).

Really good rendition of a great track. Enjoy!

Beck - Modern Guilt; XL Records 2008

2008-08-09T03:38:00.000-07:00

Beck has been through a bit of a rough patch with his last few albums. They haven’t been the rounded, funky and creative beasts that his earlier albums were. With this new album, Beck has left his major left, hired a new producer (the now famed, Danger Mouse) and spread his wings a bit. ‘Modern Guilt’ sees him return to form too, with that old fire in the belly back and sounding inspired as ever.

Opening with the bass line of ‘Orphans’ and sounding like early Eels, Beck starts off this album with aplomb. That funky streak is back with little twists that make this sound exactly like a Beck record. The backing vocals soar and the bass kicks it. Second track and first single from ‘Modern Guilt’ is the brilliant ‘Gamma Ray’ which has that ‘Odelay’ sound about it. The melody line sounding like the start of ‘Loser’ or ‘Devil’s Haircut’. The lyrics are socially conscious too, with lines about the environment and polar ice caps melting. There is an important message behind this album it seems: take care of our planet.

The album continues with creativity flecked tracks and a sign that Beck hasn’t lost what he had, he just needed some time to reacquaint himself with it and some space to play about when he had it. This is shown perfectly with ‘Chemtrails’, which sees Beck in floaty vocal mode and a killer bass line (produced perfectly by Mr. Mouse). It is clear that the presence of Danger Mouse has lead to Beck being more playful and possibly more focussed. He knew exactly how he wanted this album to sound and Danger Mouse understood his vision; this is a production harmony. ‘Chemtrails’ builds mid-way with a bigger drum part and piano layers, that bass line buzzing around your head with those harmonies rising and falling. A sure sign that Beck is back.

Onwards ‘Modern Guilt’ dances into the sounds of the title track, which, as it suggests, is practices that socially conscious mind of Beck’s. The beat is infectious, as is the piano. The inclusion of strings adds something cinematic to this track, it sounds like it could be sound tracking a break-up in a movie. ‘Youthless’ is incredibly funky from the start with flecks of synthesisers and guitars riffing, it’s pretty intense but gets the feet tapping.

‘Replica’ sees Beck in ambient mode, or trance mode. Either way it’s pretty thrilling to listen to over and over again. The beats are breaking like waves and Beck is musing atop the trance-dance-ambience of the melody. With Mouse at the helm, there is no stopping him trying it all again. Strings get a look in toward the end and it all finishes in a dream-like state. You seem to have drifted off there for a second? Well, ‘Soul Of A Man’ will kick you back into action with a dirty guitar riff and some bass line action. Same with the wonderful ‘Profanity Prayers’, both awesome examples of what Beck used to do, and can still do… It all ends dreamily with ‘Volcano’ which takes on that trance-dance-ambience vibe all over again, and wins.

Overall, this album is Beck returning to form, having fun and making funky music all over again. We have missed him and it is good to have the guy back on form! Creative, experimental, interesting, pure grooves from start to finish and THAT producer seem to have refreshed Beck’s love for his art. Awesome.

Beck on Myspace where you will find music, videos and tour details.
Beck on Last.fm where you will find, info, biographies, photos, tour details and examples of Beck's earlier stuff as well as this album's material.

Only love is all maroon...

2008-08-06T04:37:00.000-07:00

Bon Iver, a great singer-songwriter, but can he replicated the sound he makes on the album live? The answer is found on YouTube with a sessions for The Current on America radio. Performing the amazing album opener, 'Flume', he manages to bring goosebumps with ease.

My eyes were fixed on the screen. Wow...

Joan As Policewoman - To Survive; Reveal/Echo Records 2008

2008-08-06T04:28:00.000-07:00

Joan Wasser is a singer-songwriter with an outrageous talent for singing, composing and playing (the violin of all things). Her ‘Joan As Policewoman’ project has recently released it’s sophomore effort: ‘To Survive’. An album written after the death of her mother, Wasser’s lyrics and extraordinary vocal work make this album one of the best of this year so far. Emotionally fitting it is then that Wasser was Jeff Buckley’s girlfriend at the time of his death. She has been through it all before, losing someone close to her and her tender, passionate words show off an incredible lady’s talent. She should not be simply “Jeff’s old girlfriend” and should definitely not be dismissed in any way, shape or form.

Working with the likes of Rufus Wainwright (who appears here on the album closer), Elton John (Wasser did session work for the Camp King), Antony And The Johnsons and Lou Reed have all had the presence of Joan on records or in a live setting. She is clearly quite the popular violinist in NYC.

Graduating from Boston College and having worked with all of the above (and more), Joan Wasser finally had the courage to go it alone and step into her own spotlight a few years ago with her debut album, ‘Real Life’, which was received well by critics but never really sold well. This second effort, with her band in tow, sees Joan As Policewoman up the ante. These songs are gentle on the ear but possess a darker, more sinister side to Wasser, even if it is all delivered with that spell-binding voice of hers. She’s brooding and wonderful throughout with songs like the incredible ‘To Be Lonely’ sung so beautifully that it is hard not to be effected. Songs like ‘Holiday’ having a pretty melody and a sunshine feel but harbouring that sinister vibe the whole album has called its own. Knowing that Wasser’s mother died of cancer just before the recording of this album makes that vibe much more bleak but not depressing. It’s delivery honest and compelling, you cannot fault the sentiment here.

Opener, ‘Honor Wishes’, is a piano ballad, as are many of the songs here, it being a great way to showcase what Wasser can do, it is bleak, recalling the some of PJ Harvey’s most recent work on ‘White Chalk’. However, although there is an air of sadness about the album, songs like ‘Magpies’ are surely some of the best songs of this year. The sudden violin surges are uplifting somehow, as is the presence of the brass section. Wasser purrs all over this song and it is a wonderful moment on the album.

This album is bliss, but it is with the closer ‘To America’ that Wasser really cements her place in the “best new music” category. Duetting with the irreplaceable Rufus Wainwright on an ode to the state of their country (not exactly a jolly moment, they both soar upwards, harmonising their horror). Ending with the sound of a firework going off, this is irony but it also has a metaphorical meaning: Joan As Policewoman has created an album full of fire, passion and beauty. She may have worked with some of the best, but soon she’ll be up there with them.

Spine-tingling and affecting. Honest and brooding. Damn, she’s good.

‘To Survive’ is out now in all good record stores.

Further Listening:
Rufus Wainwright - Want One/Want Two
Cat Power - The Greatest
PJ Harvey - White Chalk
Nina Simone - The Very Best Of Nina Simone

Joan As Policewoman’s official site
Joan As Policewoman on Myspace

Don't Look Down...

2008-08-06T02:47:00.000-07:00

Pitchfork.tv have a series running called 'Don't Look Down'. Basically, it is bands playing and being filmed for your pleasure. Their most recent featured artist is The Hold Steady. The Brooklyn-based band are seen playing new tracks off their recent release, 'Stay Positive', on a rooftop in New York City. Having found and watched this, I thoroughly recommend it! A really strong performance from a band that tour almost constantly these days.

Tight and rocking, as ever.
A real treat to watch!

Setlist:
Stay Positive
Navy Sheets
Constructive Summer
Sequestered In Memphis

Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst; Wichita Records 2008

2008-08-06T02:19:00.000-07:00

Mr. Oberst is most famous for his 'Bright Eyes' project. Being hailed as "the new Dylan" at the ripe old age of 22, he has been under pressure to write amazing songs since the start of his album releasing days. Overall, with Bright Eyes and Desaparecidos (as well as countless other bands) Oberst has managed to impress us with his brand of country/folk/rock and lyrics that have a sense of wonder and an air of sadness about them. The perfect example of this is 2005's 'I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning' Bright Eyes album, which was given masterpiece status by many music critics.

Since then, Bright Eyes has released a new album, 'Cassadaga', last year and toured around the world. Now, Conor Oberst is writing for fun. This new project (to call it a solo project would not be entirely correct) sees him in high spirits with a taste for the road. Songs including themes of escapism all over them, afterall, "there is nothing that the road cannot heal." He and his new band, The Mystic Valley Band, relocated to Mexico and recorded tracks in a hut in the heat. It has proved to be a fruitful collaboration/move. This album contains some of Oberst's best work.

Songs like 'Get-Well-Cards' are instant and carry a feeling of The Band at their peak, with a catchy chorus, guitar solo and an organ all present, this sees Oberst at ease. This comes easy for him, and it's good. The atmosphere on this album builds around the Mexican background. You get the feeling that these are songs built for campfires and lonely hot nights, it makes them even more beautiful. Songs like 'NYC-Gone, Gone' sees Oberst in philosphical mode. He was clearly glad to be out of the hustle and bustle of NYC but lines like "where you gonna go with a head so empty?" suggests fleeing is all very well, but what is he going to do now? He's going to write an amazing album, that's what.

Hight points on the album include the raucous (or as raucous as it gets with Oberst) 'Souled Out!!!' which is wonderful from beginning to end. He sings with a new found passion and verve. Spirits couldn't be higher on this album. Songs like 'Moab', 'I Don't Wanna Die (In The Hospital)' and 'Cape Canaveral' are really lovely songs as well as showing this album's theme off perfectly.

Oberst wanted to escape, he has done it by creating a fantastic new album, full of joy and country songs. His music is reminiscent of Gram Parsons, '70's Dylan, The Band and more but even though it's nothing "new", it is still passionate and imaginative. The lyrics are full of imagery and wonderful lines like "the kind of love that makes my back hurt" will go down as some of his best.

So whatever it is that he has been going through on those last Bright Eyes albums, it's gone but then, "there is nothing that the road won't heal" clearly.

Further Listening:

Bob Dylan - Blonde On Blonde/Essential

The Band - The Best Of The Band

Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning

The Felice Brothers - The Felice Brothers

Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel

The Byrds - Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

Conor Oberst's official site

Conor Oberst on Last.fm

Bright Eyes on Myspace

This is wonderful

2008-08-03T11:21:00.000-07:00

Jens Lekman has become something of a favourite of mine ever since being introduced via friends a couple of years ago. Looking for live videos of the man himself in concert proved to be very fruitful on YouTube. I recently discovered this beautiful, and funny, rendition of 'A Postcard To Nina' whilst wasting time earlier this week.

Filmed in late 2006 in Melbourne, Jens is described as having technical difficulties and having to pick up his trusty ukelele to play this version of such an amazing song, which had not yet been released on last year's 'Night Falls Over Kortedala' album.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. He really shows off his sense of humour in this video and his skills as a performer.

Simply perfect.

Mercury Prize 2008

2008-08-03T11:09:00.000-07:00

So, the shortlist for this year's Mercury Prize award has been announced and I am looking forward to seeing how this one will go. Steve Lamacq said it best when he said that there were a number of "dead certs", "mavericks" and "oddballs" in this 2008's list.

It shows that 2007/2008 has been a great year for music though.

The list looks a little like this:

Adele - 19

British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?

Burial - Untrue

Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid

Estelle - Shine

Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim

Neon Neon - Stainless Style

Portico Quartet - Knee Deep In The North Sea

Rachel Unthank & The Winterset - The Bairns

Radiohead - In Rainbows

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand

The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age Of The Understatement

I think you'll agree that that is a good balance of mainstream, not so mainstream and (generally) unknowns. A great, eclectic list of albums taking in everything from indie, anthems, folk, electronica and R 'n' B.

I look forward to hearing the judges' decision in September.

Of course, my vote goes straight to Elbow this year, having created their best album of their career and doing it beautifully without fuss. But it's not up to me...

Neon Neon - Stainless Style; Lex Records 2008

2008-08-03T10:59:00.000-07:00

Gruff Rhys - lead singer of the Super Furry Animals, solo artist in his own right and now part of an electronic duo called Neon Neon; talk about a busy musician and songwriter! This new project, however, should not be dismissed too quickly. ‘Stainless Style’ is steps towards something different for the SFA front man.

‘Stainless Style’ features a collection of, if anything, eclectic tracks. Taking in everything from instrumentals (see album opener, ‘Neon Theme’), shiny 80’s pop (skip to second single, ‘I Told Her On Alderaan’, which is reminiscent of Prince in his heyday) and dirty-synth rhythms laced with electronica (see ‘Trick For Treat’ featuring Spank Rock).

Key tracks on the album see Gruff and his collaborator that works under the alias of ‘Boom Bip’ wave their magic wand and spruce up the tracks with 80’s beats and keyboard noises. It works so well that Gruff Rhys’s voice fits perfectly with the laid back cool these tracks ooze. The first single, ‘I Lust U’, shows this off perfectly - a duet with Cate Le Bon that is instantly sexy with lines like “You and I get along famously…” setting the chemical scene. This highly charged electro-pop continues on ‘Sweat Shop’ where we are greeted with orgasmic female voice overs and innuendo before being introduced to a dirty-synth line that sounds like ‘Get Ur Freak On’-era Missy Elliott.

The track that really impressed me on this album is the wonderful ‘Steel Your Girl’. Placed slap-bang in the middle of the album and having that title that features and clever pun, this track is guitar based indie-pop sensibilities through and through. This track really is a high point on this ultra-cool album as well as being yet another genre for Neon Neon to strike from their list. Not only does this track sound amazing in the summer sun but it harks back to the less proggy Super Furry Animals tracks that keep it simple, but effective.

This album should’ve been dubbed ‘Eclectic Style’ but everything about it really is ‘Stainless’. It possesses an interesting, sexy, exciting and different take on electronica (visiting many other genres on the way). There is plenty to please on this album and it pulls it all off with an effortless cool. Their project name could not be more apt, alien vibes ready to infiltrate the mainstream. And I think I’ll let them.

Neon Neon on Last.fm
The album has been nominated for this year's Mercury Prize!

Further Listening:
Depeche Mode - Violator
Prince - Ultimate
Missy Elliott - The Best Of
Super Furry Animals - Any