The Recordstore Blog

Review: Brendan Benson - My Old, Familiar Friend (Aug 24th 2009)

Brendan Benson - 'My Old, Familiar Friend' >>> (Echo)

Chances are that the first time you heard of Brendan Benson was when he shacked up with Mr. Jack White in the White Stripes’ man’s extra marital side project The Raconteurs, a band that united White’s desire for guitar histrionics to the peerless pop sensibility of the little known Benson. It was a marriage made in heaven, giving White the opportunity to spread his wings beyond the confines of his garage rock cage whilst Benson, having already produced two near perfect power pop records (and a third valiant attempt to recreate the formula), finally managed to get his songs heard by a wider audience.

Just as Future Of The Left continue to preach to a converted few whilst delivering the most exciting punk rock this side of Nirvana, so Benson has consistently produced the finest indie-pop for a small but devoted following. Both artists are head and shoulders above their contemporaries, drawing gushing plaudits from critics and faithful fans alike, yet neither has managed to trouble the mainstream, remaining stubbornly niche despite themselves.

Maybe all that’s about to change for our Brendan on this, his fourth solo album. It’s been four years since the rather polished ‘The Alternative To Love’ (an album that only disappointed in the fact that it could never live up to its predecessor ‘Lapalco’ ) and in the meantime Benson has indulged his rock-god fantasies with the aforementioned Raconteurs, honing his song writing craft and stepping out of his comfort zone to take on the mighty Jack White in a game of “who’s the better front man?”. The busman’s holiday appears to have done the trick though, and ‘My Old Familiar Friend’ pours out of the stereo like…well…an old familiar friend. Gone are the slightly forced attempts at the “perfect song” from his third release replaced by the fuzzy warmth and timeless brilliance that permeated his first two minor masterpieces. That’s the beauty of Benson, at his best he manages to immerse himself with the classic song writing of the greats (ELO, The Cars, Todd Rundgren, even (whisper it) Sir Paul ‘thumbs aloft’ McCartney), delivering pop nuggets that contain a nagging sense of déjà vu whilst also busting out a multitude of surprises at every turn.

Kicking off with the straight up rocker ‘A Whole Lot Better’, ‘My Old Familiar Friend’ is a relentless master class in pop song writing that doesn’t let up until the closing swirl of final track ‘Borrow’ (by which time you‘ll be re-hitting ‘Play‘ to start the entire trip again). The newly acquired fame induced paranoia of second track ‘Eyes On The Horizon’, the soulful sweep of ‘Garbage Day’ and the darkly threatening ‘Feel Like Taking You Home’ (the gathering pace towards the song’s finale marks this as Benson’s ‘Gimme Shelter’) all stand out but this isn’t merely about individual tracks. As with all Brendan’s work this album is a journey through relationships and the frailty of the human condition and here it’s clearer than ever that Benson’s old familiar friend is the bitterness of heartbreak and rejection. Whether the object of his affection is trying to “show me up so everyone can see” (‘You Make A Fool Out Of Me’), or “proving to be a hard habit to break” (‘Don’t Wanna Talk’) few songwriters can match Benson’s ability to create startlingly upbeat tunes from the painful mire of imperfect love.

‘Lapalco’ still retains its crown as Benson’s majestic peak but with ‘My Old, Familiar Friend’ his status as merely “the other one” in the Raconteurs could soon be a thing of the past. It’s a bold, engaging, dream of a record that is destined to become a lifelong companion for anyone who has ever searched for the answers to love in a dusty pile of old 7-inches.

Key Tracks: 'Eyes On The Horizon’, ‘Garbage Day’, ‘Feel Like Taking You Home’, ‘Don’t Wanna Talk’

Rating: 8/10

Steve Wheeler

Click Here to buy

Further Listening:

Brendan Benson: 'Lapalco' >>>

Brendan Benson: ‘The Alternative To Love’ >>>

Paul McCartney & Wings: ‘Band On The Run’ >>>

Electric Light Orchestra: ‘All Over The World: The Best Of ELO’ >>>

I Am The Reformation

“Let’s get the old gang back together”, sounds like the beginning of a particularly clichéd heist movie yet, worryingly, it has become the sentiment which several beat combos have attached themselves to over recent years.

The Liverpool FC team of the 1980s was one of the most perfect footballing machines in the modern game yet you won’t find them all back on the training ground looking for a stab at the Premiership crown. The founding fathers are unlikely to be resurrected anytime soon to bemoan the bastardising of their beloved constitution by the recent political regimes of the US. So why, do bands like Led Zep, The Police, The Specials and Limp fucking Bizkit feel the need to dust off the Marshalls and head back out on the road? They had their time and in many cases they screwed it up, let it go you old fuckers – you’re ruining the memories for everyone.

Over the past couple of weeks two of my favourite bands have had rumours and confirmations of their reformations littering the press. I have mixed reactions to both. Firstly Faith No More, a band I have loved for as long as I have cared about music. I never got to see them live (except a lucky invitation to watch them record a session for Radio One – their brief cover of ‘Live Forever’ really was quite stunning) and I’ve always been slightly underwhelmed by their various solo projects, so the prospect of a full band live return (and even the possibility of new music) does give me goosebumps of pleasure. However, I know I’m destined to be disappointed. Live they won’t play all the songs I want to hear (Mike Patton has been quite critical of their early output) and on record they’ll never reach the highpoints of ‘Angel Dust’ so why bother? They’ll sully the legacy and leave thousands broken hearted. Secondly, The Stone Roses are rumoured to have buried the hatchet and will head out on the road again for a 21 date tour. These boys, more than anyone, have something to prove. The end of the band was mired in acrimonious splits and painful gigs, the solo work of Ian Brown has overshadowed everything bar the classic debut album and the thought of them getting back on stage has been greeted with snorts of derision. In many ways I’d like to see them get back out there and finish the job they started, to prove the naysayers wrong – but I doubt they can pull it off and it’ll just leave a bitter taste for those of us who believe that, at one point, they were the greatest band in the world.

So why do these crinkly rockers insist on one last hurrah? Money? Yeah...probably. Many of our former heroes have been forced out of retirement to pay off dealers, wives and plastic surgeons. To prove they can still cut it? Just like Hugh Hefner and his bevy of busty beauties, the older gentleman still wants to believe they are as skinny, vibrant and as sexually alluring as the young pretenders. But unless you’re Mick’n’Keef (let’s not forget the longest serving band in history have never split) you can’t get away with the leather trousers and the porn star girlfriend at the age of 50.  To continue the legacy? Why not preserve it by not fucking the whole thing up with terrible gigs and below par records (I’m looking at you Motley Crue). Robert Plant had it right when he refused to tour with Led Zep after their brief reformation, but part of me just wished he’d never stepped on stage at all. I didn’t go to the gig – couldn’t bear to see a bunch of geriatrics run through some of the dirtiest, raw rock’n’roll ever written (it just didn’t seem right), similarly with Pixies – I had no desire to see a formally great band just go through the motions (and plus, they hate each other. Why the hell would they want to go back on tour?).

So why are the general public lapping up the prospect of these former greats strutting across the stage again like nothing has changed? Some reformed bands have been enormously successful and critically lauded – The Verve, Dinosaur Jr, My Bloody Valentine (to name just three) have continued in a similar vein to where they left off, the intervening years blinked away like a fleck of sleepy dust from a drowsy eye after a decade long snooze. The answer probably lies in the current state of the music scene where albums have been reduced to the price of a tin of beans and label bozos are constantly after the next three minute wonder. A quick fix to plug the industry dam that leaks money like a teenage cock spurts semen during a dream involving Frankie from The Saturdays and a pair of pink fluffy handcuffs. The general public are beginning to see through these shallow products as the junk food of musical invention that they are. Who wouldn’t want to see a reformed Spandau Ballet knocking out hit after hit on stage rather than the prospect of 60 minutes in the company of Metro Station?

So there’s the crux on the problem – loads of new bands are shite and we are forced to search out relics of another era like Paul Gambaccini guest-hosting Time Team. What’s the solution? Keep searching out and supporting new, innovative bands (not the mass marketed schlock that we get spoon-fed by Radio One, MTV etc – you know the culprits) – buy their records (don’t just rely on Spotify), go to their gigs (there’s a plethora of DIY gigs in every city throughout the country) and above all tell everyone you know how great they are. That way we’ll kill two birds with one stone: no landfill indie and no pension pop – spread the word like a musical gospel.

Still I’d much rather go see a reformed Shed Seven than listen to an album by Joe Lean and The Jing Jang Jong.......

Here’s to kicking out Jimmy Page’s zimmer frame

Steve

Sleeping With The NME

The NME, that bastion of indie-cool, has just held its annual award ceremony. A time to reflect on the past year’s musical highs, and to stick two fingers up at the corporate back-slap fest that is the previous week’s Brit Awards. Except, as has been a worrying trend for the past few years, the NME has failed to make any such gesture. Instead we are treated to a procession of winners at both awards that are pretty much interchangeable, and most worryingly they are nearly all signed to the big four major labels.

So, the big awards are going to the big four labels at both the mainstream and the alternative award ceremonies leaving the underground scene and the struggling indie labels where exactly? Left to scrape away at the public consciousness like an errant beggar scrounging for coins whilst overpaid banking fatcats nonchalantly stroll past on their way to another meeting, brunch or mutual masturbation session.

The NME should be ashamed of itself. Here is a magazine that celebrates in its position as the first port of call for young music fans to discover the artists (yes I’m pretentious enough to consider musicians artists) that will have a lifelong impact on them, yet the magazine is more than happy to get into bed with the major labels whilst they collectively stick their heads beneath the covers and praise each other’s rancid farts.

Now, of course, the majors are more than capable of sticking out a half decent record or two, it would be churlish to suggest otherwise.  The Kings Of Leon proved it by winning awards across the board for their breathtakingly created fourth album ‘Only By The Night’, whilst Elbow were also honoured by both the Brits and the NME in a long overdue acknowledgement of their consistently high contributions to the UK music scene. However, although you can forgive The Brits for their inability to see beyond the gleaming towers of the West London music industry (they are part of the same system), why is it the NME fails to offer a credible alternative? There’s plenty of great music out there that would relish the exposure and yet the New Musical Express chooses to play it safe with an almost identikit selection of winners to is supposedly more mainstream cousin.

Here’s a rundown of the major winners at both:

Godlike Genius/Outstanding Contribution - The Cure/Elbow (NME) Pet Shop Boys (The Brits)

Best British Band - Oasis (NME) Elbow (The Brits)

Best International Band - The Killers (NME) Kings Of Leon (The Brits)

Best Solo Artist - Pete Doherty (NME) Paul Weller/Duffy/Kanye West/Katy Perry (The Brits)

Best New Band - MGMT (NME) Duffy (The Brits)

Best Live Band - Muse (NME) Iron Maiden (The Brits)

Best Album - Kings Of Leon (NME) Duffy/Kings Of Leon (The Brits)

Best Track - MGMT - Time To Pretend (NME) Girls Aloud - The Promise (The Brits)

Tip for 2009 - The Big Pink (NME) Florence And The Machine (The Brits)

What strikes me the most about this list is that once you really take it all in it appears The Brits have actually made the ballsier choices. Perennial godfather of whatever scene the indie kids are chattering about Paul Weller over tabloid-courting walking mess Pete Doherty, Kings Of Leon over The Killers and their maddening descent into U2-esque pretention, Iron Maiden over fucking Muse again! (I hate that band), Elbow over Oasis – all much more surprising choices for The Brits Academy. And don’t get me started on Girls Aloud winning best single. A brave, wise and thoroughly deserved choice (and no, I’m not joking). But that’s what The Brits is there for – to celebrate the big mainstream acts and let the folks that watch it on ITV and only buy 2 albums a year know what they should be putting on their Xmas list. The NME shouldn’t be following suit, it should be looking further afield, should be supporting the very underground scene that helped it blossom into the world’s leading music weekly, should simply be better.

Who would I have picked? Well – I’m still gonna go quite safe and there’s still a spot for a few major label acts but I think the following would be a whole lot more interesting and would give some well deserved exposure to a few less well established acts. Except Radiohead of course, they deserve something just because they rule.....

Godlike Genius – Super Furry Animals

Best British Band – Radiohead

Best International Band – TV On The Radio

Best Male Solo Artist – Beck

Best Female Solo Artist – Ladyhawke

Best New Band – Neon Neon

Best Live Band – Les Savy Fav

Best British Album – Late Of The Pier – Fantasy Black Channel

Best International Album – No Age – Nouns

Best Track – Fucked Up – Year Of The Pig

Tip for 2009 – Pulled Apart By Horses

Rant over. Let me know what you think.

Speak soon

Steve

 

  

 

  

Never trust a major to do an indie's job

Failed to get his down on Friday due to excessive hangover and a mountain of more business-orientated tasks to complete but thought I’d let you all know about my evening in the company of world-straddling record company monolith Universal Records and their newly signed acts of 2009.

The night started shittily enough with a mild snow storm and some cold ass winds blowing around my newly shorn head but once I’d arrived at the auspicious venue for the night’s proceedings, the palatial Bush Hall, I was greeted by free booze and copious quantities of gourmet hotdogs, nice to see the Credit Crunch hasn’t affected the catering - good start.

First up - Gary Go - introduced as a “one man Coldplay” (I counted four musicians on stage so I’m not sure Universal’s forte lies in basic arithmetic) - a Bono-lite peddling pedestrian anthems rammed full of nausea inducing bluster and bombast . If I see a more punchable face in the Top 40 this year I’ll be surprised.

Next, new blues/jazz singer Melody Gardot who looked remarkably like Anastacia without the hint of a sex change. Musically she followed the tried and tested Eva Cassidy route even ending on her own interpretation of ‘Over The Rainbow’ - who says originality’s dead?

Third came I Blame Coco who happens to be the offspring of Sting - funny I thought you didn’t ejaculate during all that tantric sex…..Anyway, I was reminded by an old friend that Sting famously only listens to his own music and on the evidence of his daughter’s output, it seems that so does she. Same voice, same mannerisms same bloody tunes…..just what we need.

Amusingly The Noisettes featured next who, if I’m not mistaken (and I’m not), have already had an album out on Universal sub-label Mercury so are hardly a new act (I found out later that they had been dropped and re-signed so technically were a new signing - hmmmm). Despite lead singer Shingai Shoniwa attempting to out alien Grace Jones with her rather bizarre choice of haircut, The Noisettes still knocked out some rather half-arsed electro pop tunes that suggest that they may feel the huge Universal boot up the jacksy for a second time

Talking of weird hair, finally we were treated to La Roux, who having tipped already this year I was looking forward to catching. Her three tunes didn’t disappoint, particularly former single - synth-fest ‘Quicksand’ - which still held enough Prince-tinged thrills to, at last, make me raise a smile.

So that’s Universal’s hot new tips for 2009 and god help us if that’s all they have to offer. No doubt the huge marketing machine will deliver some fine sales for each but I can safely say that, save La Roux, I’ll be avoiding this little lot like the plague for the rest of the year.

Yours gripely

Steve

Last night an ageing indie kid ruined my life

Last night I witnessed one of the wrongest (I know it’s not a real word) things I’ve seen since Cartman giving Ben Affleck a hand-job in an episode of South Park. The sight of former Smiths guitar-slinger Johnny Marr getting down with “the kids” alongside his new band mates The Cribs was both surreal and harrowing.

Now, I’m no fan of The Smiths (pseudo-intellectualism and average tunes) but to see a man who was half of one of the most celebrated writing partnerships in modern music slumming it with a second tier indie band just didn’t sit right. Where once he had Morrissey’s poetry he now shares the boards with a band who finish 85% of the choruses with “uh oh oh oh”, where The Smiths dictated fashion for students throughout their 80s, The Cribs have haircuts that make them look slightly retarded.

I’ve never really had anything against The Cribs – some nice enough tunes and they did rope in Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo for their last album (plus points for anyone), but last night the sight of Marr hip-shaking it through their hour and a half set made me view them with less complementary eyes.  When lead singer Ryan Jarman started slating indie-runts The View all I could think was -  you pretty much sound the same but with more feedback. When he chastised the security for throwing out a stage invading fan I was left feeling that they really should have stopped playing the moment he got kicked out and refused to go on until he was let back in, not waited two songs to have a word. Better still he should have done a Kurt Cobain and actually started wrestling with them. Later on, the band did manage to get some fans onstage which has been reported in the press today as some punk rock statement but I couldn’t help but think that it was too little too late – and it all felt a little safe. Even the brilliant ‘Hey Scenesters!’ made me proclaim “oh, the irony”.

So it got me thinking – can misjudged collaborations affect your respect/love/mild-liking for a band? The answer is obviously yes but what are the worst examples?

Here are my top 5 worst team-ups ever:

1.       Jimmy Page and Leona Lewis performing ‘Whole Lotta Love’ at the Beijing Olympics – guitarist in possibly the greatest heavy rock band of all time, meets charisma-free Cowell protégée. Only matched for horrendousness by the sight of David Beckham kicking a ball from a double decker bus.

 

2.       Beth Ditto and Mika performing ‘Standing In The Way Of Control’ at The Brits – From credible art-rocker to corporate whore in less than 3 minutes just by stepping on stage with one of the most annoying pop stars of the last 50 years. Expect a slating in the NME for the next album....and hopefully an end to Mika’s career (fingers crossed)

 

3.       Mick Jagger and David Bowie ‘Dancing In The Streets’ – two icons of British music miss the mark entirely with this Martha and the Vandellas cover and what the fuck where they wearing in the video? I know it was the 80s but Bowie looks like a flasher and Jagger....words fail me – this man sang ‘Gimme Shelter’ possibly the most jaw-droppingly awesome song of all time, I feel violated.

 

4.       Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman – Somethin’ Stupid – not affecting my appreciation of a musician as I will always loathe Williams with every fibre of my body but Kidman is a brilliant actress and the way she slated Tom Cruise’s height after their divorce was priceless. Why she would want to sully her good name by teaming up with the ‘fat-dancer’ from Take That is beyond me.

 

5.       Akon and Eminem – Smack That – the world’s greatest White Rapper helps out the human-chipmunk and pretty much obliterates all the credibility he’d built up. Lame rhymes and that annoying voice come together in probably raps worst collaboration ever.

later

Steve

New For '09

‘08 threw up plenty of successful new bands in the form of MGMT, Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, Late Of The Pier and Glasvegas but who will hit those heady heights over the next twelve months? Let recordstore.co.uk guide you through the swamp of potential as we highlight the bands that have caught our ear so far this year.

Punk/Rock/Metal/Noise

 

The end of the guitar band has been heralded by the tastemakers but here at recordstore we raise a middle finger to the doubters and proclaim that 2009 will be the year that guitar bands get heavier, louder and infinitely more interesting. No longer will we be sent into a coma by some two-bit Beatles-obsessives, mediocre Libertines copyists and gloomy tykes who think they’re as good as Joy Division when they can’t even make songs to match The Editors. We’ll wave goodbye to young scamps that are only after fame and glory as soul, passion, DIY spirit and the ability to rock like a mutherfucker become watchwords for A&R spanners across the globe.

Pulled Apart By Horses have got the equipment to penetrate 2009 like a well hung porn star with their danceable Pixies-meets-McLusky brew of punk rock, whilst Dinosaur Pile-Up have steered clear of the major label dollar to release one of the finest post-grunge/post-stoner anthems this side of QOTSA. Like the idea of a grunged up Black Keys? The Old Romantic Killer Band can oblige...they can sound a little like Gomez in places but don’t let that put you off.  How about a spot of Janes Addiction tussling with Refused? Look no further than the barrage of noise produced by Sacramento two-piece Middle Class Rut (terrible name, fantastic songs – sometimes you can’t have it all).   

Have you ever imagined what Spector-esque girl group twinkle would sound like played by a trio of gothy post-punks and ratched up to 11? Well wonder no more ‘cause An Experiment On A Bird In The Air Pump deliver all that and more. Teeth Of The Sea serve up post rock soundscapes with a hint of Morricone (a sumptuous concoction), they also take their name from the French translation for ‘Jaws’, which is pretty cool in itself.  Wavves frantic punk is awash with fuzzy guitar, indecipherable vocals and enough pop nous to drive you to the dancefloor and Hotpants Romance re-create the sound of 1970s CBGBs with their ragged brattish punk tuneage.

Meanwhile, shouty post’n’progressive-hardcore fans can rejoice with the promise of an intoxicating cocktail of sounds from Blakfish, political rants and battering-ram riffs from Roll Call For The Second Site , guitar noodling intensity from Adebisi Shank and some old skool manic tearing of vocal chords from Throats .

If you like your rock ear blisteringly loud then 2009 could be the year for you.

Indie/Folk/Singer Songwriters

That’s not to say that the softer side of guitar heroics will be left to fester in the pit of yesteryear. No sir, there’s plenty of exceptional new talent ready to erase the memory of that missing Joe Lean album and prove that indie kids can still deliver some intriguing records. No Borrell-esque ego or Keane bloat in sight.

The Virgins are simply one of the finest guitar pop bands to emerge in years. They may be embroiled in the hipster world of the New York underground but their perfect melodies and glistening sheen recall Phoenix, Brendan Benson and even The Cars. Titus Andronicus are named after one of the Bard’s great works but there is nothing tragic about their lo-fi indie-punk blasts and if you like Arcade Fire’s epic swoon but always wanted them to rock a little more you need to check out The Airborne Toxic Event (the second worst name encountered this year but again the tunes more than make up for it).

When Teitur was first played on the office stereo some time last year it immediately hit home – we just couldn’t work out where to get hold of copies to tell you lot about it. Thankfully, after much investigating, it appears his phenomenal avant-folk is finally getting released properly in the UK. Shoegaze should’ve died a death years ago but The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart haven’t let being unfashionable stop them from producing a near-perfect drone-pop classic. If you enjoyed No Age and Vivian Girls in 2008 then this is the record for you. They may look too young to engage in any of the formalities of rock’n’roll but First Aid Kit have managed to produce a record that their elder contempories Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes would be proud of.

If noise-driven pop is your thing then check Women who take classic 60s psychedelia and coat it in layers of lo-fi guitar, or how about The Big Pink who capture the druggy wooze of The Chemical Brothers ‘The Private Psychedelic Reel’ and mix it up with Doves-ish choruses.  Crystal Stilts are all crashing tambourines and recorded-in-a-cave vocals and their dark pop is both startlingly and utterly infectious.

Formerly the brilliantly monikered The Muslims (but now called The Soft Pack , shame), this San Diego four-piece are a little bit Strokes and a little bit Pavement – but the results are never less than brilliant. Aussies The Temper Trap channel the spirit of baggy and heap on the atmosphere and mountain top choruses and Blank Dogs create deranged pop that faintly hints at a love of the Goth somewhere in their past.

Now, if only The Smiths would reform........

Dance/Electronica/Hip Hop

So, onto the scenes the critics believe will take over 2009. Despite loving the guitar, plenty of beat based tunes have grabbed our attention suggesting that, for once, the critics may be onto something.

Swoonsome electronica with a little MGMT-ishness meets the genius of The Avalanches is the order of the day from the simply magical Passion Pit a five-piece from Massachusetts who are destined to become your new favourite band. La Roux may have the striking looks of a model and the hair of a Shoreditch twat but the music produced is no fashion before passion cred-void. Think Purple Rain era Prince thrust into the coolest club nite of your life and you’re halfway there. Telepathe meanwhile roped in TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek and immersed themselves in dubstep to produce some proper forward thinking pop. Empire Of The Sun may be titled like a martial arts movie but this is Luke Steele of Sleepy Jackson and Nick Littlemore of Pnau making futuristic dream-pop for the 24^th century.

Asher Roth is the new Eminem – yes he’s White, yes he’s a phenomenal rapper – but that’s not all – this guy has the chops and the charisma to take on the world – Slim Shady’s comeback better be good ‘cause Roth is ready to overshadow him. The UK, meanwhile, isn’t renowned for groundbreaking hip-hop but Hudson Mohawke is about to change all that – described by many as “wonky” their warped (‘scuse the pun – check their label) brew is gonna give you goosebumps.

The awesomely named thecocknbullkid makes indie/electro infused pop music that dares to be lyrical, clever and funky as fuck, but if that’s not raw enough for you check out squelchy houser A1 Bassline who ain't afraid to chuck in some old skool garage or a splash of hip-hop into the mix. Hot Chip bud Jesse Rose creates a intriguing techno/house hybrid whilst Tanlines tropical beats will have you yearning for summer.

Clubbing in 2009 just got a whole lot better

Plenty to give your eardrums a battering there then. Got any more tips? Let us know

Cheers

Steve

 

Recordstore's Top 50 Albums of 2008

The results are in, the first annual Recordstore Albums Of The Year (as voted for by you, our loyal customers) runs as follows:

1. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes   (Bella Union)

Every few years a band comes along that stops you in your tracks. A band whose music is so overwhelmingly beautiful, so emotionally stirring, so utterly beguiling and unique, that you have to stop and catch your breath. Fleet Foxes are one of those bands.

You Say: "beautiful to hear a band not conforming to the dictated zeitgeist norm"

We Say:  "the folk equivalent of crack. Moreish, addictive and with a monumental buzz" 

 2. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular   (Columbia) 

'Oracular Spectacular’ is the sound of a band taking off and leaving everyone else in their vapour trail. Andrew Vanwyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, for they are MGMT, have described their sound as ‘Future 70s’. There is an ambition to the music, as if everything out there is there for the taking.

You Say: "it's so much fun, you can't help but feel happy and bouncy as the blissful tunes roll on."

We Say: "I'm yet to be convinced but as you've voted it number 2 I'm gonna borrow my brother's copy and give it another go. I'm willing to be proved wrong about this one" 

 3. Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid   (Fiction)

Elbow's fourth studio album, ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ is a welcome return from the band, driven by a thunderous riff that reminds listeners of Elbow’s love of the heavy as well as the delicate.

You Say: "musically uplifting, lyrically beautiful"

We Say: "these boys are like Hull City. Having started off in the lower divisions they slowly raised their game to prove they can mix it with the big boys on any occasion."

  4. Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night   (Columbia)

‘Only By The Night’ is a bold and expansive sonic statement that looks set to solidify Kings of Leon’s position as one of the most important international acts of 2008 and beyond.

You Say: "this is a big step on from Because Of The Times - harder, faster, stronger"

We Say: "stadium filling anthems that'll see them vying for stage space with Coldplay and U2....only KOL are much, much better. The best crossover alternative rock album since 'Nevermind'"

 5. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend   (XL)

Indie rock from NYC who describe their genre of music as "Upper West Side Soweto"...and who are we to argue with that?

You Say: "it simply was the soundtrack of the summer"

We Say: "I've never really got this band but they certainly are a favourite amongst you lot. The track 'A-Punk' has got me dancing before though."

  6. Portishead - Third   (Island)

Like Guns'n'Roses they'd created a zeitgeist defining debut, followed it up with mediocre re-hashes of that classic and then disappeared....unlike Guns'N'Roses they returned with an album as magnificent as anything that had gone before. Hear that Axl? This is how you make a comeback....

You Say: "such a fantastic album, and easier to listen to than their older stuff"

We Say: "having feared the worst this came as a very pleasant surprise. Goodbye trip-hop, hello accessible drone"

 7. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago   (4AD)

Every record comes out of a specific time and place, but that's more true of this one than most. At the end of 2006, Bon Iver's Justin Vernon spent 3 months alone in a log cabin in Northern Wisconsin, seeking silence, simplicity and solitude. The intention was to fill the time with physical chores - splitting wood, gathering food - but out of this period of isolation and contemplation, music started to emerge. The unexpected, triumphant result was an album of singular beauty.

You Say: "last year, various tracks were floating around the egocentric blog world. I downloaded them and quietly they faded deep in the iPod mix. At the start of this year, with the encouragement of a couple dear friends back East, this disc became the most anticipated of the year for me and it didn’t let me down one bit. Many months later it still rewards me with beauty. Isn’t that what great art should do! Great live act as well."

We Say: "one of my mates got some of Bon Iver's lyrics tattooed across his heart. You don't get that with Iglu & Hartly. Truely a band to fall in love with."

  8. The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age Of The Understatement   (Domino)

An album of 12 full-blooded songs, bold and brassy, full of drama, wit and melody, that source the past but avoid falling into pastiche. This is a youthful record, full of life and the sheer pleasure of music making.

You Say: "a trip down musical history, but very relevant and up to date. Incredible effort."

We Say: "not quite up there with its obvious influences but the title track was easily one of the best indie singles of the year"

  9. TV On The Radio - Dear Science,   (4AD)

Three albums in and TV On The Radio have really hit their stride. 'Dear Science,' (don't forget the comma) is their most challenging, yet ultimately most fulfilling set of songs to date. The incredible first single 'Golden Age' and the menacing 'DLZ' are highlights on an album which laughs in the face of "filler".

You Say: "one of my favourite bands, this record is completely different from the previous one and is amazing."

We Say: "TVOTR are fast becoming the band of the decade. Never a dull moment on any of their three albums and this one is their best yet"

  10. Glasvegas - Glasvegas   (Columbia)

One of the most anticipated debut albums since 'Definitely Maybe', the self titled release from Glasvegas came with a blizzard of hype as the indie scene, bored with a diet of Razorlight and Keane, finally found its saviour.

You Say: "sounds just as good as they did in a tiny club in Guildford.....and you've got to be something to sound good there."

We Say: "personally I never trust anything that gets hyped as much as this band did in 2008 and on listening to the record I still didn't get what all the fuss was about."

  11. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!   (Mute)

You Say: "a return to greatness & rock n roll"

We Say: "as a recent convert to the church of the Cave-meister I absolutely fell in love with this record after one listen. The man is untouchable."

  12. Sigur Ros - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust   (EMI)

You Say: "a new direction for the band - and it works."

We Say: "a band that never disappoint. Sublime and beautiful"

  13. Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree   (Mute)

You Say: "always invent something new. This album is ahead of its time."

We Say: "never been a fan of them before with their cheesy disco beats but on hearing this transition to psychedelic folk several times in the office I think I may be a convert"

  14. Coldplay - Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends   (Parlophone)

You Say: "their own Sgt Pepper!"

We Say: "they lost me after 'A Rush Of Blood' and this didn't change my opinion."

  15. The Raconteurs - Consolers Of The Lonely   (XL)

You Say: "very well written and rocks hard"

We Say: "a massive leap on from their debut, White indulges his Led Zep fantasies whilst Benson proves a match for any of the classic 70s songwriters."

  16. Foals - Antidotes   (Transgressive)

You Say: "great bouncing pop"

We Say: "they didn't include their best two singles but it didn't stop this being a pretty enjoyable little record. A wee bit samey but still head and shoulders above much of the indie crowd"

  17.  The Verve - Forth   (Parlophone)

You Say: "this album proves that bands can be out of the scene for a time and return and still show that they are relevant to today"

We Say: "a lot of my geezer mates were pretty excited about Ashcroft and co's return. Me, I remain indifferent."

  18. Late Of The Pier - Fantasy Black Channel   (Parlophone)

You Say: "a totally out there album that you can enjoy before you go out on the town."

We Say : "electro-rock-rave - sound like The Klaxons? Well, yes in some way they are cut from the same cloth but what The Klaxons lack is LOTP's gift for pulling off even the most bizarre experimentation."

  19. Lightspeed Champion - Falling Off The Lavender Bridge   (Domino)

You Say: "a brillant debut album that keeps growing on you more and more"

We Say: "I prefered Test-Icicles. This was ok but the hype didn't match the content"

  20. Paul Weller - 22 Dreams   (Island)

You Say: "an astonishingly complete L.P. of craft and melody. Has the feel of every great L.P. I own"

We Say: "a double album of solo Weller has me running for the hills. Even at 32 I'm not ready for this amount of dad-rock just yet"

  21. Laura Marling - Alas I Cannot Swim   (Virgin)

  22. Beck - Modern Guilt   (XL)

  23. Metallica - Death Magnetic   (Mercury)

  24. Neon Neon - Stainless Style   (Lex)

  25. Travis - Ode To J Smith   (Red Phone Box)

  26. The Black Keys - Attack & Release   (V2)

  27. The Courteeners - St. Jude   (Polydor)

  28. British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?   (Rough Trade)

  29. Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs   (Atlantic)

  30. Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul   (Big Brother)

  31. Mogwai - The Hawk Is Howling   (Wall Of Sound)

  32. Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires   (XL)

  33. Hot Chip - Made In The Dark   (EMI)

  34. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours   (Modular)

  35. The Kooks - Konk  (Virgin)

  36. Noah And The Whale - Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down   (Mercury)

  37. Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke   (Modular)

  38. Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now, Youngster   (Wichita)

  39. Feeder - Silent Cry   (Echo)

  40. The Kills - Midnight Boom   (Domino)

  41. Santogold - Santogold   (Lizard King)

  42. Pendulum - In Silico   (Warner)

  43. Bloc Party - Intimacy   (Wichita)

  44. Ladytron - Velocifero   (Nettwerk)

  45. Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip - Angles   (Sunday Best)

  46. Mystery Jets - Twenty One   (679)

  47. No Age - Nouns   (Sub Pop)

  48. Pete And The Pirates - Little Death   (Stolen)

  49. The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia   (Sub Pop)

  50. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles   (Crystal Castles)

and here are the 10 albums that you voted as the worst of 2008:

1. Madonna - Hard Candy (Maverick)

2. Katy Perry - One Of The Boys (Virgin)

3. The Jonas Brothers - A Little Bit Longer (Polydor)

4. Razorlight - Slipway Fires (Vertigo)

5. Nickleback - Dark Horse (Roadrunner)

6. Pussycat Dolls - Doll Domination (Polydor)

7. Basshunter - Now You're Gone (Hard2Beat)

8. Miley Cyrus - Breakout (Polydor)

9. The Script - The Script (Phonogenic)

10. Natty - Man Like I (Atlantic)

Every Loser Wins

I always wanted to be an NME writer.

It may seem slightly pathetic an ambition now that it has become ‘Smash Hits’-for-the-tight-jeans-brigade, but as a teenager it was my bible. When ‘Cooper Blue’ was named their album of the year in 1992, it was straight down Our Price with a crisp tenner and a grin of anticipation not seen since Prince removed those ribs and gazed downwards....

As a fledgling journalism student I spent innumerable ladyfriend-less hours slumped over an old word processor, dragging on endless cigarettes and swigging from a bottle of cheap Tesco whiskey, splurging ream after ream of literary onanism. Review after review gushed from my bulging mind encompassing bands as diverse as Bis, The Longpigs, Oasis, Korn and Portishead. I heard albums for the first time that have gone on to be lifelong favourites (Built To Spill’s ‘There’s Nothing Wrong With Love’ and Pulp’s ‘A Different Class’ spring to mind right away), and I also bore witness to some of the most heinous acts of musical barbarism ever committed to wax.  

The worst you ask? Without a doubt, ‘The Joy OF Tex’ by The Wealthy Texans, at a time when I was quite happy to indulge in a spot of Menswear, this stood out as the pinnacle of turgid crap. A musically inept, directionless waste of my time and that of its creators.

Why this particular blog then? Well I was remembering that Texan offering (I imagine they never really lived up to the Wealthy attachment) just the other day and I embarked on a journey to compile a selection of albums I have loathed over the years. Records that although commercially and critically successful, no matter how hard I try, I just really, really hate....

Pink Floyd – Dark Side Of The Moon - I know, I know  - it’s supposed to be a classic but the fact of the matter is, unless you’re stoned, it sounds like shit.

Ocean Colour Scene – Mosley Shoals – that video with them on the scooters drove me nuts. The album pushed me over the edge – this is what gave indie a bad name and paved the way for countless horrible lad-rock bands.

Amy Winehouse - Back To Black – Just because every time I hear a song I think of all those tabloid headlines. The story should never overshadow the music.

Kate Nash – Made Of Bricks – “cause they are much fittahh” – the single worst moment in any song, ever.

Iglu And Hartly – And Then Boom – these guys are a joke right? It’s like an extended Beadle’s About and someone is going to give us the punchline soon......hopefully

Kate Bush – Ariel – it’s all terrible but that 'Washing Machine' song made me think that doing my laundry may be preferable to listening to the music.

Babyshambles – Down In Albion – Libertines were ok, this was not.

PJ Harvey - Uh Huh Her – the worst live act I’ve ever seen (I've walked out of her gigs twice) and this album was a low point in an otherwise pretty solid recording career.

Kasabian – Empire - Because ‘Shoot The Runner’ and ‘Empire’ are two of the dumbest songs ever written.

The Fratellis – Costello Music – oh dear god, this is just horrible, horrible, jaunty, lyrically banal dross – please go away.

The Killers – Sam’s Town – where did the classic indie disco anthems go? Anyone who thinks sounding like Springsteen and U2 is a good thing pretty much should just give up on music.

Muse – Black Holes And Revelations – The most overblown, pompous band in existence today. And to all those who say “But they are soooo good live” I counter with, “why would I go and see a band live when all their songs are shit?”

Razorlight – Slipway Fires – I’m not one to jump on a bandwagon as I had a wee soft spot for their previous efforts and I really like ‘Wire to Wire’ but the rest of the album. Is. Just. Awful.

Toploader – Onka’s Big Moka – I have very bad memories of this album. I won’t go into it.

Moby – 18 – ‘Play’ was cool.  This was a sad re-hash.

Mansun – ‘Little Kix’ – when my best mate bought this we turned it off after 4 songs and took it back to the store  – that bad.....

I’ll add more as and when I think of ‘em, but in the meantime let me know those albums that you could so easily live without.......

I'm off down the boozer to erase these "musical" memories

Steve

Do You Remember The First Time?

What better feeling is there than that first moment you put on a new record? The buzz of needle on vinyl, the anticipation of fresh sounds that will fill your head for the next hour; spine tingling moments when melodies hit and you verge on breaking down in tears. Ok, it doesn’t quite compare to the first time you get a new partner naked...but it’s pretty damn close.

My first experience of that euphoria (via music not nudity) came with the satisfying clunk of inserting a tape of ’Nevermind’ into my ghetto blaster at the age of 15. With fascination for gangsta rap and the folks’ old 45s long gone fresh excitement emerged via Faith No More, Soundgarden and Dinosaur Jr, but only with Nirvana’s sophomore effort came the realisation of just how much hold music would have over my life.

From that day on I was hooked on a constant quest to relive that moment. It happens every few years or so, the laddish brit-rock of ’Definitely Maybe’ had me swaggering, the incomparable genius of 'Relationship Of Command’ brought  enlightenment, the assault of 'Visqueen’ literally made my jaw drop whilst 'Lapalco’ re-affirmed my belief in the simple power of songs. I felt dirty but elated when first listening to 'Gentlemen', wanted to form a band after hearing 'Let's Stay Friends' and started to believe there was a god when hearing 'Chutes Too Narrow'. Sublime reference points in my musical education that have stood out above all others like Obama’s crushing of the Republicans at the US elections. Unforgettable.  

2009 will be no different. Dinosaur Pile-Up and Kong are two new bands that already have me salivating whilst new albums from Franz Ferdinand, Eagles Of Death Metal and The Von Bondies may provide that thrill I got when first sticking on 'Nevermind’ all those years ago. And what other delights await me over the coming 12 months? I’m not a fortune teller so I haven’t got a clue but I tell you one thing, I can’t bloody wait to find out.......

So over to you, let me know what your first “defining moment” record was and what you’re looking forward to next year.....

Have a great week

Steve

A time for giving...

I hate the end of the year. It’s cold and miserable, it’s dark when I have to trudge home from work and, most importantly, there are fewer and fewer interesting albums released to help me cope with the increasing cloud of gloom emerging over my head.

November and December is owned by the major labels and their desire to “shift units” over the Christmas period. Your major high street retailers follow suit, only displaying the latest best ofs from established pop artists, hyped follow-up albums from some land-fill indie monstrosity or, most horrifically, the latest X-Factor talent-void that has been groomed for the season.

This year is no different – Keane, Razorlight and The Killers have all produced another mediocre album that will safely sell by the bucketload and impress no one whilst Xtina and Simply Red churn out their best ofs and even Jason Donavan (WTF?!) and Dido return to muscle in on the only time of year when they are likely to sell any records. Come on, you know if you’re desperate to finish your shopping on Christmas Eve you’ll be picking up Status Quo’s greatest hits for your dad and the debut from that ridiculous fella with the bleached hair who was a runner-up on X-Factor for your dear old ma...we’ve all done it and we should all hang our heads in shame.

But there lies the trouble, its easy money for the major labels and the big high street stores. They pile ‘em high and watch them fly out the door faster than Russell Brand leaving a young damsel's quarters  after a Daily Mail hate mob turns up with pitchforks and flaming torches. Consumers lap up whatever over marketed piece of schlock is put in front of them and the labels/retailers are happy to spoon feed it to us.

So this Christmas I urge you all to dig deeper for those stocking fillers. Put down that Il Divo CD for auntie Maggie and the latest from Britney for your lil’ sis and try and find a better alternative. Whether it be the return after nearly 20 years from Grace Jones, or the brilliant 21^st Century blues from Don Cavalli, the ace girl group garage of the Vivian Girls or the Fugazi meets Mclusky awesomeness of We Versus The Shark, there are plenty of options out there that might not be the first thing you spot when you pop into your local supermarket to buy a turkey and those last minute gifts.

You never know next year you might find the front racks of your local record emporium have put a ban on High School Musical 4 and the fifth re-packaged Abba greatest hits to actually sell something you want to hear.

Bar humbug

Steve