And so onto March, and it really makes up for the poor showing in February.
Before people (and when I say people, I mean Francis) start shouting at me for the order of these albums, I think Arcade Fire are far more talented, in every aspect, than Enter Shikari, and really, their album should be first, but when I listen to them both...
1. Take To The Skies - Enter Shikari
Lets be honest. Enter Shikari's demos that appeared in 2006 sounded like, at best, a bad metal band punching a synthesizer. Singer Roughton "Rou" Reynolds' voice sounded terrible, as did pretty much the rest of it. And so I was reluctant to listen to this album. From the first minute of the synth intro, you notice something different, and from the beginning of the first full track "Enter Shikari" its apparent how much work this band has done. This is one of the best recorded and produced albums I've heard in a long time, not just this year. Every part has been recorded and mixed perfectly, and the difference from the early demos is staggering. Oh, and did I mention they did everything themselves?
This is easily one of my favourite albums of the year, and is really worth listening to. It's mixed together as one track, with several interludes built in. The only track that stands out from this is "Adieu", a far slower track with an acoustic beginning, growing to a heavier ending, but still, far from the usual for Enter Shikari. Some of the guitar and synth playing on this album is great, and the backing vocals are amazing.
I urge anyone who hasn't heard this band to give it a listen, even if you've heard they are shit, or think it's really not your thing.
Best Tracks: Labyrinth, Adieu, OK Time For Plan B
2. Neon Bible - Arcade Fire
Another "diffficult second album" to be released this year. Kaiser Chiefs' "Yours Truly, Angry Mob" really lived up to the stereotype of the second album being nowhere near as good as the first, and on first hearing this, I thought Arcade Fire had done the same, and returned to listening to their first album "Funeral". After their epic performance at Leeds Festival this year, I gave it another chance, and realised how good it really is. As with Bloc Party's "A Weekend In The City", there is clearly a movement towards music for arenas, and they've done it. The haunting "Black Mirror" and the massive organ on "Intervention" are so atmospheric, and then theres the up-beat "Keep The Car Running" and the truly amazing "No Cars Go", a re-recording of a track from their early EP. The huge, anthemic tracks are sandwiched in between some amazing slower tracks, "Ocean Of Noise" and "Neon Bible" stand out in particular.
I don't think this album is as good as Funeral, but it comes pretty close. Here, Arcade Fire have mastered the art of massive arena songs and done it in style. It's perfect.
Best songs: Keep The Car Running, Intervention, No Cars Go
3. Think Before You Speak - Good Shoes
As with the two albums above, I was apprehensive about this album. On first listen, the words 'boring' and 'repetative' come to mind, but give it some time, maybe see them live, and you'll grow to love it. The lyrics are not what you'd expect from a indie band, the social commentary of "Morden" and comments on current music throughout ('I play in a band, but I've got no talent' from "All In My Head") show some real talent.
This album is one of the best indie debuts of the year, showing at least some promise to come from the growing amount of repetitive bands, even if this album may be lumped as 'another generic indie album' on first listen, after a while, it really stands out as something a bit different.
Best songs: The Photos On My Wall, Never Meant To Hurt You, Small Town Girl
Thats my top 3 for March, but there were lot of great albums this month. Other highlights:
The Sound Of Silver - LCD Soundsystem
Best song: All My Friends
Strange House - The Horrors
Best song: Draw Japan
Yours To Keep - Albert Hammond, Jr.
Best song: Back To The 101
And that is it for March! Let me know if you think I've missed anything!
Thursday, 20 December 2007
Wednesday, 19 December 2007
Review Of The Year 2007: February
Not a great month for music to be completely honest.
1. A Weekend In The City - Bloc Party
This album is so different from their 2005 debut "Silent Alarm", which was full of fast paced, simple guitar indie, mixed with really good lyrics (highlights being single "Helicopter" and "Positive Tension").
However, A Weekend In The City shows a complete change. It seems almost as though they knew that they would be selling out huge arenas by the end of the year. It's a long way from the manic style of the previous album that seemed much more designed for tiny sweaty gigs. The keyboards at the beginning of opener "Song For Clay (Disappear Here)" are perfect for the atmospheric opening you really need for an arena show.
The change is shown even further as you get past the first single to be taken from here "The Prayer". There are many far slower and more thought full tracks than you would expect, and the lyrics seem to take centre stage. One you listen to this, go back and listen of Silent Alarm and you will appreciate how good some of the lyrics are.
I love this album, and much prefer it to Silent Alarm, it shows the real tallent of the band in some of the music and really shows how good a song writer frontman Kele Okereke is.
Best tracks: Song For Clay (Disappear Here), Waiting For The 7:18, Uniform
Thats really it for February, really wasn't a very good month. Kaiser Chiefs released their second album "Yours Truly, Angry Mob", and despite a few highlighs ("The Angry Mob", "Highroyds", "Heat Dies Down") there really nothing worth saying about it.
So yeah, thats it for february.
1. A Weekend In The City - Bloc Party
This album is so different from their 2005 debut "Silent Alarm", which was full of fast paced, simple guitar indie, mixed with really good lyrics (highlights being single "Helicopter" and "Positive Tension").
However, A Weekend In The City shows a complete change. It seems almost as though they knew that they would be selling out huge arenas by the end of the year. It's a long way from the manic style of the previous album that seemed much more designed for tiny sweaty gigs. The keyboards at the beginning of opener "Song For Clay (Disappear Here)" are perfect for the atmospheric opening you really need for an arena show.
The change is shown even further as you get past the first single to be taken from here "The Prayer". There are many far slower and more thought full tracks than you would expect, and the lyrics seem to take centre stage. One you listen to this, go back and listen of Silent Alarm and you will appreciate how good some of the lyrics are.
I love this album, and much prefer it to Silent Alarm, it shows the real tallent of the band in some of the music and really shows how good a song writer frontman Kele Okereke is.
Best tracks: Song For Clay (Disappear Here), Waiting For The 7:18, Uniform
Thats really it for February, really wasn't a very good month. Kaiser Chiefs released their second album "Yours Truly, Angry Mob", and despite a few highlighs ("The Angry Mob", "Highroyds", "Heat Dies Down") there really nothing worth saying about it.
So yeah, thats it for february.
Tuesday, 18 December 2007
Review Of The Year 2007: January
This is my review of this years music. Basically, the best albums released in each month. Click on the albums title to download.
January
Having heard Little Man Tate's "About What You Know" months before after it's leak on to the internet around September 2006, and being throughly disappointed with the feeling of over-production of the tracks on there. Everyone of the old tracks, the demo version is better, and I don't usually agree with bands putting b-sides on their album's, but if there was ever just cause for this, it would be with Little Man Tate, classics such as "Just Can't Take It" off their first single "The Agent", or "Teenager" of, probably the best track on the album, "House Party At Boothy's" single, really should have made it to the album. Saying that, the over-production would probably have destroyed them as well.
All-in-all a huge disappointment.
And, with that out of the way, on to the best albums of this month.
1. Panic Prevension - Jamie T
This album is so different from anything else released this year, it really hard to compare it with anything else. It's got such a great mix of songs, slow solo stuff ("Back In The Game") to really fast paced, full band tracks ("Operation"). . From simple tracks about getting pissed ("Calm Down Dearest"), to more serious songs ("Shelia") its great. The emphasis of the album is really drinking and youth culture, and his ability to tell it how it is, yet be almost comical about it, really put a different spin on things.
This album fully deserved it's nomination for the Mercury Music Prize.
Best Tracks: Operation, Shelia, If You Got The Money
2. Myths Of The Near Future - Klaxons
When Klaxons first surfaced in mid-2006, their blend of frantic indie riffs with dance drum beats was hailed almost as a revolution in music. "Xan Valleys EP" released later in 2006 (but not in the UK) very muched lived up to this. Singles "Atlantis To Interzone" and "Gravity's Rainbow" were a mess of keyboards and guitar, as well as a cover of Kicks Like A Mule's dance hit "The Bouncer" and the purely insane "4 Horsemen Of 2012", plus a few remixes, wrapped up the EP, and the album was set to be just as mental, judging by single "Magick" and demo "Totem".
However, it was not to be. Myths Of The Near Future is no where near the crazed, MDMA fulled riot that Xan Valleys EP is. A few tracks are, Atlantis To Interzone and Magick remain as they were, but the rerecordings of Gravity's Rainbow (and extra guitar part added) and 4 Horsemen (stupid vocal effects) have as good as ruined them. None of the other tracks stand out and the frantic indie-dance they were expected to be. Instead, Klaxons have almost chilled out, and by doing so have created perfect indie-pop. Tracks you could dance in a club, or go mental to at a live show. They have clearly properly sat down and put really effort into every aspect of this album. Where Xan Valleys was mess of noise and shouting (and it was great for it), Myths is a well crafted merging of the instruments.
I really was disappointed with this album at first, but now i really like it, if it is a bit repatative.
Best songs: Atlantis To Interzone, Totem On The Timeline, It's Not Over Yet
3. Wincing The Night Away - The Shins
I have literally got into this album this week, so Im not entirely sure what to write about this (see Francis' Blog for more about them). Its essentially what you would expect from The Shins (if you know them), and thats great lyrics. The music on Wincing The Night Away is also amazing, as is the production.
This album is very much an album where if you like this kind of thing, you'll love it, though there is better music of this type. If your not into this kind of music then its probably not your thing. Essentially, it's very good background music, that if you just sit and listen to you will appreciate even more.
Best songs: Sleeping Lessons, Australia, A Comet Appears (at the moment, these are likely to change)
And thats it for January. There were some great albums, elsewhere The View's debut "Hats Off To The Buskers" hit No. 1 in the charts (highlights are "Wasted Little DJ's", "Superstar Tradesman" and "The Don" to name a few, it's well worth giving a listen).
January
Having heard Little Man Tate's "About What You Know" months before after it's leak on to the internet around September 2006, and being throughly disappointed with the feeling of over-production of the tracks on there. Everyone of the old tracks, the demo version is better, and I don't usually agree with bands putting b-sides on their album's, but if there was ever just cause for this, it would be with Little Man Tate, classics such as "Just Can't Take It" off their first single "The Agent", or "Teenager" of, probably the best track on the album, "House Party At Boothy's" single, really should have made it to the album. Saying that, the over-production would probably have destroyed them as well.
All-in-all a huge disappointment.
And, with that out of the way, on to the best albums of this month.
1. Panic Prevension - Jamie T
This album is so different from anything else released this year, it really hard to compare it with anything else. It's got such a great mix of songs, slow solo stuff ("Back In The Game") to really fast paced, full band tracks ("Operation"). . From simple tracks about getting pissed ("Calm Down Dearest"), to more serious songs ("Shelia") its great. The emphasis of the album is really drinking and youth culture, and his ability to tell it how it is, yet be almost comical about it, really put a different spin on things.
This album fully deserved it's nomination for the Mercury Music Prize.
Best Tracks: Operation, Shelia, If You Got The Money
2. Myths Of The Near Future - Klaxons
When Klaxons first surfaced in mid-2006, their blend of frantic indie riffs with dance drum beats was hailed almost as a revolution in music. "Xan Valleys EP" released later in 2006 (but not in the UK) very muched lived up to this. Singles "Atlantis To Interzone" and "Gravity's Rainbow" were a mess of keyboards and guitar, as well as a cover of Kicks Like A Mule's dance hit "The Bouncer" and the purely insane "4 Horsemen Of 2012", plus a few remixes, wrapped up the EP, and the album was set to be just as mental, judging by single "Magick" and demo "Totem".
However, it was not to be. Myths Of The Near Future is no where near the crazed, MDMA fulled riot that Xan Valleys EP is. A few tracks are, Atlantis To Interzone and Magick remain as they were, but the rerecordings of Gravity's Rainbow (and extra guitar part added) and 4 Horsemen (stupid vocal effects) have as good as ruined them. None of the other tracks stand out and the frantic indie-dance they were expected to be. Instead, Klaxons have almost chilled out, and by doing so have created perfect indie-pop. Tracks you could dance in a club, or go mental to at a live show. They have clearly properly sat down and put really effort into every aspect of this album. Where Xan Valleys was mess of noise and shouting (and it was great for it), Myths is a well crafted merging of the instruments.
I really was disappointed with this album at first, but now i really like it, if it is a bit repatative.
Best songs: Atlantis To Interzone, Totem On The Timeline, It's Not Over Yet
3. Wincing The Night Away - The Shins
I have literally got into this album this week, so Im not entirely sure what to write about this (see Francis' Blog for more about them). Its essentially what you would expect from The Shins (if you know them), and thats great lyrics. The music on Wincing The Night Away is also amazing, as is the production.
This album is very much an album where if you like this kind of thing, you'll love it, though there is better music of this type. If your not into this kind of music then its probably not your thing. Essentially, it's very good background music, that if you just sit and listen to you will appreciate even more.
Best songs: Sleeping Lessons, Australia, A Comet Appears (at the moment, these are likely to change)
And thats it for January. There were some great albums, elsewhere The View's debut "Hats Off To The Buskers" hit No. 1 in the charts (highlights are "Wasted Little DJ's", "Superstar Tradesman" and "The Don" to name a few, it's well worth giving a listen).
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