Tweet-ville U.K. featuring Dizzee Rascal, Codes, Slow Club, Mumford & Sons, Wolfmother and Tubelord

Since I've got a whole heap of albums that have yet to grace the pixels of Hitsville U.K., and I want to clear the space they're taking up in my mind, here's a handy little thing to help me (that I may have nabbed from Jamie Milton of Music Fan's Mic, who may have nabbed it from someone else...don't really know); an album review in the space of a tweets, or to those of you not keeping up with modern trends and technology, 140 characters. Call me lazy for doing this (and I'll call you correct) but it's simple and allows me to just give a brief overview etc etc. I'll get on with it now.
(Ratings, track recommendations and other stuff not included in the 140 limit, just so you know)

DIZZEE RASCAL - TONGUE N' CHEEK
"Bonkers leads to this; a go at proper pop "Cheeky" misogyny, stale beats, phoned-in flows, the odd Credit Crunch reference. Yawn, mostly"
RECOMMENDED LISTENING: "Bonkers", "Dance Wiv Me", "Holiday", "Dirtee Cash", "Can't Tek No More"
5.5
CODES - TREES DREAM IN ALGEBRA
"Odd title, epic stadium rock. Would be a new U2 (zzz) if not for ambition and creativity. Bit samey halfway through but one to look out for"
RECOMMENDED LISTENING: "Malfunctions", "Guided By Ghosts", "In Algebra", "Starry Eyed"
7

SLOW CLUB -YEAH SO
"Twee-er than B&S, but even better. Simple folk ditties mix with bittersweet indie rock to lodge in your thoughts for long after listening"
RECOMMENDED LISTENING: "When I Go", "It Doesn't Have To Be Beautiful", "There's No Good Way To Say I'm Leaving You", "Because We're Dead", "Apples And Pairs", "Our Most Brilliant Friends"
8


WOLFMOTHER - COSMIC EGG
"Big-haired Aussies return with new members but no new ideas. Same retro-rock as debut, but no equally great songs a la "Dimension", "Woman""
RECOMMENDED LISTENING: "Cosmic Egg", "New Moon Rising", "Sundial"
3

TUBELORD - OUR FIRST AMERICAN FRIENDS
"Another quiet-LOUD band. Noticeably more depth, talent and ideas than most new bands. Clever, thrilling, few negatives cept little diversity"
RECCOMENDED LISTENING: "Somewhere Out There A Dog Is On Fire", "Stacey's Left Arm", "Propeller", "He Awoke On A Beach In Abergavenny", "Cows To The East, Cities To The West"
8

NEU! featuring Rihanna, Ash, Yeasayer and Them Crooked Vultures

RIHANNA - RUSSIAN ROULETTE
The world's second biggest popstar (after Beyonce) makes her post-Chris Brown-gate (can't think of a better name right now) comeback with Russian Roulette, the lead single from her fourth album Rated R. The girl obviously loves alliteration, but instead of reasserting herself in the public conciousness with a huge crossover hit à la "Umbrella", "Don't Stop The Music", "Disturbia", "SOS", "Shut Up And Drive" etc. "Russian Roulette" is a downbeat, brooding ballad. On first listen, it may seem a little anonymous and meandering, but endeavour and you'll find that a great modern pop song doesn't have to be huge beats and incessant whirring aimed squarley at girls at 18th birthday party, drunk on WKD. Slow and sultry, it worms its way into your memory with a fantastic soaring chorus, which sounds oddly familiar. The only problem now is airplay. The powers-that-be weren't exactly to pleased about the Russian roulette reference in Lady GaGa's "Poker Face", so an entire song on the game itself, coupled with a gunshot at the end? Good luck with that one Rihanna.
[Available to hear on Rihanna's website]
7.5

ASH - JOY KICKS DARKNESS
As you may have guessed from the artwork, this is Ash's second single from their A-Z series (For those not in the know, Ash gave up making albums to concentrate on singles and are releasing 26; one every two weeks). After the synth-poppy True Love 1980, the Downpatrick trio have gone back to what they do best; powerful pop-rock. "JKD" has a rawer edge than most early Ash singles but, unlike "Girl From Mars" et al, isn't an immediate pop song. Which probably isn't the best thing for a singles-only band to be releasing. But the blistering rock-out coda more than makes up for it, along with a rather awesome guitar solo. Two down and 24 to go, there's a lot to look forward over the next year.
7

YEASAYER - AMBLING AMP
The indie press darlings sure are a savvy lot. Releasing this single as a free download towards the end of the year, just before all the "Best Of 2009" lists are compiled, is a surefire way to win over those easily-won-over music hacks and boost them to the upper echolons of said charts. I shouldn't be so cynical, because if this was released on 1st January 2010, it would still make the Top 20 of 2010, at the very least. "Ambling Amp" is a genius slice of skewed pop, a bouncy "proper pop song" (basically stuff sung on X Factor and popular with those awful people known as the general public) hidden behind avant-garde sound effects and bubbling synths, making it sound like it's been concocted in a laboratory, which it probably has been. Perfection like this is beyond mere mortals. Okay, that was overly-hyperbolic, but this an amazingly good song, that even the milkman could whistle...probably. And it's a free download. Life is good sometimes.
[Available as a free download here]
10THEM CROOKED VULTURES - MIND CHASER, NO ERASER
Considering the components that make up TCV, this should be great, appealing to metalheads, indie kids and ageing rockers alike. Or it could follow the supergroup rule...basically that 99.9% of supergroups are a bit shit. Or, for an analogy relating to the members, it could be pretty damn good (Josh Homme/Queens Of The Stone Age), alright but a bit bland (Dave Grohl/Foo Fighters) or boring enough to enduce jaw-breaking yawns worldwide (John Paul Jones/Led Zep). The answer is that "Mind Chaser, No Eraser" is a bit more Foo Fighters than QOTSA. It says something when the best bit of a song is the comedic (I'm guessing) brass band tacked on the end. With the only two tracks available sounding like the latter-day bollock-less Foos, things aren't looking good for TCV's album. At least this was free and I didn't have to part with the hard earned money...that I'm sent every month.
[Available for free on iTunes]
5

Delphic - Acolyte artwork

Released on 11th January next year, Delphic's debut should be a delight, judging from early singles "Counterpoint" and "This Momentary". With albums from Vampire Weekend, Los Campesinos!, Lightspeed Champion and now this, the first few months of 2010 are shaping up to be amazing.

TRACKLISTING

01. Clarion Call
02. Doubt
03. This Momentary
04. Red Lights
05. Acolyte
06. Halcyon
07. Submission
08. Counterpoint
09. Ephemera
10. Remain

Lightspeed Champion second album news.

New-rave-godfather-turned-alt.-folkster Dev Hynes, better known as Lightspeed Champion, has announced the details of his sophomore album, along with a sneak preview of lead single "Marlene". Titled, rather amazingly, "Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You", it's due to be released on the 1st February 2010.

Tracklisting

1. "Dead Head Blues"
2. "Marlene"
3. "There’s Nothing Underwater"
4. "Intermission"
5. "Faculty Of Fears"
6. "The Big Guns Of Highsmith"
7. "Romart"
8. "I Don’t Want To Wake Up Alone"
9. "Madame Van Damme"
10. "Smooth Day (At The Library)"
11. "Intermission 2"
12. "Sweetheart"
13. "Etude Op.3 ‘Goodnight Michalek’"
14. "Middle Of The Dark"
15. "Bridge And A Goodbye"

Very interesting. At first I thought this would turn out to be this year's "The First Days Of Spring", going off the plaintitive guitar strums, reverb and organ in the background, but the QOTSA-style rock out means this is going to be very, very different

Them Crooked Vultures - New Fang

A few days ago, I posted the cover art for Them Crooked Vultures' eponymous debut album. If the thought of Josh Homme, John Paul Jones and Dave Grohl collaborating doesn't get you excited, then you've got no soul. "No Fang" has been uploaded to YouTube as a taster for the album and as expected it's a bluesy rock-out with a very heavy Led Zep influence. But, it feels a little bit too clean and neutered to be the sum of its parts, until the breakdown at the end. Let's just hope this is one of the weaker tracks of the album, and the rest is face-melting retro-rock that neither Wolfmother. The Darkness nor Tenacious D could create in their wildest dreams.

Editors - In This Light And On This Evening

I was in HMV the other day, looking to add to my vinyl collection/addiction. Whilst having a quick flick through the CDs (remember them?) I came across Editors' rather good second album "An End Has A Start". I was horrified to notice a "One For The Lads" promotional sticker slapped on the case, as if it were a Pigeon Detectives album or a Jeremy Clarkson "Edgy & Cool Driving Songs for The Middle Aged" compilation. Now anyone who knows Editors and their music will realise this is a horrific mistake; Editors are the purveyors of gloomy rock and slightly-epic stadium indie, with the occasional nod to Joy Division. They aren't for the typical "lad". I doubt you'll hear anyone of that persuasion enthusing about Chris Urbanowicz's guitar riffs or Tom Smith's doom-laden voice in the way they would about Oasis/The Prodigy/Kaiser Chiefs/*insert generic indie-pop-rock band with a few catchy hits here*.

Anyway, the point of that long -winded and ever-so-slightly discriminatory anecdote was to illustrate that despite the indie/hipster set's usual negative point about Editors (that they went a bit Coldplay and aimed for to be on those Clarkson comps), the band was still pretty far from universal fame/acceptance. Such a thing is now probably even further away due to third album "In This Light And On This Evening". Like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs earlier this year, Editors have gone all synth in the two years since "An End Has A Start". A bold and brave move, yes, but one that works? Most certainly.

The opening title track starts off with a low, throbbing synth and stays this way for the next two-thirds of the track before exploding into an apocalyptic breakdown which wouldn't be out of place in a futuristic, sci-fi film (the band have mentioned that the album is influenced by such films, and in particular the Terminator theme). The track consists of only one, repeated verse (" I swear to God, I heard the Earth inhale, moments before it spat its rain down on me/ I swear to God, in this light and on this evening, London's become, the most beautiful thing I've seen. ") with Smith's vocals sounding reverential, brooding and resigned at the same time. It sets the tone for the remaining 8 tracks, which all seem to twist and turn in many different directions. It doesn't exactly reach "Paranoid Android" or "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" proportions, but there were certainly a lot of ideas floating around in the album sessions.

Whilst the move towards electronic music will certainly lose them a few fans, "In This Light..." has some of Editors most accessible, poppy material. "Bricks And Mortar" would be a fantasic single, if it could be trimmed down from its 6:21 running time and the amazing-but-preposterously-titled "Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool", which is possibly Editors' best chorus yet. Lead single "Papillion" continues down the poppier route, but brings with it the morib lyrical side of the band. Never before in my mind have lines such as "You will choke, choke on the air you try to breathe" or "The world turns too fast, feel love before it’s gone" felt so at home in a pop song, and the chorus of "Darling, just don’t put down your guns yet/if there really was a God here/he’d have raised a hand by now" could have easily come from the pen of Richey Edwards.

Although for all the positives of the album, the novelty of 'Editors + synths' does grate after a while, with only Smith's lyrics and voice keeping some songs afloat (for example "The Big Exit" is saved just before the "skip" point by the powerful middle eighth, which is basically Smith singing alone, the electronic beeps barely in the background). Overall, "In This Light And On This Evening" is a great album, a near-classic. The only thing stopping it from reaching "classic" status is the overused synth elements (and the decision to not include "No Sound But The Wind") but from here, Editors can do pretty much anything with their sound, be it guitars, keyboards or something for the lad population, although I hope that road is blocked. Forever.
FOR FANS OF: Joy Division, White Lies, Interpol, Kraftwerk, Bloc Party
ESSENTIAL TRACKS: All, except "Like Treasure"
9

ALBUM NEWS: Los Campesinos - Romance Is Boring

Los Campesinos! have announced the details of their forthcoming second/third album (I can't be bothered explainin). Named "Romance Is Boring", it's out on February 1st 2010. Cannot wait.

The tracklisting is as follows:

1. In Medias Res
2. There Are Listed Buildings
3. Romance Is Boring
4. We’ve Got Your Back (Documented Minor Emotional Breakdown #2)
5. Plan A
6. 200-102
7. Straight In At 101
8. Who Fell Asleep In
9. I Warned You: Do Not Make An Enemy Of Me
10. Heart Swells/100-1
11. I Just Sighed. I Just Sighed, Just So You Know
12. A Heat Rash In The Shape Of The Show Me State; or, Letters From Me To Charlotte
13. The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future
14. This Is A Flag. There Is No Wind
15. Coda: A Burn Scar In The Shape Of The Sooner State

Taken from LC!'s blog:
"The album was recorded and mixed between March and June of 2009, in Seattle, Connecticut and Monmouthsire, with producer John Goodmanson. It features guest appearances from Jamie Stewart, Zac Pennington and Jherek Bischoff.

It is a record about the death and decay of the human body, sex, lost love, mental breakdown, football and, ultimately, that there probably isn’t a light at the end of the tunnel."

Once again, I cannot wait for this. Early contender for Album of 2010, and I've only heard two tracks so far.

Them Crooked Vultures - S/T artwork

This should be amazing. How can Josh Homme, John Paul Jones and Dave Grohl collaborating not be?
(released 16th November 2009)

Watch The Tapes! feat. Girls, Editors, Mumford & Sons, Johnny Foreigner, Ash, Florence & The Machine, Lily Allen and Everything Everything

Yet another new post catergory type thing. Yeah, basically the best music videos of the past week or so shall be here for your enjoyment/derision/apathy. Obviously this week won't include Jamie T's "The Man's Machine" or Arctic Monkeys' "Cornerstone", as they've got their own posts because they're so special/I've only just thought of this now.

Jamie T - The Man's Machine video

Now I like Jamie T as much as the next guy; two fantastic albums, amazing live, cheeky everyman image. There isn't much to hate really. Especially here, with one of the best choruses on "Kings & Queens"(even if it is kind of unitelligble). Just recently, I've felt a bit "meh" towards Mr Treays and his exploits. I'm not trying to sound uber-cool and indie, like "I knew about him first!", but maybe it's his position as flavour of the month with those types who say they "like all kinds of music" on social netowrking profiles or like to think they're down with it and out there by listening to something outside the Top 40. Meh, ignore my ramblings, and enjoy this rather cool vid, for an awesome song.

The "New Moon" soundtrack

So far, all that the "Twilight Saga" (as it's now known) has given us musically is Paramore's "Decode", which is reason enough to think about avoiding the New Moon OST. But one glance at its tracklisting is more than enough to get any indie fan hot under their checked shirt collar. Here are the choice tracks from one of the best soundtracks for a while



THE KILLERS - A WHITE DEMON LOVE SONG
So this is what they've been hiding up their sleeves. After the fairly dire Day & Age album, this is definitely a step back in the right direction for the Las Vegas foursome. Gone is the glitter and grandeur of the last album, replaced with a sombre tone that pops up in most great Killers songs. Tinkling ivories and a slow waltzing pace, along with an uplifting middle eight as well as a proper guitar solo and a bit of brass tacked on (I'm a sucker for brass instruments on pop songs. See; Maximo Park's Leeds set this year, Maccabees new album) make this a definite success and a nice stop-gap before the fourth album
8




BON IVER & ST. VINCENT - ROSLYN
New Bon Iver material is always a cause for celebration (ironic considering how Bon Iver sounds), and even though this was never going to be a massive step away from his previous songs, it's a welcome addition to the canon. A little bit countrified, thanks to the slide guitar section, "Rosyln" sounds more warm and welcoming than most songs on "For Emma, Forever Ago". This is most likely due to the spectral vocals of St. Vincent singer Annie Clark, who augments Bon Iver's typical template with ease. The only bad point is that it'll no doubt be used during a scene in which someone's looking around broodingly, or being a miserable queynte. It deserves so much better.
8.5




EDITORS - NO SOUND BUT THE WIND
This song first appeared at Editors gigs in 2008, but in a much different guise. It bore more of a resemblance to the Editors of old, motorik beats, squalling echo-drenched guitars and rumbling bass. In that arrangement, it was merely a very good Editors song, but as it is on this soundtrack, "No Sound But The Wind" become a thing of beauty. Consisting of just Tom Smith and a lone piano, the simple chords combined with Smith's powerful vocal propel this to the fore of Editors songs. How this didn't make it on to the new album is baffling. But once again, the single negative point is the association with the film, which you know will be awful, and with Robert "shite hair" Pattinson, who is awful.
9.5


And now for your enjoyment, and mostly mine, some rather hilarious Twilight pics/gifs.

The Time Machine: Jakobinarina - The First Crusade

The Time Machine returns! Turns out the past isn't too great, but hey, I've remembered this lost gem. Jakobínarína's first and only album "The First Crusade" released just over two years ago. They've since split-up (I couldn't tell you why, since the explanation on their blog is Icelandic) which means it's very unlikely a fantastic follow-up will be unleashed onto an unsupecting musical world. "The First Crusade" is basically what the latest Cribs album should have sounded like; furious punk rock with an undeniable pop edge, and some great Johnny Marr guitar flourishes on top. Jakobínarína manage it without the help of the Manc legend, so how The Cribs didn't is a mystery.

Anyway, it's easy to see how "The First Crusade" slipped into the indie rock ether. Released in the same year as "Favourite Worst Nightmare", "Neon Bible", "In Rainbows", "Myths Of The Near Future" and, to a much, much, much lesser extent, The View's debut, it didn't stand much chance of appearing in end-of-year polls or being heralded as an outright classic. In my humble indie nerd opinion, "The First Crusade is one of the best albums of the last decade and should be remembered as such. Crafted by six Icelandians (Icelandicers?) between the ages of 17 and 21, it's astounding how powerful and vibrant it sounds. The pace barely lets up throughout the 12 songs, both the drums and guitars play at breakneck speeds, whilst a young Bernard Sumner lookalike bellows at you about the good points and (many) bad points of being young, angry, horny, judgemental and always looking for a good time.

Lyrics like "Jump around, around, around/to the sound/of mediocrity", "And I thought to myself/ "I've nothing to live for"/ Except next weekend/Because there will be a dance revolution" and "Who wants to be wise when they're 17? Got girls to see and a world to conquer" may not be challenge for Dylan, Morrissey or Richey Edwards in terms of being poetic or world-alteringly brilliant, but they do sum up the life of a 17-to-21 year old almost to a tee (much like The Hold Steady do, but without the world-weary and wise, retrospective feel to their songs). It's a shame that nothing this exciting and/or vital has come out of the music scene in the last three years or so, and an even bigger shame that Jakobínarína have split up. I seriously reccomend "The First Crusade" to anyone who likes their music loud, angry, fun and very catchy...or just anyone who like good music. I'll leave you with the best of Jakobínarína...






ESSENTIAL TRACKS: Every single one.
FOR FANS OF: The Cribs, Johnny Marr, Johnny Foreigner, The Futureheads, Be Your Own Pet, loud and angry punk rock
10

The Beatles Polls Winners!

It's finally over. That is, the worldwide obsession with the Fab Four (which coincided with my own obsession) and the best Beatles album/single polls that have been on the sidebar for the past few weeks. One or two suprises in the results, but overall I'm pretty pleased to see most people have the same opinion and favourites as me. It was a double tie for both polls; "Abbey Road" and "The White Album" coming out on top for the albums, with "Help!" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" triumphing in the singles poll. I expected most to plump for the easy option and go for "Sgt Peppers", but it seems you lot are more versed in the work of John, Paul, George and Richard (apologies if that sounds patronising).

Also thanks to all those who voted, around 50-odd if I remember correctly. Nice to know someone reads this stuff.

Without further ado, here are the full results:

ALBUMS
1. Abbey Road - 5
= The White Album - 5
2. A Hard Day's Night - 2
= Let It Be - 2
= Revolver - 2
3. Rubber Soul - 1
= Sgt Peppers... - 1
= Yellow Submarine - 1
4. Beatles For Sale - 0
= Help!
= Please Please Me - 0
=With The Beatles - 0

SINGLES
1. Help! - 8
= Strawberry Fields Forever - 8
2. Something - 7
3. A Hard Day's Night - 6
= All You Need Is Love - 6
= Can't Buy Me Love - 6
= Day Tripper - 6
= Get Back - 6
= Hey Jude - 6
= I Feel Fine - 6
= Let It Be - 6
4. Eleanor Rigby - 5
= She Loves You - 5
5. Ballad Of John And Yoko - 3
= Hello, Goodbye - 3
= I Want To Hold Your Hand - 3
= Paperback Writer - 3
= Ticket To Ride - 3
= We Can Work It Out - 2
6. Lady Madonna - 2
7. Please Please Me - 1
= From Me To You - 1
8. Love Me Do - 0

So there you have it. Not much love for early Beatles albums, and no love for poor little "Love Me Do". Some people...

Arctic Monkeys - Cornerstone video

This song just got a million times better, thanks to this video. "Cornerstone" is likely to be the Arctics' next big hit, and you can expect more than a few parodies of the above video over the coming months. He may look like a bit of a knob these days but it's hard not to love Alex Turner for stuff like this.

Rants In E Minor: Dubstep, I just don't get it!

NME.com recently published this article, on dubstep, proclaiming 2009 to be the year that dubstep "broke". Now forgive me for being pernickity, but the term "broke" or "breaking" usually refers to becoming prominent in the mainstream, say like Arctic Monkeys in 2005/2006 or the explosion of punk in 1976/77. Let me ask you, can you see anything like either of those right now in mainstream culture? I certainly can't. NME have done this before, in 2007, when punk supposedly broke for a second time (conveniently 30 years after the original) but really it was only Gallows who achieved a modicum of fame outside of the underground. In comparison to the Atlantic Ocean-sized impact of the Sex Pistols, The Clash et al, Gallows were like the water in your toilet.



Similarly, dubstep has had little if no affect on the modern world. Okay, punk didn't exactly turn the world on it's head, but it's impossible to ignore the affect it had. Fantastic music that was different to anything heard before, a youth sub-culture that came to symbolise both the genre and the latter half of that decade and a DIY ethic that has survived to this very day. Unfortunately that ethic has helped create this abortion of a genre At the risk of sounding like a wholly out-of-touch 60-something, dubstep is little more than repetitive instrumentals with the occasional looped electronic riff thrown in. It's like listening to fucking Kraftwerk. The genre is miles away from breaking anything; its three biggest points so far, in terms of exposure, are Burial's nomination for the Mercury Prize, a Britney remix and Skream's kinda good remix of La Roux's "In For The Kill". That's it; two b-side remixes and the token urban genre nomination for a prize losing prestige faster than you can say Speech DeBelle.



Whilst almost every other epoch-defining and groundbreaking music genre of the modern era has had widespread appeal and following (Rock N Roll, Punk, Electronica, Dance and House), dubstep seems to be the preserve of either nerdy enthusiasts, with encyclopedic knowledge of the genre, or middle class suburban white kids, yearning to be cool and out there. I'm sure the creators of dubstep tracks put a lot of heart, soul and effort into their music, but it seems like the simplest genre about. Subterranean bass, unbelievably dull and repetitive beats, moody atmosphere, a little cyclical keyboard hook thrown in every now and then, and in Burial's case, snippets of noise from the urban world. Stoned braindead chimps could make an album of this tripe, no problem.



What I find immensely puzzling is that, for a kind of music derived from dance and hip-hop, it borders on impossible to actually dance normally to any dubstep track. Alright, I can't dance normally anyway, but there's actually no way of "rhytmically moving" to it. The most played track in clubs, to my limited knowledge, is Skream's mix of "In For The Kill" and that only even approaches danceable in the last minute or so. What do people do when it comes on? Shuffle and sway for four minutes, then all of sudden start throwing shapes for 60 measly seconds. This is probably one of the reasons I dread going into "indie" clubs. Already-overly-awkward and pasty indie kids pulling their most awkward moves to boring bollocks like this.



Of course I'm not a complete luddite, and hate all things not played on guitar. I like dance music, I like Burial's albums, despite the lack of variety. But to say that dubstep has "broke" and is no part of mainstream culture is as stupid as saying the Lib Dems are favourites for the next election or Katie Price is a respectable human being. The genre was 'born' around 1998, so to say it's only just broken 11 years later is evidence enough to me that we've defnitely run out of ideas and have to resort to elevating the leftovers at the bottom of the musical barrel.

NEU!: featuring Delphic, Everything Everything, Lost Knives and Copy Haho

Neu/new in the most literal sense of the word, as the following four bands are virtually unknown outside of the indie universe. So listening is not only reccomended, it's compulsory as it's pretty likely you'll discover your new favourite band.

DELPHIC - ALTERSTATE
Manchester's great hope have already scored a brace of underground hits with the astounding New Order-esque "Counterpoint" and the slightly more restrained "This Momentary". On "Alterstate", things are taken back even more, resulting in a blissful, hypnotic, almost completely instrumental piece of electro pop. It verges on dub-step with it's pulsating bass and complex beats, coupled with barely-there vocals. Whilst it probably won't propel them into the public conciousness, "Alterstate" is likely to complete a hattrick of indie hits for the Manc foursome, especially as it's available as a free download from their site.
7.5

EVERYTHING EVERYTHING - MY KEYS, YOUR BOYFRIEND
Currently being whispered/shouted about in the "blogosphere" as the next big thing as well as gaining places on preemptive Ones To Watch 2010 lists, EE have one of the best and most confusing pop singles of the year right here. Not pop in the way that wanky alternative bands see their songs as being, despite being as accessible as a chastity belt without having the key, actual pop; choruses, instantaseous hooks and a fantastic bassline. Alright, it's not the typical fair of yer average pop-picker, but with influences as diverse as Michael Jackson, Talking Heads, Radiohead, Dr Dre, The Beta Band, Destiny's Child and The Futureheads, they were never going to churn out JLS-type bilge. It doesn't matter that you can't even make out the lyrics throughout most of the song, since when do the majority of people listen to them anyway? Embrace another Mancunian four-piece that will definitely be going places
9

LOST KNIVES - LEFT ALONE//SHE'S NOT YOU//STATIC
A hotly-anticipated fresh clutch of demos from the Steve Lamacq favourites, written to show the diversity of their canon. Whilst the change in sound isn't exactly the jump from "What Goes On" to "Tomorrow Never Knows" on Rubber Soul, there are a few noticeable differences from the first three demos. "Left Alone" is the most similar, but more focused and driven, whilst "Static" is the early Horrors transformed into an arena band...except great. However, "She's Not You" could very well be Lost Knives' breakthrough track. Fizzing with Interpol-esque guitars, drums crashing like tidal waves and a bassline that Peter Hook would love to have thought up, it slides from a menacing verse to an unexpectedly epic and uplifting chorus, that should have you singing along before the end of the song. This is one more talented Manchester band headed for the top. Bastards. What, me, jealous? No...well yeah, I'd rather have three very exciting local young bands than The Beatles Rockband. Bloody Mancs get all the fun...
7//9//8

COPY HAHO - BRED FOR SKILLS & MAGIC EP
The Glaswegian quartet (yes! they're not from Manchester) are friends with Los Campesinos! and Dananananaykroyd and it certainly shows on this EP. Drums crash about like they're going out of fashion whilst the guitars are the most vibrant and energetic I've heard since Arctic Monkeys' debut. But sharp Sheffieldian post-punk isn't on the menu here. Skewed indie rock is Copy Haho's dish of choice with a whole heap of melody as a side order (okay I'm dropping the food metaphor now). It's probably quite unfair to compare them to their compadres (LC!, Dana and Johnny Foreigner, The Xcerts) but it's inescapable that Haho sound like all of those bands at some point on the EP, kind of like a copycat little brother. The only time the "fight pop" formula is thrown out of the window is on "Bad Blood" which sounds something like a fuzzless, un-angsty Nirvana during the verses and, bizzarely, Oasis in the chorus ("Champagne Supernova" and "All Around The World" in particular). But maybe that's just me. This one little diversion is evidence that Copy Haho can create something that stands out and sounds great at the same time. But for now, it's a case of good songs, but has been done better before.
6.5

Album Pile-Up (warning: extremly positive reviews here)

There have been a LOT of albums I've neglected to review over the last few months, partly due to not listening to them enough, partly due to sheer laziness. But to clear the backlog and put my mind at ease, here they all are, in the bare minimum of what constitutes a review

WILD BEASTS - TWO DANCERSWho: Divisive Kendal quartet, with challenging falsetto vocals
What: "Two Dancers" is Wild Beasts' second album after last year's debut "Limbo Panto". The fluid guitar work and operatic vocals of that record led to a few sticking "The new Smiths" tag on the band. A lot to live up to for any band, but they've surpassed what could be seen as lazy pigeonholing to create, in what is a year of great second albums, an amazing sophomore effort that sounds like nothing else around right now. Dreamlike in parts and sexed up in others, the jump in quality is astounding, especially when considering "Limbo Panto" was a very good debut. Hayden Thorpe's falsetto will still either endear or prove and instant point of hate for new listeners, but those who endeavour to keep listening are in for a wonderful treat.
Key Tracks: The sublime "Hooting & Howling", "We've Still Got The Dancing On Our Tongues", "All The Kings Men"
9

JAMIE T - KINGS & QUEENSWho: The "one man Clash" or as he's probably known to his mum, James Treays
What: Yet another fantastic second album, this time from the baseball-capped bard of Wimbledon. "Kings & Queens" is just as eclectic and carefree as Treays' debut "Panic Prevention", just enhanced and improved. And to those of you who have listened to "Panic Prevention", you'll know improving on it is no mean feat. "Kings & Queens" has more than it's fair share of possible hits ("368" and "Hocus Pocus" are right up there with the cold for catchiness) but what's interesting is the amount of ballads on the album. Ballads probably isn't the right term, but introspective, acoustic songs that aren't as rabble-rousing as the rest of the album is a bit of a mouthful. It's tracks like "Emily's Heart" and "Jilly Armeen" that showcase Treays' tender side (probably why he has such a big "female following") as well as giving evidence that he isn't a one-trick pony
Key Tracks: "368", "Sticks N Stones", "Emily's Heart", "Chaka Demus", "Spider's Web", "Castro Dies", "British Intelligence", "Jilly Armeen"
9

JAY-Z - THE BLUEPRINT 3Who: In his own words:'For those that didn't get the memo my name is Jay-Z and I'm pretty fucking awesome'
What: The final part of Jay-Z's "Blueprint" trilogy, which features an all-star cast, from Luke Steele (of Empire Of The State fame), Alicia Keys, Mr Hudson, Kid Cudi, Pharrell, Rihanna and meme-of-the-moment Kanye West. Had this album come out two years ago, then Jigga's Glastonbury set would have been an even bigger success, such is the amount of moments of genius here. "D.O.A" is one of his best, everyone knows "Run This Town" by now (having the three biggest names in hip-hop and R&B was always going to result in a hit) and pretty much every other song has a great beat and a killer line. It's safe to say that "TB3" further cements Jay-Z's position at the top of the game.
Key Tracks: "Thank You", "D.O.A", "Run This Town", "Empire State Of Mind", "Real As It Gets", "A Star Is Born", "Young Forever"
8

THE BIG PINK - A BRIEF HISTORY OF LOVE
Who: The latest one to watch in the "shoegaze" pigeonhole
What: Another year, another moody group in leather jackets with loud guitars. Not that this is in any way a bad thing, after all rock 'n' roll is built on that template. TBP have described this album as a "future soul record", an attempt to 'mix up their favourite two genres of music' in soul and noise. It's safe to say they've succeeded in that. " A Brief History..." does have a doomed love story feel to most of its songs, probably due to the apocalyptic guitar feedback they're drowned in. This isn't an easy listen, it's an album of heartbreak, melancholy and skyscraping noise and straight-up pop moments are hard to come by, other than the inescapable "Dominos", "Velvet" and "At War With The Sun". "A Brief History Of Love" probably isn't what your girlfriend/boyfriend would want you listening to, since they'd think you were a miserable bastard and isn't what your parents would want you listening to after a break-up, for fear you'd start wearing studded leathers and end up hating everything. But I digress, The Big Pink have crafted an amazing debut that stands up to almost any other released this year
Key Tracks: "Too Young To Love", "Dominos", "Love In Vain", "At War With The Sun", "Velvet", "A Brief History Of Love", "Tonight", "Count Backwards From Ten"
9.5

NOAH AND THE WHALE - THE FIRST DAYS OF SPRING
Who: Underrated folk-poppers, damned for all eternity to be associated with "5 Years Time"
What: Once again, it's a second album that surpasses its predecessor. "Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down" was a good, if underrated debut from NATW, unfortunately eclipsed by the aforementioned single. Little over a year later, "The First Days Of Spring" was released, and quite frankly, it's an astonishing record. From the funereal, "Be My Baby"-esque beat of the opening title track to the orchestral middle section and the hopefulness of album closer "My Door Is Always Open", this is an album deserving of all the plaudits it gains. Whereas you may have thought of NATW as a one-song, bland pop band, listening to this will almost definitely change your opinion. At the risk of descending into extreme hyperbole, "The First Days Of Spring" is one of the best albums of the last decade; grand, majestic, heartbreakingly honest and powerful lyrics ("This is a song for anyone who can't get out of bed/I'll do anything to be happy", "This is the last song while I'm still in love with you/This is the last song that I write whilst your even on my mind", "I'd be anyone to be at your side/I need your life in my life/Need your light in my life"). As you can tell this isn't the happiest album ever, and it's pretty clear it tells the story of a break-up (most likely the one of lead singer Charlie Fink and Laura Marling). But as with pretty much all great pop, it deals with the sour side of love and is all the more perfect for it.
Key Tracks: All of it, including the accompanying short film. It's worth it.
10

THE XX - XX
Who: Another band dressed in all black, and another band that sound like noone else around
What: The debut of the hotly tipped, barely-out-of-school London foursome, The xx are unique in the music scene at the minute. The only way to describe them is Radiohead and Florence Welch covering R&B/pop songs with Burial producing. But that's waaaaay too NME for my liking. The fairly lo-fi production and use of artificial beats gives The xx (yep, that's right, no capitals) a dubstep feel without delving too much into that overrated genre. The simple guitar lines sound almost fragile and yet push the songs forward, usually acting as the main melody. Romy Croft and Oliver Sim's hushed vocals intertwine for the best boy-girl vocals this side of Los Campesinos! debut album, and give "xx" a sultry, sexy feel. Whilst in broad daylight, the album is merely very good, it comes into its own when listened to in the early hours of the morning, I'm not too sure why this is, but come midnight, "xx" is a magical record. The tense atmosphere and downbeat mood take on a life of their own, whilst the sparseness of each song seems perfectly suited for dark winter nights. The xx will have a very tough job on their hands bettering this, but I look forward to the results
Key Tracks: "Intro", "VCR", "Crystalised", "Islands", "Shelter", "Basic Space", "Infinity", "Night Time", "Stars"
9

Vampire Weekend - Horchata

Last year's indie press darlings (and winners of Hitsville U.K.'s Album Of The Year) have been fairly quiet for quite some time now, apart from a great set at the Reading & Leeds festivals. But recently they've revealed the artwork for "Contra", their second album and now the first single taken from that record is free to download on the band's website. That single is "Horchata". Carefree and almost childlike in it's simplicity, "Horchata" sounds like the afrobeat constantly associated with Vampire Weekend and as straightforwardly pop as they come at the same time. Big drums, smooth vocals, easily memorable hooks and a whimsical, orchestral flourish makes this a worthy addition to VW's canon. Of course to the common garden music fan, it's not going to displace "A-Punk" as their One Big Hit™, but to any Vampire Weekend fan "Horchata" will be on constant repeat.
8.5

Los Campesinos! - There Are Listed Buildings + The Sea...

The best band you probably haven't heard of return with two previews of their latest album (second or third, depending on whether you think an Extended EP of 10 tracks counts as an album). Los Campesinos! have always been what I personally want in a band; the ability to make shouty, loud, throw-yourself-around indie and rather twee 'n' tender alt.pop with at least one heart-brakingly great lyric in every song. This winning streak continues in "There Are Listed Buildings" and "The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future" which are on the as-yet-untitled new album.

"TALB" is probably LC!'s most radio-friendly track in a while, not too twee as to be straight, sugary, saccharine pop but not too spiky and indie to drive casual listeners back to their Snow Patrol. Reminiscent of the material on debut "Hold On Now, Youngster", the "ba-ba"s and humming that surround the choruses make this an obvious future sing-along classic (well to us awkward indie kids anyway), and the brass section (brass!!) is a rather welcome augmentation of the LC! sound
There Are Listed Buildings by loscampesinos
8.5


"The Sea..." on the other hand, is a much different beast to the aforementioned first single. The brooding, mournful guitar and violin combo of the intro is very similar to "We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed" highlight "Heart Swells/Pacific Daylight Time" until it explodes into an epic maelstrom, which edges towards My Bloody Valentine, musically at least. Lyrically, there are more great lines here than most bands can manage in a career. For example; "you could never kiss a Tory boy without wanting to cut off your tongue again", " I grabbed hold of her wrist and my hand closed from tip to tip/ I said “you’ve taken the diet too far, you have got to let it slip”", " ask her to speak French and then I need her to translate, I get the feeling she makes the meaning more significant" and "She was always far too pretty for me to believe in a single word she said, believe a word she said". Let's see Hard-Fi top that. In short, this is the best thing LC! have done so far and makes me unbelievably excited for the album. And what's more it's free to download from their blog, so go do that and then buy the album when it's released.
10

"The making of a great compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do and takes ages longer than it might seem..."

As you can (hopefully) tell from the title, I've been watching High Fidelity. It involves girls and music, how did I not find it/start worshipping it earlier? In fact, I can pretty much see my life being like that in 10/15/20 years, should I make certain decisions. Hell, it's pretty much my life know...just minus the constant stream of women (more like being drip-fed one per year) and my very own record store (more like this blog and the rest of the internet).

Anyways what it relates to is the Spotify mix playlists that I have created for you lovely people...at least I'm hoping you're lovely...to just spread a bit of aural goodness around. No, I don't see myself as some sort of musical Maharishi, imparting pearls of great music to you, the unenlightened. Being honest, most of you reading this will probably know infinitely more about this than I ever will and should you open one of the playlists, laugh in scorn at my woefully "mainstream" choices. But who gives one? I just want to share stuff I think is freaking awesome with anyone who wants to listen, hopefully convert a friend or two into liking a band and kill a bit of boredom.

Playlist Numero Uno is full of more well known bands/tunes of this year, with the odd suprise. So expect "Bonkers", "Dog Days Are Over", "Run This Town" and "Zero", though not "Bulletproof" or "In For The Kill" by La Roux. Even I'm sick of them by now.

Enjoy!

Playlist Nummer Zwei is the best of the lesser-known, "weird indie shit" (as I'm certain some acquaintances would call it) to appear this year. So album tracks from slightly less mainstream bands, obscure groups you're not sure how to say the name of (hello, Dananananaykroyd!) and basically good stuff. I've gotta say though, listen to the Noah & The Whale album in one go, as it is, not shuffled. You'll thank me later.

Enjoy even more!

Hopefully you'll enoy them, go buy the various albums/singles, see the bands live and, y'know, be a proper music fan. Or, if you're disgraced by my tastes, feel free to send me a playlist back to "educate" me. It could be fun. And these playlists will over there in the sidebar should you ever feel like downloading in the future and can't be bothered to click a few times right this second.

Oh and if you don't have Spotify, I reccomend you get it. Now.

NEU! featuring Muse, The Chapman Family, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, The Hot Melts, Girls

Muse - Uprising
The first official release from "The Resistance" (after the bonkers "United States Of Eurasia") sees the Teignmouth trio in usual fine form, even if this does sound like a million different other songs. Hints of "Spirit In The Sky", "Shoot The Runner", "Personal Jesus" and even the Doctor Who theme tune all crop up, but seeing as Muse have never been the most serious of bands (Evidence? Here and here) it's pretty much acceptable. After all, what's rock & roll without a little bit of madness? "Uprising" isn't up there with previous Muse classics, and it's not even the best song on the new album but the simple catchiness and awesome-as-usual guitar work should make it a hit with both new and old fans.
7.5

Virgins

The Chapman Family - Virgins
First it was "Kids", now it's "Virgins". You'd be forgiven for being worried by The Chapman Family due to their song titles, but leaving that to one side, this new single is an altogether more radio-friendly affair than its predecessor (basically there aren't blasts of face-melting guitar every 5 seconds). That's not to say the Chapmans have gone all Jonas Brothers. "Virgins" is still a brooding slice of post-punk genius, with Joy Division-esque bass and the oddly anthemic edge we've come to expect from the Teesiders. For anyone anticipating their upcoming tour or a possible album, this will only serve to get you even more excited
8.5
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Come Saturday
One of the bigger names of the shoegaze craze (both in popularity and actual length), TPOBPAH have the balance between pop tunes and feedback just right, something that a fair few bands in the scene cannot manage e.g. Times New Viking. That said, "Come Saturday" is a bit anonymous compared to the rest of The Pains' debut, despite a great intro which sounds like a twee Clash (sounds horrible, but it's pretty alright). I reccomend the rest of their self-titled album, but just skip this one.
6

The Hot Melts - Red Lips
Well this is something new; a Liverpool band who aren't directly influenced by The La's/Shack. The Hot Melts favour big rock tunes rather than jangly Merseybeat, and when combined with the typical Scouse pop nous, we get one of the freshest and best new bands around at the minute. Plus, should you lack enough funds to actually go out and buy their album, the band are giving it away for free. If The Hot Melts don't get big, then I'll eat my hat...after going and finding one first.
8

Girls - Lust For Life
Along with The Drums, Girls are the buzz band of the second half of '09. Both deal in bittersweet indie pop, but Girls seem that little bit more dangerous or typically "rock & roll". Once you get past the slightly odd, slightly androgynous vocals (which isn't too easy with lines like "I wish I had a boyfriend/I wish I had a loving man in my life") you'll find that this is one of the best pop songs of the decade...if a little scuzzed up. Whether Girls end up as an indie one-hit wonder or a classic underground band remains to be seen, but for now you can just stick this on repeat
9

Soup Of The Day: The Drums

FROM: Brooklyn, NY
GENRE: Indie/Pop
SOUNDS LIKE: The soundtrack to either a lost classic 80s teen movie or a 1960's surfing flick. Or what's hidden underneath the feedback and noise of every shoegaze song; perfect pop. Or a pop Joy Division, which I know sounds horrible, but turns out top be pretty awesome.
ESSENTIAL TRACKS: "Let's Go Surfing", "Best Friend", "Down By The Water"
YOU'LL LOVE THEM IF YOU LIKE: Pop, Vampire Weekend, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, The Answering Machine, Blink 182 (at a very big push)
CHECK OUT: Their aptly-titled "Summertime" EP
MORE INFO?: MySpace, official website

It's hard not to love Muse sometimes...

Okay, Oasis and Nirvana have done it before, but Muse are better.

The Hitsville UK Alternative Mercury Prize! Results!

Yes, I'm fairly late in posting this and yes, hardly anyone voted but I have a duty as a music blogger/nerd to do this sort of thing. And just so there are no complaints (not that there ever are), only British albums released in the last 12 months that weren't nominated for the actual Mercury could qualify. So here are the results of The Hitsville UK Alternative Mercury Prize or The Thermometer Award (Thermometer, mercury...geddit?)



VV Brown - Travelling Like The Light - 3/30%
Los Campesinos! - We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed - 3 votes/30%
Franz Ferdinand - Tonight: Franz Ferdinand - 2 votes/20%
The Maccabees - Wall Of Arms - 2 votes/20%
Metronomy - Nights Out - 2 votes/20%
We Were Promised Jetpacks - 2 votes/20%
Grammatics - Grammatics - 1 vote/10%
Jack Penate - Everything Is New - 1 vote/10%
Manic Street Preachers - Journal For Plague Lovers - 1 vote/10%
It Hugs Back - Inside Your Guitar - 0 votes
Late Of The Pier - Fantasy Black Channel - 0 votes
Sky Larkin - The Golden Spike - 0 votes

So congrats to both LC! and VV Brown on being joint winners. A well deserved victory for both, if fairly suprising (my money was on The Maccabees). "Travelling Like The Light" is a superb album, fusing parts of 50s/60s rock 'n' roll with soul and modern pop. If I was going to be lazy, I'd say she was the alternative to the hype storm of La Roux, Little Boots and Florence...alright, she basically is. It does have something for pretty much everyone, except death metal fans and that awful breed of human that drives around at 100mph at night listening to awful dance. Ok, "Crying Blood" is essentially a reworking of "The Monster Mash", but it doesn't stop it, or the album from being any less awesome.

LC! on the other hand, are a somewhat more acquired taste. But if you persevere with "We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed", you're in for a treat. The band are probably most known for their painfully accurate lyrics ("As if I walked into the room to see my ex-girlfriend/Who by the way, I'm still in love with/Sucking the face of some pretty boy with my favourite band's most popular song in the background/Is it wrong that I can't decide which bothers me most?" is one that is now ingrained in my mind, and what indie guy hasn't felt like that?), that sum up angst in a way not seen since Morrissey. "WAB,WAD" is a massive step forward from their debut "Hold On Now, Youngster" both musically and lyrically, fully embracing the range of LC!'s influences (from the alt.pop of Kenickie and Bis to the punk rock of Fucked Up and Black Flag, as well as the noise of No Age and Xiu Xiu). Judging by the new track "The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future", things can only get better.

Weezer - Raditude cover

Need I say more?

NEU! featuring Ian Brown, Weezer, The Black Box Revelation, and The Drums

Ian Brown - Stellify
King Monkey may not have that many big tunes of his own (as evidenced at Leeds) but this is certain to join the few in his canon. Lo-fi and clearly dance-inspired with the entrancing piano line. Driven along by an great marching beat and like pretty much everything to do with Brown, it's got a certain swagger to it which is more than enough to propel it into classic status.
9

Weezer - (If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To
The first release from Weezer's awesome-ly titled seventh album "Raditude" is just what you'd expect from Rivers Cuomo & the other three. The skiffle-y intro makes way for a great pop chorus, with all the ingredients for a classic Weezer tune; girls, lsuting after them, some reference to summer and Slayer. After the 50/50 awesomeness/filler of The Red Album, "Raditude" is gonna be...well...rad!
8

The Black Box Revelation - I Think I Like You
There hasn't been a young, brash, permanently-wearing-leather-jacket-type rock 'n' roll group with both tunes and attitude around in a while (The Enemy? Really? Did you hear that second album?!). What Oasis would sound like if they were still 20, playing shite clubs and showed a hell of a lot more passion for what they do, instead of cosying up to Russell Brand or starting fashion labels. It's not what you'd call original and whilst it may have been done thousands of times before, TBBR are making garage rock what it should be; exciting and not giving a fook.
7.5


The Drums - Let's Go Surfing
There's no point in anyone releasing any other single this year. This is the best song of 2009. It's what is under all that feedback and droning of the current shoegaze revival; pure classic guitar pop, just guitar, bass, drums and packed to the brim with hooks. "Let's Go Surfing" is the perfect summer song, and had it recieved more exposure, it would have been this year's "A-Punk"...just less annoying. If you can stop yourself from listening to it on repeat/humming it throughout the day, then I'll eat my hat.
10