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...

NEU!
>>>TRACKS>>>31.05.09>>>Little Boots, Kasabian, Jamie T, Alexis Blue, The Chapman Family

Little Boots - New In Town
Apologies for reiterating the most over-used cliché concerning new music this year, but let the electro-pop battles commence! For those not in the know/living under a particularly heavy rock, Little Boots is being grouped together with La Roux and Florence & The Machine as a "Holy Trinity" of modern, hyped, female electro-pop singers. All three are being weighed down by the expectation laid on them at the beginning of the year by critics eager for bright new stars to foist into the limelight. Anyways, "New In Town" is the lead single from LB's debut album "Hands" and has "CHOON!" written all over it. It's pretty clear to say that this will be getting repeat plays all over the country during Freshers Weeks in September, and they'll be deserved. The chorus "I'm gonna take you out tonight/I'm gonna make you feel alright" is simple yet genius at the same time and puts the former Victoria Hesketh out in front against her rivals. {Watch the video for "New In Town"}
8

Kasabian - Fire
The Leicester loudmouths comeback single is something of a slowburner (pun intended). Starting off sounding like a psychedelic jam, "Fire" soon bounces into a bluesy stomper of a chorus and possibly the easiest thing to sing along to at this summer's festivals that isn't "Ruby" or "Chelsea Dagger" ("I'm on fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrre!" is pretty much it). As always with Kasabian's lyrics, they don't exactly mean too much, but who really cares with a something this groovy (hippy-ness not intended). It's not even the best track on their third album "West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum" but still possibly the best thing Kasabian have released. {Watch the video for "Fire"}
7.5

Jamie T - Sticks N' Stones
How Jamie T isn't as big as Arctic Monkeys will forever be a mystery to me. He's got all the lyrical wit and verve of Alex Turner, the musical eclecticism of The Clash and the likeability of Kaiser Chiefs (without actually sounding like them, which is a talent in itself). "Sticks N' Stones" is his first new material released since the fantastic debut album "Panic Prevention" and it jumps about in all the right places. For a middle-class white guy from Wimbledon, he can't half rap and can craft a tune better than almost any 'bonafide popstar' around. Once again, it'll be massive at the festivals and if it doesn't propel Mr T. (no, not that one) to a similar level as the aforementioned Kaisers then I'll eat my straw hat. {Watch the video for "Sticks N' Stones}
10

Alexis Blue - Tarred & Feathered
AB have returned! Any new material from them is a cause for celebration, and "Tarred & Feathered" is no different. No massive deviation from the typical AB formula, but if it ain't broke, then it doesn't need fixing. "Tarred & Feathered" sounds more focused, tighter than anything AB have produced previously and, like Jamie T up there, they should been rising faster than mercury but for some baffling reason, they remain virtually unknown. So go download their debut album (it's free) or other demos or get down to a gig. You won't regret it. {Download "Tarred & Feathered"} {Download AB's debut album for free}
7.5

The Chapman Family - Kids
I haven't got a clue whose idea it was to stick The Chapman Family on the bill of the NME Radar tour below Magistrates, Heartbreak and La Roux, but whoever it was has a wicked sense of humour. Imagine a bunch of Radio 1-obsessed kids running to the front of the venue to see La Roux and all her electro tricks and being hit with the wall of distortion and anger that the Chapmans make. Hilarious, in my mind anyway. Back on topic, "Kids" is the first single from Teeside's finest and has an unfortunately similar chorus to Maximo Park's "The Kids Are Sick Again". But, this is a world away from the slick indie-pop of Maximo. This is proper "turn-it-up-loud-and-piss-off-your-parents/neighbours" angry rock that has been missing from British music for a long while (I don't count Gallows). "Kids" should be the anthem for all pissed and pissed-off teens across the country and for those in the know, it certainly is. {Watch the video for "Kids"}
9

NEU!
TRACKS - 04.02.09 - Pete Doherty, Ida Maria, U2, Dananananaykroyd

Pete Doherty - Last Of The English Roses
It was a little obvious that old Pete would have something patriotic-sounding, some "dreaming of Albion" schtick somewhere on his solo album. But it ain't what you'd expect from the tabloids second favourite crackhead (the first being Winehouse), which I'm guessing is soft acoustic strums and a couple of lullaby strings. "...English Roses" has quite a dubby feel overall, sounding more like Franz's "Blood" than Doherty's previous efforts, but that's the only point of interest in the whole song. The chorus is nowhere near as catchy or anthemic as Pete would like to think, and the song ends up as a dirge. Stick to the day job mate.
4

Ida Maria - Oh My God
Nope, not a Kaisers cover (like I thought at first) and a world away from the plastic pop-punk of "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked", which is all the better. Ida Maria is yet another Scandanavian popstrel, she's the slightly more dangerous alternative to her contemporaries, such as Annie and Lykke Li. Catchy as a STD covered in glue, this should have you joyously pogoing around wherever you are (although I advise against doing it in school/work). If you don't, you have no soul...either that or have no taste for good old rock 'n' roll fun.
7

U2 - Get On Your Boots
Yep, they're back. Just as the world has gone into recession, Labour stumbles from crisis to crisis once again and many many other things to worry about, U2 return to heap more MOR rock misery on us. Maybe I'm being a little unfair, as they have made some great songs and provided a soundtrack for so many TV adverts with "Vertigo" and "Beautiful Day". I'm guessing they're trying to reinvent themselves as camp glam-rockers this time around, although they're a bit late seeing as the Manics did that two years ago. Musically it's average for a band as talented as them with The Edge chucking out a second-rate Jimmy Page riff, presumably with his eyes closed. There is one sign of hope though, with Sir Lord Saint Bono proclaiming "I don’t want to talk about wars between nations". Thank fuck for that.
5.5

Dananananaykroyd - 1993
Try saying that when you're pissed. Or even sober. I'm just about getting my head around it now. One of the big names being tipped by those on the alternative side of the the music spectrum to make it relatively big this year are a shouty and loud bunch. "1993" seems to be like they've gone through a pick 'n' mix of some of the best music of the last couple of years going from the choppy guitars of Maximo Park to pounding drums The Hold Steady and a hell of a lot of elements of Biffy Clyro's sound. It ends similarly to Grammatics' "The Vauge Archive", slowed down, much calmer and softer before one last crunch of distortion. Promising, if not entirely original to these ears.
7

MMVIII: songs

Vampire Weekend - A-Punk
As previously mentioned, "A-Punk" is pretty much the song of the summer, possibly even the year. The song that brought the band to a much, much wider audience than they would have reached had they become permanent residents of the blogosphere (I'm looking at you, Black Kids). A hit at with indie disco regulars, the chavvy ringtone crew, the Tesco mums and pretty much everyone, despite none of them having a clue what is being said throughout. the infectious "Hey hey hey hey!" chorus means the song latches onto your memory and doesn't let go. An antidote to the current hard times from the anti-Strokes, who are even more brilliant.

Keane - Spiralling
Well this was a surprise. Keane; the purveyors of banal, bland, inoffensive, piss-poor piano pop come out with a heavily 80s influenced monster of a choon, basslines and a riff that Franz Ferdinand would be proud of. Although not representative of the album as a whole, it's a song for the clubs, and for house parties, yet like "A-Punk", has pretty universal appeal. Still can't stand them though.

Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor
Starts of as typical Hot Chip and develops into the perfect pop song. Melodious, dreamy, yet definitely danceable. Alexis Taylor's vocals are dreamy and gentle, just on the right side of twee; a direct contrast to the clunky beats and funky synths behind. Add to that a scattering of guitar and a chorus that grows and grows on you, deserving to be heard by everyone.

Glasvegas - Flowers & Football Tops
For any band, it takes some confidence to put a song of four and a half minutes on your debut album, as this is the one thing that can make or break your career. But to have an almost 7 minute song as the opener of your album, and the first minute and 17 seconds of that as just feedback and noise takes cajones the size of the moon. That's what Glasvegas did in "F&FT". Based on the racial murder of a Glasgow schoolboy, the song goes through the heartbreak of losing a son, with a Spector-ish "Wall of Sound" and James Allan's unmistakable Glaswegian brogue. But it's the last two minutes where the song really turns epic. The drums stop and the feedback continues into "You Are My Sunshine" which cannot be described in word without sounding like hyperbole. But it definitely lives up to hype.

Friendly Fires - Paris
A few years ago, Franz Ferdinand were making the dancefloor seems like the greatest invention ever. Fast forward to now and a different FF are doing the exact same, but not with guitars; with cowbells, plenty of drums, and wave after wave of synth. This band is Friendly Fires. Three lads from St. Albans making a combination of shoegaze, disco and dance may not sound too appealing, but on "Paris", they show that it's a damn good idea. Romantic as can be in it's lyrics ("Every night, we can watch the stars/They'll be out for us") with a wall of noise not entirely dissimilar to Glasvegas, but much more lush and softer. It's as perfect a song can get, like a smoother, cooler brother of "Ready For The Floor"

Late Of The Pier - Heartbeat
LOTP have been described in many ways. From "the future of new rave" to "making Hadouken! look good", nothing really seems to suit them. Trying to pigeonhole them is as hard as trying to keep Pete Doherty off smack or getting Jordan to keep her clothes on, and this is no more evident than on their last and best single. Starting off sounding like a long lost Killers track with a megaton of synth, it suddenly moves into "Paranoid Android" territory and then straight into a manic chorus mix of Klaxons and The Strokes. By the end of the song, we've gone through MGMT, Radiohead, RATM and end on a Muse style rock-out. Genius.

Kings Of Leon - Sex On Fire
You can't deny how good this song actually is. It may not have too much hidden meaning and isn't exactly pushing any musical boundaries, but it has possibly the most bizzare chorus of any Number One of recent times (I'm just guessing here, but actual sex on fire must hurt. A lot). It's a simple slice of stadium rock, something to dance badly to at eighteenths, to bellow with mates whilst walking home from a night out, to "headbang" to in your room while noone's around.

The Teenagers - Homecoming
Not something you'd want to listen to around anyone who's offended easily. Fifteen utterances of "naughty" words, most of them pretty strong. Starting off almost like Joy Division, "Homecoming" quickly changes into sleazy Gallic mode with a pretty simple story; boy meets girl, girl falls in love with boy, boy only wants her for sex, boy and girl get it on, boy leaves. I suppose it could be described as most teenage lads dream really....well maybe not most....*ahem*. Anyway, it's basically a slightly cynical, slightly bitter, very dirty take on 21st Century relationships. Either that or just a chance to say some rude words in a pop song

Elbow - One Day Like This
Mercury Prize winners or not, this is still a brilliant song, Elbow's first big hit after 18 years as a band. The swirling strings, the dashings of piano every now and again, and Guy Garvey's brilliant lyrics ("Kiss me like we die tonight...") all combine to make a modern-day "Hey Jude"...well almost. A gospel added to the coda gives the song an almost hymn-like feel. It's something that's perfect for the festival crowds and will be a classic in years to come.

White Lies - Death.
In 2009 White Lies will be big. Actually scrap that, they're big now. Well in terms of their sound anyways. Sonically huge. A brooding bassline that Peter Hook will kicking himself for not thinking up, the crunch of guitar that aren't "angular" or "arty" for the first time in 4 years, a quivering string section, drums pounded to within an inch of their life. These are the ingredients to one of the best songs of the year, the exact opposite to the bright and breezy "A-Punk". "Death" unashamedly has its roots firmly in the 80s, but is also definitely now. By the end of next year, White Lies will be on everyones lips.