"Would you set a horse on fire for £1 million?"

I've changed the Day & Age rating to a 7/10 instead of 8. After a few days of listening to little else, the weaker moments of the album have made themselves glaringly obvious. The apparent "kitchen sink" approach to some songs doesn't work at all for the band, and if they keep this up then I doubt future reviews will be too kind.

*****

Alexis Blue have made their debut album available to download for free from HERE or HERE. So no excuses for whoever's bored enough to read this to not download it. Home-recorded and produced by the band, the album is packed full of indie-pop gems that make you wonder how stupid the Road To V judges actually were. The five new songs on the album, including Altar Ego and (Now It's An) Alcoholocaust, build on the band's already impressive canon. Catchy songs, witty wordplay, good riffs, all for free. What more could you want, eh?
8/10

And while you're at it, join the AB forum, they're a lovely bunch....most of the time haha.

xxx

Day & Age

Well the new Killers album "Day & Age" has found its way on to teh internetz, only 4 days before the proper release date. By modern standards, that's a pretty remarkable feat, considering how many new LPs have leaked weeks in advance (namely Favourite Worst Nightmare last year).

As a fan of The Killers, I've been anticipating this since Human also magically appeared on the web, and going by the reviews & tracks floating around already, as well as their Jools Holland performance a few weeks ago it's sounding like a classic already (well apart from NME, giving it 7/10, Scrooges). While the album may take some time to actually lodge itself in my memory, I'll just post some initial thoughts for now

1. Losing Touch - Announcing itself in a wave of feedback, the Foals-esque brass section kicks in, reminding us of "Bones". Could this hint towards another "Sam's Town"? Nope, since synths immediately take over and send the song back to classic Killers territory. Brandon Flowers' lyrics give a feeling of confusion and being lost, something conveyed in recent interviews. Heck even the title is a dead give away to his feelings right now. But somehow, it fits perfectly with the slightly melancholic mood of the song. and to top it off, an OTT solo from Dave Keunig, befitting of his current image of Slash's camp cousin from the 70's
2. Human - Denser? Dancer? Dancers? I don't know, every time I listen the chorus changes (although Flowers has confirmed it's dancer, in reference to a quote from Hunter S. Thompson...still no excuse for the pretty awful grammar). Anyways, this tune rattles along like a long-lost Johnny Cash-New Order collaboration, built for stadiums/drunken sing-alongs/MSN screennames.
   
3. Spaceman - And that makes it three brilliant songs in a row for "Day & Age". Some fears for another half-good, half-filler album are starting to creep in, but for now I'm just enjoying the ride. "Spaceman" is the sound of The Killers actually having some fun for the first time in the last 4 years. Beginning with a "ohh oh ohh" hook to possibly rival "Chelsea Dagger", or at least Ruby, Ruby, fucking Ruby, Spaceman barely lets up the pace throughout. Upto now it's a highlight of a rather good album, packed with synthy goodness and a funky bassline for the middle eight, right before the epic chorus kicks in one final time. It'll be a highlight of the festivals next summer.
   
4. Joy Ride - Well this is unexpected. Another funked out bassline and a samba feel for track four. You wouldn't have heard this on "Sam's Town" or "Hot Fuss". It almost sounds like some Friendly Fires tracks, just without the late 80's rave feeling.I'm not too sure what to make of this though. The chorus feels understated for the band, with a slight country feel to it.... make of that what you will. Another attempt at "ohh ohh ohh"-ing near the end feels a little desperate, and over all the track just seems a little too kitsch.
   
5. A Dustland Fairytale - Now if the titles doesn't sound perfect for Bruce Springsteen or "Sam's Town", then the lyrics will. "Just another white trash county kiss", "Like some kind of slick chrome American prince"; it's lines like these which show how far The Killers have come from worshipping anything British and from 20 years ago on "Hot Fuss". ADF begins with a soft piano intro and eventually bursts into life as an downbeat Americana anthem. Deserves repeated listenings to truly appreciate, in my opinion
   
6. This Is Your Life - Okay, weird. An a cappella intro, mixed with an alien-sounding synth and yet again, lyrics that could have come from "Sam's Town". It would appear at this point, the album is the distillation of the previous two; danceable beats and layers of keyboards mixed on top of feelings of longing and pride with a smidge of bombast. Another grower, which slows down the pace of the album slightly, this could be The Killers maturing past slightly hollow sentiments and overly-mainstream songs to a truly interesting band.
   
7. I Can't Stay - Seems like the maturity thing may be right, at least in expanding their musical horizons. Harps, Spanish guitar, clarinet, steel drums, saxophone and luscious strings adorn this track, fleshing out and improving it indefinitely. Despite the heavy amount of instrumentation, I Can't Stay sounds simple, yet heartfelt. A hidden gem.
   
8. Neon Tiger - ....in which Flowers says he was attempting to write like MGMT. Hmmm.... Having heard this on Jools Holland, I already know that this is another highlight of the album. The chorus deserves to shouted from arenas, stadiums and muddy fields across the planet, whilst the song as a whole harks back to the pink blazer-and-eyeliner days of Brandon & Co. Still can't see the MGMT connection, apart from the Neon Tiger thing, something which the seemingly perpetual stoners could think up.
   
9. The World We Live In - A big pop moment of the album. The synths (yes, there's an abundance of them) take over once again, with a steady beat and simple bass for the first time on the album. It's another simple track, slightly dreamy vocals, strings reminiscent of "Everything Must Go" by Manic Street Preachers (well in my mind anyway), it could be classed as a "slowie", if it weren't for the fact that Flowers comes up trumps yet again in the chorus department. Once again, should they play any festivals, they can expect this one chanted back at them.
   
10. Goodnight, Travel Well - The longest Killers track at almost 7 minutes, this one is definitely interesting. Ominous and brooding, Brandon's mournful voice makes this the most downbeat Killers song ever. Given the subject (Dave Keunig's mother's death), it's pretty understandable. As the song progresses, it develops into an epic album closer and a welcome departure from the poptastic indie disco of their back catalogue.

Overall, the album is everything you expect, and at the same, not what you expected. The Killers seem to like being contrary. On one hand, "Day & Age" is a perfect pop album; you can dance to it, smile to it, cry to it, examine it, break up to it etc etc. But on the other hand, it's a brave experiment and expansion for the band. Elements which wouldn't have appeared earlier in their career are now the focal point of many songs, and for this they have to be applauded. Influences fly in from everywhere: New Order, Bowie, Springsteen, Elton John, Pet Shop Boys. Mixed with The Killers knack for hooks and bombast, it creates an album for almost everyone. It may not have reached the heights of Sam's Town yet for me personally, but give it a month or two, you might see a change.
Bring on album four is all I can say.

7/10
xxx

"There is no nation of me, there is no nation of you"

Okay so no No Age review yet. Rather stressed atm, I should really start doing homework at the proper time. Oh well...

But but but! The new Franz Ferdinand album, "Tonight: Franz Ferdinand", is shaping up to be amazing, judging on the three songs I've heard and the NME blog review. I've been listening to Lucid Dreams and Can't Stop Feeling for a couple of months now, both perfect Franz. Although not exactly groundbreaking, they're still both guaranteed hits, if it weren't for the fact that my version of CSF is a demo, and LD has been turned into an apparent 8 minute long techno choon.

But just today I've got my virtual hands on a virtual copy of "Ulysses", the lead single from the album. To sound like a typical NME hack, it's pure disco, but with a slice of epicness and electronica mixed in. It'll be huge on the dancefloors and, while possibly not being to the taste of all fans, bodes well for the album.

9/10

xxx

Arguemental

Possibly best TV show ever? After Mock The Week obv.

***

No Age: My new love this week. Love their two albums, and just ordered the t-shirt...I'm such a hipster.
In-depth reviews of albums to follow soon.

"We have real zombies on the go here!"

Glasvegas on Graham Norton Uncut. Errrr whut? I could take James Allan going on Buzzcocks, but this just too weird tbh

****

Twisted Wheel: new Manc/Oldham band, current supporting Oasis on tour. Not too sure what to make of them being honest. The tracks I heard on their MySpace are fairly average, stuff you'd expect to hear from the local chavvy band who've just discovered The Clash. But their new single "Lucy The Castle" is pretty catchy, and miles better than their other stuff. It may be because the video has been played about 972840 on the music channels over the last week or two, but still check 'em out.

Twisted Wheel
Lucy The Castle video

****

"I like beautiful melodies telling me terrible things."
xxx

Sam's Town: A re-evaluation

The Killers second album, "Sam's Town", isn't viewed in too much of a positive light amongst the music press and fans. It's generally viewed as an overblown Springsteen-esque piece of Americana, accompanied by an unfortunate bit of facial hair (which has now been thankfully consigned to the rubbish bin of image overhauls)

Their debut "Hot Fuss" was critically acclaimed and popular with the part of the public that still buy CDs, yet a little one sided. The first half of the record was packed with what the Lacoste-wearing masses call "choons"; electro-indie-pop classics such as Mr Brightside and Somebody Told Me. Yet the second half was pretty much 5 tracks of filler, which only the hardcore fans could name/sing along to. And shortly after "Sam's Town" was released, the general consensus was that The Killers had followed the same route of an album of half great songs, half barely b-side standard.

But now, 2 weeks before third album "Day & Age" is released, I think it's time to take another look back at ST. The need for a run of classic albums from every new band seems to cloud most critics and fans perceptions of new LPs. If it's not a "Morning Glory", "Favourite Worst Nightmare" or "A Grand Don't Come For Free", then it's derided as a "Give 'Em Enough Rope", a "Yours Truly, Angry Mob" or even worse, a "Second Coming". Not that those albums are bad, just that they don't match up to the amazing/brilliant/zietgiest-defining debuts.

Beginning at Track 1 (which is always helpful), the title track of "Sam's Town" is a whirlwind of melodramatic rock 'n' roll, placing you straight into the retina-burning world of The Killers hometown, Las Vegas. Subtlety has never really been a part of their vocabulary, and here the word is seemingly erased from existance with almost everything but the kitchen sink thrown into this one track. It may appear cluttered, but it definitely works. But in the most direct of contrasts, this is followed by the first of two -ludes, Enterlude. A simple 50 second intro to the rest of the album, it may seem rather pompous to include Enterlude and its sister song, Exitlude, but yet again, it works to a tee.

Apart from these two, the album is pretty much the same melodramatic pomp-rock experienced on the title track, the pace never really letting up for a minute. The Springsteen influence is pretty obvious throughout, with lyrics like "We’re burnin’ down the highway skyline/On the back of a hurricane" so rooted in America, that there are oil prospectors still trying to get to them. But for all the talk of The Boss and The 'Tasche, Brandon & co still stick to their original influences of 80's synth-pop (namely New Order), which produces possibly the album's best moment in "Read My Mind", a track that could fit comfortably on Hot Fuss (and improve it indefinitely). Toned down vocals and guitars mixed with heavy synths and yet more cliched lyrics, e.g. “Breakin’ out of this two-star town” and “the stars are blazing like rebel diamonds cut out of the sun” make for a classic Killers song.

Before the record was released Flowers was quoted as saying that Sam's Town would be "one of the best albums in the past twenty years" and that it would be "the album that keeps rock & roll afloat." I'm not too sure about the latter part, but it is definitely one of the best albums since 1986. For a band who are "morally bankrupt" (© Nicky Wire 2007) they don't half make some great tunes

9/10

xxx

"HELLO LIVERPOOL!"

God, the EMAs are awful.
It's embarassing enough to get our own little awards ceremony just because we aren't on the other side of the pond, but to give the awards to shit acts is a kick in the continental bollocks.
The only good things about it were the Wombats, The Killers and Katy Perry (only because she is rather prettyful).

• Metallica, Duffy and Coldplay all nominated for numerous awards, and lose out to 30 Seconds To Mars,Pink and
  
• Jared Leto dressed in purple skinny jeans, a leather jacket, Obama shirt, a checked shirt and big kicks with hair past your shoulders. You're almost 40! Jesus Christ on a bike!
• Bono. Wanker.
• Tokio Hotel. A bunch of German hair-metallers beating Metallica and The Cure to the title of "Headliner". I know that means absolutely nothing, but it's the principle of the matter.
• Rick Astley being voted "Best Act Ever". I don't care how many lulz it provided or that I voted for him at least a thousand times, it just makes the whole thing seem totally farcical.
• The fact that only 4 winners were European
• The sheer amount of Americans turning the awards into an Obama rally. Yes, we know he won, we know he's pretty amazing but no need to shove it down our throats.

Fuck MTV, and fuck their awards
(I realise now it's ironic that I'm off to watch Gonzo on MTV2 now, but still.... MTV in general is a load of wank)

"First love, last love, hold me love, it's only love"
xxx

Computers and Blues

You know something is up in life when you start enjoying Snow Patrol.
Seriously, Q is playing the top 10 Snow Patrol songs, and being honest, they're all good. That's a sentence I never thought I'd say/type.

In a complete contrast, I've been pretty obsessed with The Streets today. Wasn't really into good music for the first two albums, and also hated rap in every shape and form. How unenlightened I was. But after listening to most of them, it's quite obvious that Mike Skinner is a genius.


Also check out Billy Talent :)
www.myspace.com/billytalent

"That's why I do this music business thing, it's communication with people without having the extreme inconvenience of actually phoning anybody up. "
xxx