What better way for me to ring in the New Year than at a gig? With live music in mind, along with memories of hideous clubs and sticky floors, I was more than just slightly pleased to hear that my beloved Flowerpot were staging a NYE musical extravaganza at the HMV Forum in Kentish Town. So, world class bands may not have been on the line up but there were definitely a couple to watch on there, so figured it was worth a look in.
After arriving late (that's what drinking games do for you), I discovered I was just in time to see Everything Everything, who have previously received tidbits of hype but are bound to receive bucketloads more this year. Their witty electro infused indie pop translated unexpectedly well on stage, which was a pleasant surprise as I was somewhat concerned it was just going to be four lads involved in a dubious keyboard-based mash up. Unfortunately, not many other people there seemed to be enjoying them as much as I was, but perhaps this was because the scenesters these days deem it relatively uncool to be appreciating songs about Photoshop.
Headlining were Mumford and Sons, who, to be honest, I was not particularly excited about. After seeing them support the Maccabees at the start of last year and feeling their performance was one of the most uncharismatic I had experienced in a while, I wondered if this folk quartet were really the best people to be helping me ring in the new year. There has been a lot of hype around them in the past few months and I couldn't understand how and what I had apparently missed, so figured this would provide me with an opportunity to try and work it out. I will happily admit when I am wrong and I am honestly pleased to say that this was one of them.
In the interim months between originally seeing them live and then a second time, the band have injected a substantial dose of allure and charm into their live sets; and they are all the better for it. Yes, their slower songs aren't ones that had everyone dancing but single 'Little Lion Man' produced a positive reaction from the crowd and lead singer Marcus Mumford's yearning vocals cause you to strain to discover more about exactly what he is singing. Their livelier tracks most certainly instilled the party spirit into the drunken revellers, with a good ol' fashioned hoe-down taking place over several songs in front of the stage and a somewhat loudly slurred sing-a-long to their version of Amazing Grace as they rounded up their set. They're never going to quite have the stage presence of bands fronted by big personalities such as Kasabian or Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but I think this would come across somewhat bizarrely in comparison to the music they make anyway. They helped make my new years enjoyable, and that's enough for me.
(Photos to come.... if they have turned out decently enough on my camera)
www.myspace.com/everythingeverythinguk
www.myspace.com/mumfordandsons
http://www.mumfordandsons.com/
Showing posts with label 2009. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2009. Show all posts
Sunday, 3 January 2010
Saturday, 2 January 2010
They think it's all over.... 2009 definitely is now
So.... the 24 days of Christmas Crackers didn't quite come to fruition. Turns out there are quite a lot of parties and gigs at Christmas time and I had too much music to listen to and not enough time to write about it. I'm sure you were all devastated.
Anyway, 2010 is here and the blog is back on form, and I have a feeling it's going to be a great year for music. 2009 wasn't bad but there were only a few stand out albums for me, and there should have been more. Here are the few that tickled me pink last year...
Kasabian - West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
The Leeds lads finally graduated to the big time and if this storming album didn't do it for them, then nothing would have. Moving on from their typically lad-driven sound, this record was heavily influenced by psychadelia but it was a change in direction that suited them perfectly. Their songs proved them band have more substance than their previous two releases gave them credit for. Kasabian's new found success has spurred them on so much that they aim to have their next album out at the end of this year; if they manage it, it will be most interesting to see if it ends up sounding too rushed, and what direction they take next (sources say it's already quite Nirvana-esque).
Noah and the Whale - First Days of Spring
Moving on from their pop-folk sound, NATW undeniably released one of the most emotionally heart-wrenching albums of last year, or perhaps even of the decade. It's not often that a guy puts his emotions on such blatant display, but lead singer Charlie Fink took the risk and it most certainly paid off. Anyone who can make it to the end of the album without a tear in their eye needs to check they actually have a heart.
The Maccabees - Wall of Arms
After receiving much acclaim for their debut release, the Maccabees managed to pull off the difficult second album with mature success. Much like Noah and the Whale, their follow up release showed a somewhat darker side to the band, with deeper lyrics and less ambrosial fluff. The gap in between their debut and second releases also gave the band more time to gel together on stage and made them ones to watch on the gig circuit.
The Temper Trap - Conditions
These New Zealanders made a definite impression with their debut single release, 'Sweet Disposition', which seemed to be forced onto us via the medium of film soundtracks, adverts, various tv shows and of course, radio play, towards the latter part of 2009. Luckily for us, it's a great song. Their ethereal indie sound captured the attentions of music listeners everywhere, and the band have already sold out three dates at Shepherd's Bush Empire in a few months' time based on their debut single alone. Not bad going. 2010 is the time for these boys to prove they are more than a one-hit wonder, and they certainly have the potential to do so.
Other releases worthy of a mention:
Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
Alex Turner proves these Sheffield lads are more than polo shirts and witty lyrics.
Muse - The Resistance
If someone had told us two years ago that Matt Bellamy and co. would cross Knights of Cydonia with Freddie Mercury, we'd have laughed. Somehow, it works.
Hockey - Mind Chaos
Indie rap never sounded so good. And they're from Portland! Who'd have thought it.
Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
After years of unjustly flying under the radar, these French boys finally gained some commercial recognition with their catchy pop tinged with a touch of electro.
Anyway, 2010 is here and the blog is back on form, and I have a feeling it's going to be a great year for music. 2009 wasn't bad but there were only a few stand out albums for me, and there should have been more. Here are the few that tickled me pink last year...
Kasabian - West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
The Leeds lads finally graduated to the big time and if this storming album didn't do it for them, then nothing would have. Moving on from their typically lad-driven sound, this record was heavily influenced by psychadelia but it was a change in direction that suited them perfectly. Their songs proved them band have more substance than their previous two releases gave them credit for. Kasabian's new found success has spurred them on so much that they aim to have their next album out at the end of this year; if they manage it, it will be most interesting to see if it ends up sounding too rushed, and what direction they take next (sources say it's already quite Nirvana-esque).
Noah and the Whale - First Days of Spring
Moving on from their pop-folk sound, NATW undeniably released one of the most emotionally heart-wrenching albums of last year, or perhaps even of the decade. It's not often that a guy puts his emotions on such blatant display, but lead singer Charlie Fink took the risk and it most certainly paid off. Anyone who can make it to the end of the album without a tear in their eye needs to check they actually have a heart.
The Maccabees - Wall of Arms
After receiving much acclaim for their debut release, the Maccabees managed to pull off the difficult second album with mature success. Much like Noah and the Whale, their follow up release showed a somewhat darker side to the band, with deeper lyrics and less ambrosial fluff. The gap in between their debut and second releases also gave the band more time to gel together on stage and made them ones to watch on the gig circuit.
The Temper Trap - Conditions
These New Zealanders made a definite impression with their debut single release, 'Sweet Disposition', which seemed to be forced onto us via the medium of film soundtracks, adverts, various tv shows and of course, radio play, towards the latter part of 2009. Luckily for us, it's a great song. Their ethereal indie sound captured the attentions of music listeners everywhere, and the band have already sold out three dates at Shepherd's Bush Empire in a few months' time based on their debut single alone. Not bad going. 2010 is the time for these boys to prove they are more than a one-hit wonder, and they certainly have the potential to do so.
Other releases worthy of a mention:
Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
Alex Turner proves these Sheffield lads are more than polo shirts and witty lyrics.
Muse - The Resistance
If someone had told us two years ago that Matt Bellamy and co. would cross Knights of Cydonia with Freddie Mercury, we'd have laughed. Somehow, it works.
Hockey - Mind Chaos
Indie rap never sounded so good. And they're from Portland! Who'd have thought it.
Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
After years of unjustly flying under the radar, these French boys finally gained some commercial recognition with their catchy pop tinged with a touch of electro.
Saturday, 1 August 2009
2009 is a musical marathon, not a sprint
This year has been, quite frankly, absolutely bloody amazing for music. So you can imagine my excitement at the fact we're only just over half way through and the best could still be yet to come. Here are some of my favourites so far, and what I think we should be looking forward to.
Friendly Fires' debut, technically released last year, has rampaged its way to the forefront of the scene in the last few months and the surge in appreciation the boys are experiencing is nothing but undeniably well deserved. Their album is one of the few you can put on and not want to skip a track throughout. With new single Kiss of Life released at the end of August to coincide with the bonus disc re-release of their debut, they are going to be even more revered by the time the year is out.
White Lies have also proven themselves to be a band to sit up and take notice of and the string of sell out shows they've staged this year indicates that thousands have already done so. Kasabian's third offering has been overdue but well worth the wait. Having to previously batttle off the label of 'a poor man's Oasis', they are no longer lurking in the shadow of their Northern counterparts. Psychedelia is dish of the day with these boys and it's pretty damn tasty.
Other notable releases (though there have been many I unfortunately can't spend all day listing them all) include eerily-ethereal Florence + the Machine, Empire of the Sun who may have just beaten MGMT at their own game, and the bizarre genre-hybrid that appeared in the form of Discovery. The start of their track Osaka Loop Line sounds like their stereo has recorded proceedings backwards, and it's so damn catchy you are almost tempted to take a hammer to your own player to see if you can get everything else you own to sound so bloody cool.
But the finishing line is still a way off, and hundreds of artists are impatiently rattling at their starting boxes ready to begin the chase.
In lanes one and two we have two of the bigger hitters - Muse and Arctic Monkeys. After months of sitting through side projects and musical treasure hunts, fans have finally been given tasters of what can be expected. Undoubtedly sales figures will be high, but if these tasters are anything to go by, sales will be a reflection of their esteemed names, rather than musical accomplishment. Muse's United States of Eurasia sounds a long-lost lovechild of Queen and the band themselves even recognise that some parts of the track are utterly laughable. As for Monkeys' Crying Lightning, their sound has taken a totally different direction. Some have compared it to Alex Turner's side project The Last Shadow Puppets but the only thing their new offering has in common with TLSP is the fact it's a lot slower paced compared to their previous work. TSLP was very Burt Bacharach, whereas Crying Lighting is slow, dark and far too austere. The Arctics first grabbed attention with their cutting lyrics; Turner told it how he saw it and listeners could catch glimpses of themselves and their lives in his words. Now they seem to have caved in to the title of serious musicians and lost their edge along with it. All I can do is cross my fingers that the new directions both bands have taken either grow on me considerably, or disappear as fast as they arrived.
Luckily there are still others on course to potentially pip them to the post and an offering of second albums seem to be the ones that might possibly do it. Simian Mobile Disco, reformed from the ashes of Simian a few years ago, are well known for their production and mixing work with bands such as Klaxons, Air and Muse, they are a massively underrated dance duo in their own right. 2007's Attack. Decay. Sustain. Release. is possibly one of the best dance albums released this decade, yet mention electro-bass driven track 'Hustler' to the person sat next to you and chances are they won't know what the hell you're on about. Hopefully their new vocally driven single Audacity of Huge from new album Temporary Pleasure will finally garner them the recognition they deserve.
Noah and the Whale, perhaps best known for one of the most endearing yet hideously annoying songs of last year, Five Years Time, return with a far more mature sound and it does them a multitude of favours in the credibility stakes. Blue Skies is a sure-fire contender for one of the most haunting songs of the year and other tracks on their new release seem to follow suit. Anyone who fails to be somewhat moved by lyrics such as 'this is the last song that I write while still in love with you' and 'this is a song for anyone who can't get out of bed... I'd do anything to be happy again' needs to promptly thaw out their heart of ice.
Jamie T has also adopted a somewhat more refined and produced sound for his second outing, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Tracks such as Sheila and If You Got The Money were undeniably catchy and well written, but still possessed an element of layabout London teenager spitting into the microphone. Luckily his new tracks are just as well written and memorable, but the sulky teenage persona seems to have disappeared which means Jamie T will hopefully be more recognised now for the intelligent indie-garage performer he is.
Vampire Weekend are due to return by year's end with their new release, although as of yet there have been no teaser releases and not even a hint of an album title. If their follow up is anywhere near as impressive as their preppy self-titled debut then we are all in for a treat. Stereophonics are to release their seventh studio album, and as Kelly Jones describes it as having a 50's feel about it, I am both somewhat excited yet concerned that it will contain undertones of Rock Around The Clock hidden somewhere between the bridge and the chorus. I can only hope it proves a successful direction for the band to take and doesn't end up being another You Gotta Go There To Come Back (sorry lads but we all know it was a discography low point).
Debuts releases from Portland based indie-rap-punk band Hockey is definitelty one to watch out for, as is the debut release from self-christened folk supergroup Monsters of Folk. Comprising of members of Bright Eyes, M.Ward and My Morning Jacket, they are bound to make as big a wave in the folk/alternative scene as The Dead Weather have made in the indie/rock one. Throw in a bit of The Strokes (though their fourth album may not drop until early '10), Jet, Jay-Z, Editors, Air Traffic, Dizzee Rascal, Kings of Convenience, and newcomers Little Comets and The Takeover UK, and there is a definite race to be run. Only time will tell who comes out top on the podium, but it's going to be one hell of a competiton to listen to in the meantime.
Friendly Fires' debut, technically released last year, has rampaged its way to the forefront of the scene in the last few months and the surge in appreciation the boys are experiencing is nothing but undeniably well deserved. Their album is one of the few you can put on and not want to skip a track throughout. With new single Kiss of Life released at the end of August to coincide with the bonus disc re-release of their debut, they are going to be even more revered by the time the year is out.
White Lies have also proven themselves to be a band to sit up and take notice of and the string of sell out shows they've staged this year indicates that thousands have already done so. Kasabian's third offering has been overdue but well worth the wait. Having to previously batttle off the label of 'a poor man's Oasis', they are no longer lurking in the shadow of their Northern counterparts. Psychedelia is dish of the day with these boys and it's pretty damn tasty.
Other notable releases (though there have been many I unfortunately can't spend all day listing them all) include eerily-ethereal Florence + the Machine, Empire of the Sun who may have just beaten MGMT at their own game, and the bizarre genre-hybrid that appeared in the form of Discovery. The start of their track Osaka Loop Line sounds like their stereo has recorded proceedings backwards, and it's so damn catchy you are almost tempted to take a hammer to your own player to see if you can get everything else you own to sound so bloody cool.
But the finishing line is still a way off, and hundreds of artists are impatiently rattling at their starting boxes ready to begin the chase.
In lanes one and two we have two of the bigger hitters - Muse and Arctic Monkeys. After months of sitting through side projects and musical treasure hunts, fans have finally been given tasters of what can be expected. Undoubtedly sales figures will be high, but if these tasters are anything to go by, sales will be a reflection of their esteemed names, rather than musical accomplishment. Muse's United States of Eurasia sounds a long-lost lovechild of Queen and the band themselves even recognise that some parts of the track are utterly laughable. As for Monkeys' Crying Lightning, their sound has taken a totally different direction. Some have compared it to Alex Turner's side project The Last Shadow Puppets but the only thing their new offering has in common with TLSP is the fact it's a lot slower paced compared to their previous work. TSLP was very Burt Bacharach, whereas Crying Lighting is slow, dark and far too austere. The Arctics first grabbed attention with their cutting lyrics; Turner told it how he saw it and listeners could catch glimpses of themselves and their lives in his words. Now they seem to have caved in to the title of serious musicians and lost their edge along with it. All I can do is cross my fingers that the new directions both bands have taken either grow on me considerably, or disappear as fast as they arrived.
Luckily there are still others on course to potentially pip them to the post and an offering of second albums seem to be the ones that might possibly do it. Simian Mobile Disco, reformed from the ashes of Simian a few years ago, are well known for their production and mixing work with bands such as Klaxons, Air and Muse, they are a massively underrated dance duo in their own right. 2007's Attack. Decay. Sustain. Release. is possibly one of the best dance albums released this decade, yet mention electro-bass driven track 'Hustler' to the person sat next to you and chances are they won't know what the hell you're on about. Hopefully their new vocally driven single Audacity of Huge from new album Temporary Pleasure will finally garner them the recognition they deserve.
Noah and the Whale, perhaps best known for one of the most endearing yet hideously annoying songs of last year, Five Years Time, return with a far more mature sound and it does them a multitude of favours in the credibility stakes. Blue Skies is a sure-fire contender for one of the most haunting songs of the year and other tracks on their new release seem to follow suit. Anyone who fails to be somewhat moved by lyrics such as 'this is the last song that I write while still in love with you' and 'this is a song for anyone who can't get out of bed... I'd do anything to be happy again' needs to promptly thaw out their heart of ice.
Jamie T has also adopted a somewhat more refined and produced sound for his second outing, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Tracks such as Sheila and If You Got The Money were undeniably catchy and well written, but still possessed an element of layabout London teenager spitting into the microphone. Luckily his new tracks are just as well written and memorable, but the sulky teenage persona seems to have disappeared which means Jamie T will hopefully be more recognised now for the intelligent indie-garage performer he is.
Vampire Weekend are due to return by year's end with their new release, although as of yet there have been no teaser releases and not even a hint of an album title. If their follow up is anywhere near as impressive as their preppy self-titled debut then we are all in for a treat. Stereophonics are to release their seventh studio album, and as Kelly Jones describes it as having a 50's feel about it, I am both somewhat excited yet concerned that it will contain undertones of Rock Around The Clock hidden somewhere between the bridge and the chorus. I can only hope it proves a successful direction for the band to take and doesn't end up being another You Gotta Go There To Come Back (sorry lads but we all know it was a discography low point).
Debuts releases from Portland based indie-rap-punk band Hockey is definitelty one to watch out for, as is the debut release from self-christened folk supergroup Monsters of Folk. Comprising of members of Bright Eyes, M.Ward and My Morning Jacket, they are bound to make as big a wave in the folk/alternative scene as The Dead Weather have made in the indie/rock one. Throw in a bit of The Strokes (though their fourth album may not drop until early '10), Jet, Jay-Z, Editors, Air Traffic, Dizzee Rascal, Kings of Convenience, and newcomers Little Comets and The Takeover UK, and there is a definite race to be run. Only time will tell who comes out top on the podium, but it's going to be one hell of a competiton to listen to in the meantime.
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