I'm seeing my awesome friend Sophia in a just over an hour! This is very exciting because she lives all the way in Colchester, so I naturally don't get to see her very often at ALL. I think she's the only person I've ever met (apart from maybe Josh Taylor) who likes Blur more than me (hence the blog title - if you didn't recognise it go and listen to some more Blur, fool!). This is quite the coincidence, as Blur's formative years were mostly spent in Colchester. We're going for a meal with Kayleigh and Gabe (Gabeleigh? Or possibly Gayleigh?) which presents a problem for me, as I don't really possess any particularly smart clothes. I am always the most underdressed for everything and its been getting to me recently (I didn't really care before then, it's quite odd). Still, Kayleigh said Gabe is only coming in a hoody and jeans. I hope she wasn't lying, because that's what I'm planning on doing too.
It's Valentine's day soon, AKA the worst day of the year. I have always been single on Valentine's day for the whole seventeen of them I have lived through. It always makes me so bloody miserable, especially all the ridiculously lovey dovey couples. They're the worst. I don't think I've ever even received a proper valentine either. I always used to tell myself that that year's Valentine's would be different, that that year would be the year. This year though I know it's bound to be shit so I can't even be bothered to try being optimistic. I do actually have something up my sleeve for this Valentine's, but I have no idea how it'll work out yet. It'll probably never happen and stay as this stupid little dream in my head, like most things involving love.
Next music review should be up soon, once I decide what I'm actually going to review. It won't be as long as the last one, that one took forever (well, three days). I couldn't help it though really, I just have so much to say about it (a lot of which didn't even make it into the final review) and I really do love it. This is Harry, signing off.
Friday, 29 January 2010
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
Demon Days
What's that? Another music review you say? By Harry Atkinson?! Surely not! But, ladies and gents, I am afraid that this is indeed the case. I have been getting back into everything Gorillaz again in anticipation of their third album, due out in March (remember I was going on about the single the other day?). All sorts of tasty little bits and pieces of bonus content have been appearing over on the official website, including the first of a series of 'pirate radio' broadcasts set up and run by Murdoc himself. I think a little bit of his insanity has rubbed off on me a bit and I suspect it's probably coming through in the writing, but oh well. I know Murdoc's character is a psychotic fucking weirdo, but I can't help but love him a bit. The same with the others, they're just such brilliant characters. I can't help thinking that what Messrs Albarn and Hewlett created all those years ago has evolved into a twisted work of genius. It's weird how much difference age can make on a person's opinions. I first got into Gorillaz when I was maybe about 13 (although I'd heard of them much earlier, way back when Clint Eastwood came out) and I liked them quite a bit, although I wasn't particularly crazy about them or anything. They were just another pretty decent band, and the fact that they were cartoons gave them a bit of extra appeal. Now though at almost 18 years of age (I am naturally very excited although it's odd to think I'm that old) I think they're absolutely fucking brilliant. This has of course only occurred to me recently because of the excitement over the new stuff, however if I had chanced to look into them a bit more thoroughly at any point last year I reckon it would have had much the same effect. I only decided to have a good proper listen to them because I was excited about the new album, this was a fortunate decision on my part as otherwise I might not have realised just how much I love them. You get me?
Anyway, time for the review.
Gorillaz - Demon Days
I'm just going to go straight ahead and say that this is one of my favourite albums ever. I really do love it a lot and that actually makes it a bit of a challenge to review. I suppose it is easier to point out an object's flaws than it's perfections. Or maybe I just know that this review is bound to be biased. Because of this, I'd like to apologize in advance if you listen to this after reading my review expecting it to be the best thing ever, then realising it's not actually as good as I make it out to be. To be honest I don't really care if you disagree with it anyway, these are my reviews based on my opinions. If you don't like them maybe you shouldn't read them (no one reads my blog anyway so this shouldn't be much of a problem).
Demon Days begins with an eerie instrumental intro that sounds like a doomed voyage into hell itself, with lots of strange noises accompanying a haunting string melody that draws you in; it is at this point that you realise there is no turning back and you're in for one hell of a journey. As soon as it hits, the intro withdraws into the start of Last Living Souls, whose catchy beat makes for a more optimistic start to the album, although the lyrical themes are still dark. Towards the beginning it is quite a quiet and simple track, with little more than the beat, vocals and a simple piano melody. This builds however and by the end it has become something different entirely, a theme which continues into the even more brilliant Kids With Guns. This starts with a lazy bass line and while catchy, doesn't seem like anything too special. By the end it has evolved into a cacophony of screeching guitars and crashing symbals, along with a particularly effective vocal line by a gospel choir that sounds more like a horde of musical banshees. O Green World is next and is one of the stranger tracks on the album. The intro consists of a weird collection of samples thrown together into a beat which shouldn't work, but it really does. This then morphs into a guitar sequence and vocal line that would be at home on the first Gorillaz album, but strings and the aforementioned samples come into play again later on and you're reminded that this band has evolved on a large scale.
The album really comes into its own during Dirty Harry, the title of which is yet another reference to Clint Eastwood. Quite possibly the most catchy keyboard line I have ever heard leads into a chorus of children singing along to the words of the song. This sounds like it shouldn't really work, but the end result is epic and the rap that comes in about halfway through is better still. Albarn seems to have a real talent for picking awesome people to collaborate with and this really shows here. Dirty Harry segues into Feel Good Inc., which, for lack of a better way of putting it, is one of the best songs I have ever heard. The slick bass combined with the incredibly melancholic vocals already make this a pretty evocative track. You'll feel really nostalgic when listening to this (and not in a bad way either). When the acoustic guitar comes in for the chorus the effect is spectacular. It's a very simple chord sequence but it has been so well done that when it comes in it just sounds beautiful. It is hard to describe precisely how this track makes me feel, so you'll have to listen for yourself. El Mañana is next, which somehow manages to evoke even more emotions than the previous one. The chords combined with the meaningful lyrics and amazing strings make this song a very powerful one indeed. It's the kind of song that might make you question love, it's that effective.
The album gets a bit more experimental from here on in, with next track Every Planet We Reach Is Dead being a bit reminiscent of Kids With Guns in that it builds into a spectacular wall of noise at the end complete with even more strings and a synth solo. This track continues the theme of doom running through the album, particularly in the line 'I love the girl, but God only knows its/getting hard to see the sun coming through/I love you/What are we going to do?' which I really like. November Has Come and All Alone follow, with the former continuing the theme of hopelessness from the previous track with a pretty chilling soundscape and atmosphere. It would sound at home on their first album, just for its simplicity and dirty sound. All Alone is mostly rapped, but it contains a considerable glow of optimism unseen so far in the bridge towards the end. This comes in the form of a female singer (I don't know who it is) singing along (in an amazing voice, might I add) to a brilliant set of guitar chords that just seem to materialize out of nowhere. This is definitely the most 'Gorillaz' sounding track on here, but that's no bad thing and the overall sound varies so much from track to track that it wouldn't matter anyway. Case in point: take the next track, the frantic White Light. This opens up with plenty of distortion and a very simple but heavy beat (along with almost screamed lyrics). This has the effect of sounding a bit like a grimier Song 2 (classic Blur garage-rock hit) minus the "WOOHOO"s. All of a sudden this metamorphoses into another heavenly bit of choral ahhs and a lovely bit of acoustic guitar. What the fuck they were thinking of when they wrote this? I have no idea, but it somehow manages to work. White Light manages to simultaneously be the weirdest track on the album but also one of the most fun.
The final four tracks are some of my favourites and manage to wrap up the album with considerable flair and spectacle. First comes Dare, a track so catchy you will have it in your head for months after listening to it. It's not annoyingly catchy either, the hook is so good I do wonder a bit how they have managed to produce an album oozing this much with perfection. Noodle's (the little quirky one) vocals on this track sound delightfully innocent and uplifting in contrast to Shaun Ryder's infectious refrain. One of the happiest and best moments on the album (although that's not to say the melancholic ones aren't as good). This leads me quite nicely into Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head, a track that is more of a story than a song, with the verses narrated rather than sung. It is a story about a mountain called 'Monkey' and those known as 'happy folk' who inhabit the land around it. I won't tell the whole thing, but 'strange folk' invade and take everything that isn't pinned down. The lyrics are positively haunting, while at the same time managing to tell a fable about recent affairs (the Iraq war etc.) and it really is an incredibly powerful track. Don't Get Lost in Heaven follows and while it certainly has a heavenly atmosphere (you will literally imagine bright white clouds as soon as this one starts) the lyrical themes are a clever parody of what heaven could be interpreted as. Listen carefully and you'll see what I mean. What makes it more effective is the fact that the lyrics are deliberately sung at the top of Damon's (2-D's) range, so they not only sound like they should be innocent (keeping with the rest of the song) but they're also often hard to determine. Don't Get Lost in Heaven segues nicely into the title track, also the album closer. Demon Days is my favourite Gorillaz song and I see it on an almost entirely different level to the rest of the songs here. Firstly, the opening lyrics (sung by Damon/2-D again) are at the top of his range and are even more difficult to determine. This doesn't actually detract from the quality of the song though, as it makes them seem more angelic (which is the word I would use to describe the final two tracks) and when you find out what he's saying you realise it is actually fairly depressing, almost as if he has given up all hope. This is balanced brilliantly by the string melody, which is one of the most uplifting things I have ever heard, and the angelic, ethereal feel to the song. Damon's vocals cut out not that far in and as soon as that happens the song gets a bit quieter and a very simple guitar riff starts playing. This riff signals the beginning of the end of the album for me, as it sounds like a brilliantly satisfying closing melody. The song also gets a bit happier at this point, but the lyrics that are sung next (by a gospel choir) are pretty despairing of humanity in general, I think. These lyrics are repeated over and over, speaking of things like not being able to trust the air we breathe, 'cause Mother Earth wants us all to leave. Surely a reference to our shortcomings as a species? This goes on to talk about how we 'numb ourselves with drugs and TV' which is pretty much dead on the truth, I think. Demon Days doesn't just contain beautiful instrumentation, it is also a very observant song.
It all ends with a final glimmer of hope though. The final two lines of Demon Days go 'you pick yourself up it's a brand new day/so turn yourself round, don't burn yourself turn yourself, turn yourself around into the sun' which provide a little bit of optimism that maybe tomorrow will be better than today after all. The final three words are repeated over and over until the song fades out, and you're left with a slightly deeper understanding of yourself and your place in the world. Demon Days is a beautiful album; a journey into hell and back but it's the kind of hell you wouldn't mind visiting just for the experience. It's one incredible journey too and you'll come out the other side all the more better for it. A truly enlightening experience, I still discover little audio delights I didn't notice before every time I put it on. You'd be daft to miss it.
Rating: 10/10
Released: 23rd May 2005
Anyway, time for the review.
Gorillaz - Demon DaysI'm just going to go straight ahead and say that this is one of my favourite albums ever. I really do love it a lot and that actually makes it a bit of a challenge to review. I suppose it is easier to point out an object's flaws than it's perfections. Or maybe I just know that this review is bound to be biased. Because of this, I'd like to apologize in advance if you listen to this after reading my review expecting it to be the best thing ever, then realising it's not actually as good as I make it out to be. To be honest I don't really care if you disagree with it anyway, these are my reviews based on my opinions. If you don't like them maybe you shouldn't read them (no one reads my blog anyway so this shouldn't be much of a problem).
Demon Days begins with an eerie instrumental intro that sounds like a doomed voyage into hell itself, with lots of strange noises accompanying a haunting string melody that draws you in; it is at this point that you realise there is no turning back and you're in for one hell of a journey. As soon as it hits, the intro withdraws into the start of Last Living Souls, whose catchy beat makes for a more optimistic start to the album, although the lyrical themes are still dark. Towards the beginning it is quite a quiet and simple track, with little more than the beat, vocals and a simple piano melody. This builds however and by the end it has become something different entirely, a theme which continues into the even more brilliant Kids With Guns. This starts with a lazy bass line and while catchy, doesn't seem like anything too special. By the end it has evolved into a cacophony of screeching guitars and crashing symbals, along with a particularly effective vocal line by a gospel choir that sounds more like a horde of musical banshees. O Green World is next and is one of the stranger tracks on the album. The intro consists of a weird collection of samples thrown together into a beat which shouldn't work, but it really does. This then morphs into a guitar sequence and vocal line that would be at home on the first Gorillaz album, but strings and the aforementioned samples come into play again later on and you're reminded that this band has evolved on a large scale.
The album really comes into its own during Dirty Harry, the title of which is yet another reference to Clint Eastwood. Quite possibly the most catchy keyboard line I have ever heard leads into a chorus of children singing along to the words of the song. This sounds like it shouldn't really work, but the end result is epic and the rap that comes in about halfway through is better still. Albarn seems to have a real talent for picking awesome people to collaborate with and this really shows here. Dirty Harry segues into Feel Good Inc., which, for lack of a better way of putting it, is one of the best songs I have ever heard. The slick bass combined with the incredibly melancholic vocals already make this a pretty evocative track. You'll feel really nostalgic when listening to this (and not in a bad way either). When the acoustic guitar comes in for the chorus the effect is spectacular. It's a very simple chord sequence but it has been so well done that when it comes in it just sounds beautiful. It is hard to describe precisely how this track makes me feel, so you'll have to listen for yourself. El Mañana is next, which somehow manages to evoke even more emotions than the previous one. The chords combined with the meaningful lyrics and amazing strings make this song a very powerful one indeed. It's the kind of song that might make you question love, it's that effective.
The album gets a bit more experimental from here on in, with next track Every Planet We Reach Is Dead being a bit reminiscent of Kids With Guns in that it builds into a spectacular wall of noise at the end complete with even more strings and a synth solo. This track continues the theme of doom running through the album, particularly in the line 'I love the girl, but God only knows its/getting hard to see the sun coming through/I love you/What are we going to do?' which I really like. November Has Come and All Alone follow, with the former continuing the theme of hopelessness from the previous track with a pretty chilling soundscape and atmosphere. It would sound at home on their first album, just for its simplicity and dirty sound. All Alone is mostly rapped, but it contains a considerable glow of optimism unseen so far in the bridge towards the end. This comes in the form of a female singer (I don't know who it is) singing along (in an amazing voice, might I add) to a brilliant set of guitar chords that just seem to materialize out of nowhere. This is definitely the most 'Gorillaz' sounding track on here, but that's no bad thing and the overall sound varies so much from track to track that it wouldn't matter anyway. Case in point: take the next track, the frantic White Light. This opens up with plenty of distortion and a very simple but heavy beat (along with almost screamed lyrics). This has the effect of sounding a bit like a grimier Song 2 (classic Blur garage-rock hit) minus the "WOOHOO"s. All of a sudden this metamorphoses into another heavenly bit of choral ahhs and a lovely bit of acoustic guitar. What the fuck they were thinking of when they wrote this? I have no idea, but it somehow manages to work. White Light manages to simultaneously be the weirdest track on the album but also one of the most fun.
The final four tracks are some of my favourites and manage to wrap up the album with considerable flair and spectacle. First comes Dare, a track so catchy you will have it in your head for months after listening to it. It's not annoyingly catchy either, the hook is so good I do wonder a bit how they have managed to produce an album oozing this much with perfection. Noodle's (the little quirky one) vocals on this track sound delightfully innocent and uplifting in contrast to Shaun Ryder's infectious refrain. One of the happiest and best moments on the album (although that's not to say the melancholic ones aren't as good). This leads me quite nicely into Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head, a track that is more of a story than a song, with the verses narrated rather than sung. It is a story about a mountain called 'Monkey' and those known as 'happy folk' who inhabit the land around it. I won't tell the whole thing, but 'strange folk' invade and take everything that isn't pinned down. The lyrics are positively haunting, while at the same time managing to tell a fable about recent affairs (the Iraq war etc.) and it really is an incredibly powerful track. Don't Get Lost in Heaven follows and while it certainly has a heavenly atmosphere (you will literally imagine bright white clouds as soon as this one starts) the lyrical themes are a clever parody of what heaven could be interpreted as. Listen carefully and you'll see what I mean. What makes it more effective is the fact that the lyrics are deliberately sung at the top of Damon's (2-D's) range, so they not only sound like they should be innocent (keeping with the rest of the song) but they're also often hard to determine. Don't Get Lost in Heaven segues nicely into the title track, also the album closer. Demon Days is my favourite Gorillaz song and I see it on an almost entirely different level to the rest of the songs here. Firstly, the opening lyrics (sung by Damon/2-D again) are at the top of his range and are even more difficult to determine. This doesn't actually detract from the quality of the song though, as it makes them seem more angelic (which is the word I would use to describe the final two tracks) and when you find out what he's saying you realise it is actually fairly depressing, almost as if he has given up all hope. This is balanced brilliantly by the string melody, which is one of the most uplifting things I have ever heard, and the angelic, ethereal feel to the song. Damon's vocals cut out not that far in and as soon as that happens the song gets a bit quieter and a very simple guitar riff starts playing. This riff signals the beginning of the end of the album for me, as it sounds like a brilliantly satisfying closing melody. The song also gets a bit happier at this point, but the lyrics that are sung next (by a gospel choir) are pretty despairing of humanity in general, I think. These lyrics are repeated over and over, speaking of things like not being able to trust the air we breathe, 'cause Mother Earth wants us all to leave. Surely a reference to our shortcomings as a species? This goes on to talk about how we 'numb ourselves with drugs and TV' which is pretty much dead on the truth, I think. Demon Days doesn't just contain beautiful instrumentation, it is also a very observant song.
It all ends with a final glimmer of hope though. The final two lines of Demon Days go 'you pick yourself up it's a brand new day/so turn yourself round, don't burn yourself turn yourself, turn yourself around into the sun' which provide a little bit of optimism that maybe tomorrow will be better than today after all. The final three words are repeated over and over until the song fades out, and you're left with a slightly deeper understanding of yourself and your place in the world. Demon Days is a beautiful album; a journey into hell and back but it's the kind of hell you wouldn't mind visiting just for the experience. It's one incredible journey too and you'll come out the other side all the more better for it. A truly enlightening experience, I still discover little audio delights I didn't notice before every time I put it on. You'd be daft to miss it.
Rating: 10/10
Released: 23rd May 2005
Friday, 22 January 2010
Happy Birthday Iddy! (and my mother...)
I've been reading Frankie Boyle's autobiography (awesome Christmas present) and I'm nearly at the end already despite only starting a few days ago; suffice to say it's a pretty easy read. He's a very cynical man, although I think he's also one of the funniest men on the planet right now. I think reading it has made me even more sarcastic/cynical than before (and I already was quite a lot). That's not really a bad thing, I mean people say that sarcasm is the lowest form of humour but I disagree. I think that sarcasm is probably the highest form of humour, after all it's the only kind of humour that idiots can't understand. For example, yesterday some annoying little fuckers were trying really hard to look cool over the medium of the internet (what) by acting all tough and trying to intimidate me (again, what). They're already not doing any favours for themselves, for acting tough on the internet is like trying to insult someone in a language they don't understand. Stupid and pointless. In fact it's probably even worse than that. Anyway, I disagreed with this guy on something to do with a Muse song (can't be arsed to go into details) and he saw that as an excuse to rip into me, (well he tried his damn best, bless him) making out I was some kind of posh cunt just because I used a couple of words he couldn't understand. Just because I speak in good English doesn't make me posh, just means I'm not a retard. He probably doesn't even know what the word vocabulary means. Then his girlfriend (who seemed like even more of a retard) decided to join in and I said something to her (I can't even remember what it was, but I'm pretty sure it was nothing offensive) and this guy goes completely fucking insane and protective over her. At least I know a surefire way of trolling this guy if he ever bothers me again. I just need to talk to his girlfriend (I may only have to mention her in conversation) and he starts shitting bricks all over the place. Anyway, I played along pretending to be really hurt over all this crap they were spouting, although anyone who wasn't a moron would have been able to tell I was being heavily sarcastic. The sarcasm was meant to piss them off more, but I clearly underestimated just how stupid they are and they didn't realise. It actually turned out funnier that way anyway, so everyone's a winner (except them). Even after I had gone they kept laughing at their own shitty jokes, convinced they were in the right. They are two years younger than me though, so I guess I should expect higher levels of stupid. Despite this, I was a lot more grown up than them at their age. It's rather worrying what that says about our generation.
Anyway, rant over. It's Iddy's birthday today (remember her? She's the one with the awesome music blog) and this means that I have now known her for well over a year (I can still remember her last birthday well and back then I'd already known her for quite a while) which is pretty weird seeing as I've never actually met her (she lives all the way in Wales). Despite this, I feel as if we know each other really well and I can really trust her. She's a very good friend of mine and it just goes to show how much of a bond you can form with someone if you just keep talking to them every day and stay in contact. Anyway, here's a little something...
Penblwydd hapus i ti,
Penblwydd hapus i ti,
Penblwydd hapus i Ilid,
Penblwydd hapus i ti!
Thank you Iddy, for being nothing but a caring and supportive friend throughout the entire time we have known each other. I was introduced to you when you were just a young'un (well, 16...) but you've matured into a right decent young woman. I am grateful to know you, and feel privileged to be your friend. Cheers!
It is also my mother's birthday (but that's obviously not as important...) so a happy birthday to her too! I can't even remember how old she is now, but she wouldn't want me to share on here anyway so it's probably for the best. Still no new music review yet, this post ended up being a lot longer than it was originally going to be (otherwise I would have done one). I promise there will be a new one very soon though! See y'all then.
Anyway, rant over. It's Iddy's birthday today (remember her? She's the one with the awesome music blog) and this means that I have now known her for well over a year (I can still remember her last birthday well and back then I'd already known her for quite a while) which is pretty weird seeing as I've never actually met her (she lives all the way in Wales). Despite this, I feel as if we know each other really well and I can really trust her. She's a very good friend of mine and it just goes to show how much of a bond you can form with someone if you just keep talking to them every day and stay in contact. Anyway, here's a little something...
Penblwydd hapus i ti,
Penblwydd hapus i ti,
Penblwydd hapus i Ilid,
Penblwydd hapus i ti!
Thank you Iddy, for being nothing but a caring and supportive friend throughout the entire time we have known each other. I was introduced to you when you were just a young'un (well, 16...) but you've matured into a right decent young woman. I am grateful to know you, and feel privileged to be your friend. Cheers!
It is also my mother's birthday (but that's obviously not as important...) so a happy birthday to her too! I can't even remember how old she is now, but she wouldn't want me to share on here anyway so it's probably for the best. Still no new music review yet, this post ended up being a lot longer than it was originally going to be (otherwise I would have done one). I promise there will be a new one very soon though! See y'all then.
Thursday, 21 January 2010
Sorry for the lack of activity (yet again...)
I really am sorry (can't you tell?!) for giving this thing next to shit all attention, but I really can't be arsed a lot of the time. Maybe I just need to be inspired more often. Christ, I'm a whiny little fucker. I only ask that something inspires me to write every day, is that too much to ask...? Daily miracles, that'd be good.
This post is already going off on a tangent (my mind feels a bit crazy currently, maybe it's because midnight is now far gone but I don't know) to what I originally wanted to write about, that is my next music review. Actually that wasn't even a tangent from the original subject, it was just a completely random introductory paragraph. I don't know what's going on, I would be most grateful if someone could tell me what this mood/state of mind would be called (I can't think of what it is right now). Maybe I'll do a White Stripes album next (or maybe even a few), no matter what mood I'm in there always seems to be a song of theirs to match it. I suppose for this mood it'd probably be either I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself (I don't), Little Room (just because of the slight touch of insanity inherent in that song, also I am on my own in a little room), or St. Andrew (This Battle is in the Air) (simply because that song is also made up of lots of random shit). Just to give you a little bit of insight into my mind, here are all three songs in an easily accessible format (i.e. youtube flash player). You'll probably all know the first one anyway:
I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself -
Little Room -
St. Andrew (This Battle is in the Air) -
In other news, the first proper song from the new Gorillaz album (which I am very excited about) was leaked today. Well, it was yesterday really but this early in the morning still feels like Wednesday to me. It is the first single too, named Stylo. I really really like it already, but it doesn't really strike me as an obvious lead single. It is certainly far flung from the hip hop/poppiness (hip pop?) of last album Demon Days, but I'll let you make up your own mind. Here it is, in all its glory (aren't I just so generous?):
Stylo - Gorillaz -
In more other news (although obviously not as exciting as the new Gorillaz tune) I ordered Sia a belated birthday present today from the great and wondrous internet. I shouldn't put it here because she'll just see what it is and it'll ruin the surprise. So you'll just all have to find out when she does, sorry (although I know you really don't care). I'm hoping it'll arrive in time for her visit to Brighton next week, if it doesn't I will be most annoyed. I've given it about 9 days to get here though so it should be OK. I also bought myself a deadmau5 shirt which I am pretty pleased with. It looks like this
(see picture on the left) and was totally worth the ridiculous £18 (20 including P&P) I paid for it!
Sadly I am still struggling with exams, it seems like we are already about halfway through exam season (at least) and yet I somehow still have 3 left. I'm also STILL ill (I have no idea how) and I suspect I won't get properly better until spring. I have almost forgotten what it feels like to be well. Fuck winter.
This post is already going off on a tangent (my mind feels a bit crazy currently, maybe it's because midnight is now far gone but I don't know) to what I originally wanted to write about, that is my next music review. Actually that wasn't even a tangent from the original subject, it was just a completely random introductory paragraph. I don't know what's going on, I would be most grateful if someone could tell me what this mood/state of mind would be called (I can't think of what it is right now). Maybe I'll do a White Stripes album next (or maybe even a few), no matter what mood I'm in there always seems to be a song of theirs to match it. I suppose for this mood it'd probably be either I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself (I don't), Little Room (just because of the slight touch of insanity inherent in that song, also I am on my own in a little room), or St. Andrew (This Battle is in the Air) (simply because that song is also made up of lots of random shit). Just to give you a little bit of insight into my mind, here are all three songs in an easily accessible format (i.e. youtube flash player). You'll probably all know the first one anyway:
I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself -
Little Room -
St. Andrew (This Battle is in the Air) -
In other news, the first proper song from the new Gorillaz album (which I am very excited about) was leaked today. Well, it was yesterday really but this early in the morning still feels like Wednesday to me. It is the first single too, named Stylo. I really really like it already, but it doesn't really strike me as an obvious lead single. It is certainly far flung from the hip hop/poppiness (hip pop?) of last album Demon Days, but I'll let you make up your own mind. Here it is, in all its glory (aren't I just so generous?):
Stylo - Gorillaz -
In more other news (although obviously not as exciting as the new Gorillaz tune) I ordered Sia a belated birthday present today from the great and wondrous internet. I shouldn't put it here because she'll just see what it is and it'll ruin the surprise. So you'll just all have to find out when she does, sorry (although I know you really don't care). I'm hoping it'll arrive in time for her visit to Brighton next week, if it doesn't I will be most annoyed. I've given it about 9 days to get here though so it should be OK. I also bought myself a deadmau5 shirt which I am pretty pleased with. It looks like this
(see picture on the left) and was totally worth the ridiculous £18 (20 including P&P) I paid for it! Sadly I am still struggling with exams, it seems like we are already about halfway through exam season (at least) and yet I somehow still have 3 left. I'm also STILL ill (I have no idea how) and I suspect I won't get properly better until spring. I have almost forgotten what it feels like to be well. Fuck winter.
Sunday, 17 January 2010
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Seeing as I don't seem to use this much anymore (I never seem to have anything decent to write about these days... my life appears to be in a slump) I've decided to use it as a platform for writing music reviews. This is inspired quite a lot by my good friend Iddy starting up one of these recently for that purpose alone. That blog can be found here and it is really rather good (her taste is quite a brilliant one indeed). She is intending to review every release worth writing about in 2010, as it comes out. I'm not that ambitious, so I'm just going to review stuff I want to review, when I want to review it (no matter when it came out). I will end up reviewing some of the new stuff for this year, but also expect a lot of reviews of old albums (I'm more of an old music person anyway). I'll start with one that I missed on my 'music of 2009' blog post. I only heard it for the first time a week or so ago, but if I'd paid attention when it came out I reckon it'd be on my favourite album list for 2009. It is the debut by New Yorkers The Pains of Being Pure at Heart.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
When I first put this on merely days ago, the immediate warmth of opener Contender reminded me of something I couldn't quite place. I'm not sure what it was exactly, but the implacable memory it evoked was strong on an emotional level. This feeling continues throughout all the songs on the album, the echoey drums and clangy guitars reminding the listener of a better time. It's a difficult feeling to put into words, the unrestrained glee and innocence emanating from the songs almost taking the listener back to childhood. It sounds a bit silly, but listening to this album kind of makes me feel safe and above all, gloriously happy. If Merriweather Post Pavilion is a happy album (the Animal Collective one I wrote about a while ago) then The Pains of Being Pure at Heart is euphoric. Not the stupid kind of euphoria used to describe night clubs, either. The floating above the clouds kind of euphoria is the one on offer here.
Maybe the opening guitar sequence of Contender simply reminded me of when I last felt a bit like that; when I was a kid. Or maybe it just reminded me of the post-punk days of the 80s. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart don't sound like a modern band, with their slightly punkish songs and romantic lyrics (coupled with a dreamy production) you'd be forgiven for thinking that they are from that time. I struggled at first to think what other band I could compare them to (my music knowledge from that era still has massive gaps, I'm afraid) but I've now read that they're been compared with Joy Division which I can't say I disagree with, only they're a much much happier version.
Despite the simplicity and dreaminess of their songs, there are some very good tunes here. Songs like Come Saturday and Young Adult Friction show that they are a band with considerable talent and may well become pretty popular in the future. They deserve to be, that much is for sure.
Rating: 8/10
Released: 3rd February 2009
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart When I first put this on merely days ago, the immediate warmth of opener Contender reminded me of something I couldn't quite place. I'm not sure what it was exactly, but the implacable memory it evoked was strong on an emotional level. This feeling continues throughout all the songs on the album, the echoey drums and clangy guitars reminding the listener of a better time. It's a difficult feeling to put into words, the unrestrained glee and innocence emanating from the songs almost taking the listener back to childhood. It sounds a bit silly, but listening to this album kind of makes me feel safe and above all, gloriously happy. If Merriweather Post Pavilion is a happy album (the Animal Collective one I wrote about a while ago) then The Pains of Being Pure at Heart is euphoric. Not the stupid kind of euphoria used to describe night clubs, either. The floating above the clouds kind of euphoria is the one on offer here.
Maybe the opening guitar sequence of Contender simply reminded me of when I last felt a bit like that; when I was a kid. Or maybe it just reminded me of the post-punk days of the 80s. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart don't sound like a modern band, with their slightly punkish songs and romantic lyrics (coupled with a dreamy production) you'd be forgiven for thinking that they are from that time. I struggled at first to think what other band I could compare them to (my music knowledge from that era still has massive gaps, I'm afraid) but I've now read that they're been compared with Joy Division which I can't say I disagree with, only they're a much much happier version.
Despite the simplicity and dreaminess of their songs, there are some very good tunes here. Songs like Come Saturday and Young Adult Friction show that they are a band with considerable talent and may well become pretty popular in the future. They deserve to be, that much is for sure.
Rating: 8/10
Released: 3rd February 2009
Monday, 11 January 2010
D:
It seems like it's been ages since I last updated this, even though it's only been less than two weeks. Still, I used to update this thing daily, so it is a while I suppose. Since then and now a few things of note have happened:
Seriously.
- It snowed even MOAR. This is what the UK looked like last week:
Seriously.
- After realising how boring life becomes when you are forced to stay in most of the time, I promptly wished the snow would go away.
- I went to see the film It Might Get Loud, which is about Jack White, The Edge and Jimmy Page's experiences with the guitar and the way the instrument has evolved and changed the music scene generally. It's good, but I only really recommend it if you're into guitars. The banter between the three 'legends' is pretty entertaining as well.
- I got ill again. Winter man flu version 2.0.
- Exam season finally started and as such everyone is now either running around panicking or complaining their arses off about it all. Suffice to say I'll be glad once it's all over.
- I got very much into The White Stripes (pretty much thanks to the aforementioned film) going to the extent of downloading all their albums (I know, it is free but I am very lazy) and learning a few of the songs. They are now one of my favourite bands.
- I wrote something musical for the first time in quite a few months, entitled 'Winter Blues' after all the crap that seems to have infected this winter a bit. I've never really liked winter that much anyway. It's heavily influenced by The White Stripes and it's not quite finished yet (but I've written quite a bit).
- There was something else, but I'm not of the nature to disclose it here.
Friday, 1 January 2010
2009: The Year in Music
2009 was quite frankly a brilliant year for music, a treasure trove in comparison to 2008. Let's look back on some of the fantastic sounds released this year...
TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2009
The majority of these will probably be fairly obvious, but I'm hoping my music taste will turn out to be quite interesting after all.
1. The xx - xx
Every year many groups and artists realise their dreams and get a shot at a debut album, but it's a much more rare event when one of those debuts ends up surprising everyone and becomes one of the defining albums of the year. This is what happened to The xx, a former four-piece (they've since lost a member) from London, this year. Their debut (released August 2009) had a quiet release but gradually invaded our collective consciousness (both the critics and the public alike) until all of a sudden people were hyping them as 'the next big thing'. This was helped by huge radio play of their singles Crystalised and Islands, and by the end of the year The xx were one of the biggest success stories of 2009. Unfortunately sudden success took its toll and the constant touring (as well as a few other differences, I suspect) caused one of their number to leave. With a debut album this good though, it's difficult to see that slowing them down at all. The album itself is a brilliant collection of sometimes upbeat and sometimes harrowing songs about growing up, set to very minimal soundscapes and warm vocals. They seem to be able to describe perfectly all the emotion and elation associated with growing up in song, and it's this quality that makes them so likeable.
Favourite tracks: Islands, Crystalised, Heart Skipped a Beat
2. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
Animal Collective are a band who have been going for a long time, though I only found out about them this year with this, their eighth album. Merriweather Post Pavilion has been their most successful album (in the mainstream) so far, before this they seem to have been somewhat of a cult band (over here, anyway) and so this is my reason for only just hearing about them. It is a fantastic album, taking the listener on a wondrous journey through lush soundscapes and echoed vocals, complete with rolling drumbeats that lift the listener up into the clouds and beyond... It may take you a while to get into it though, as it sounds like nothing I have ever heard before. It took me a while anyway, I'm not really used to such mindblowing music. It starts with the dreamy In the Flowers and keeps the dreamy, happy mood right up until the final track, the climactic (but no less uplifting) Brother Sport. Although technically the music is quite complex, there's nothing deep to understand here; it's just very very happy music.
Favourite tracks: Brother Sport, My Girls, Lion in a Coma
3. Björk - Voltaïc
Okay, I accept this isn't really in the same league as the others but it's so damn good I wanted to include it anyway. Voltaïc is a box set comprised of 2 CDs (one live disc and one disc of remixes) and 2 DVDs (one live disc and one disc of music videos) containing material from her Volta campaign (Volta was her last proper studio album). It's not really an album like the others on this list by it's very nature, but this is so good any Björk fan (and most open minded people) would be stupid to miss it. Her songs come to life a lot more when she performs them live and this is worth the expensive price (unless you can find it cheap somewhere) for the live material alone. It is difficult to describe the brilliance of Björk in words, so I will simply urge you to buy it (or at least have a look). You won't be disappointed.
Favourite tracks: It's all good here, though the live performances of Earth Intruders, Hyperballad and Declare Independence are particularly brilliant. The remixes are all top-notch too.
4. Fever Ray - Fever Ray
Fever Ray (I can't remember her real name, her stage name is awesome anyway) is one half of Swedish electropop duo The Knife (they gave us the original version of Heartbeats, or 'that song on the advert with all the colourful bouncing balls'). Fever Ray sounds very different to her parent band, though happily she sounds a lot better too. The sounds present in her songs are still in the same vein as those used in The Knife's songs (lots of weird synthy noises and bouncy drums) but Fever Ray's music is a lot darker. Out of all the albums mentioned here, this is the only one I would describe as being 'scary'; the vocals are so eerie and those weird electro noises I already mentioned are twisted into much more spooky versions of their originals. It is difficult to find flaw in this album, every song moves so well into the next and you get dragged further and further into Fever Ray's dark musings on herself as it progresses. Essential listening for anyone in possession of a soul.
Favourite tracks: If I Had a Heart, When I Grow Up, Concrete Walls
5. Deadmau5 - For Lack of a Better Name
I have never been that much into electronica and I don't think I'll ever be an expert on the genre, but this album (very much an electronica album) made such a buzz on the internet earlier this year that I had to listen to it for myself. What a brilliant discovery that was. Deadmau5 has been going for several years now, but he has only really found mainstream success over the last two, with his first two full studio albums. This, the second, is far more diverse than it's predecessor and takes the listener through a world of slick beats and catchy samples. Every track is mixed seamlessly into the next and as a result the album feels like one complete item rather than a collection of songs. This 'item' manages to constantly keep the listener interested by mixing up the flow with each track change, giving a very danceable experience complete with mellow moments to cool down and savour the masterfully produced sounds within. One of the more danceable moments is the fantastic Ghosts n' Stuff, featuring Rob Swire of Pendulum on very auto-tuned vocals. It's an epic track, complete with apocalyptic organs and a heavy synth bass line. Even the auto-tuned vocals work. This epicness does not go away, instead sticking around for more or less the entire album. For Lack of a Better Name is an electronic masterpiece.
Favourite tracks: Moar Ghosts n' Stuff/Ghosts n' Stuff, Hi Friend!, FML
6. Muse - The Resistance
So here it is, the one album I was anticipating much more than anything else musically oriented this year. It is a testament then, to how much good music was released in 2009 when 5 other albums have beaten it. I was honestly expecting The Resistance to blow everything else away, for it all to pale in comparison to this, Muse's fifth and most challenging album to date. When I saw them live in November I was completely blown away, on the stage they not only lived up to my expectations, they soared right over them. The tracks fall a bit short on the album though. Don't get me wrong, there are a few absolutely amazing songs here (probably some of the best of their career) but the consistency is all over the place. Take the closing three part (Muse don't seem to understand the word 'boundaries') Exogenesis, for example. The first two parts (Overture and Cross-Pollination) are fantastically apocalyptic pieces, especially the former, with its never-ending spiral of strings and falsetto of doom. The final part (and last track on the album, named Redemption) is rather tame in comparison and to make things worse, very repetitive. The whole album is plagued by issues like this one but if you can overlook its flaws, The Resistance is a very enjoyable experience. I was just expecting something a bit more ridiculous.
Favourite tracks: United States of Eurasia, Uprising, MK Ultra
7. Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown
This album (and it seems, everything Green Day has done since they released Dookie) was the subject of a lot of mixed feedback when it was released way back in May. I've always kind of liked Green Day though, so I thought I may as well give it a chance. Even after the first listen, this album draws you in and you become addicted, having to listen to all three of the 'acts' all over again. One of the things that surprised me most about this album was its level of ambition. It is very long (by anyone's standards), clocking in at around 70 minutes, but when you listen to it all the way through it doesn't feel that long. When they released American Idiot over five years ago, critics said they couldn't make an album more ambitious. With this one though they've smashed that statement through, rocketing upwards to write an album of stratospheric proportions. The album is a sequel of sorts to American Idiot, telling a story of a young couple caught up in the events post-American Idiot. The story flows through three distinct acts and while there are moments of awe-inspiring brilliance (such as penultimate track American Eulogy, which releases all the tension surrounding 21st century America in a chaotic 4 minutes) the album is ultimately let down by the same thing as The Resistance, its lack of consistency.
Favourite tracks: American Eulogy, 21st Century Breakdown, ¡Viva La Gloria!
8. Maxïmo Park - Quicken the Heart
This third album from Maxïmo is on a somewhat different trajectory to the first two, in a way they seem to have grown up a bit. This means that they've traded their trademark bonkers 3 minute guitar/keyboard songs for a sound that is altogether more intelligent. The only song on this album that is strongly reminiscent of the first two is the opener - Wraithlike, a song which ironically focuses on criticising the band's past. The opening line itself 'Here's a song that finally you can understand' is clearly cynical regarding frontman Paul Smith's random and often chaotic lyrics. Just because they've grown up doesn't mean they've becoming boring though. I really really like this album, and it sees them as sharp and witty as ever. It's just a bit different to what you might expect.
Favourite tracks: The Kids Are Sick Again, Wraithlike, I Haven't Seen Her in Ages
9. Franz Ferdinand - Tonight
This was one of the first albums of 2009 I listened to and it definitely set the scene for the rest of the year. Tonight is a brilliant journey through what would be commonly called the 'perfect night out'. It starts with Ulysses, a track very aptly named (Ulysses was an adventurer in Greek mythology) as it sets up the night ahead, with a frantic build up of tense energy from a very quiet beginning. All the while Alex sings about his desire to go out and 'get high' before exploding into a frenetic chorus. The album keeps going at its own unrelenting pace as the 'night out' gets more and more intense; by the time Lucid Dreams comes around you're spinning in a pool of cocktails and acid trips. You just about have enough time to regain your senses for the surreal Dream Again (sounds like even more acid) and the somewhat calmer Katherine Kiss Me (a song which quite accurately describes the 'morning after'). Tonight is good because of the way it progresses so well, it's also a lot of fun.
Favourite tracks: Lucid Dreams, Ulysses, Send Him Away
10. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
This is another album in which the band making it have gone off in a completely different direction to what you would expect. It's Blitz! still sounds unmistakably like Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but there are a lot of differences between this album and its two predecessors. For one thing, Nick Zinner has traded in his guitars for keyboards and synths on most of the tracks. This isn't necessarily a bad thing though. A lot of the tracks sound just as energetic as they always have been, although in a few of the tracks it does seem like there is something lacking. A bit like an empty space where Nick's guitars used to be, an empty space which cannot be filled by anything else. That said though this album contains some of the best songs of their career and overall it is a good album, just not as good as the previous two.
Favourite tracks: Zero, Hysteric, Skeletons
TOP TEN SONGS OF 2009
This list was somewhat easier to do than the album one, it also comes with SOUND!
1. United States of Eurasia - Muse
When I first heard this (it was released for free way before the album) I couldn't stop listening to it and with the Collateral Damage outro (a nice bit of Chopin) it becomes simply a flawless piece of music to listen to. That's what I think, anyway.
2. Moar Ghosts n' Stuff/Ghosts n' Stuff - Deadmau5
Okay, so this is actually two songs... but on the album they're mixed so that one leads straight into the other and they are both very similar. Unfortunately I couldn't find a single mixed track on youtube so you'll have to cope with two separate ones.
3. Brother Sport - Animal Collective
The version posted here is live.
4. If I Had a Heart - Fever Ray
This song gives me serious shivers.
5. Islands - The xx
6. The Kids Are Sick Again - Maxïmo Park
7. Crystalised - The xx
8. My Girls - Animal Collective
9. Uprising - Muse
Live version.
10. Lucid Dreams - Franz Ferdinand
That's all for 2009 folks! I know this one ran on a bit late (oops...) but nevermind, eh? Roll on 2010!
TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2009
The majority of these will probably be fairly obvious, but I'm hoping my music taste will turn out to be quite interesting after all.
1. The xx - xx
Every year many groups and artists realise their dreams and get a shot at a debut album, but it's a much more rare event when one of those debuts ends up surprising everyone and becomes one of the defining albums of the year. This is what happened to The xx, a former four-piece (they've since lost a member) from London, this year. Their debut (released August 2009) had a quiet release but gradually invaded our collective consciousness (both the critics and the public alike) until all of a sudden people were hyping them as 'the next big thing'. This was helped by huge radio play of their singles Crystalised and Islands, and by the end of the year The xx were one of the biggest success stories of 2009. Unfortunately sudden success took its toll and the constant touring (as well as a few other differences, I suspect) caused one of their number to leave. With a debut album this good though, it's difficult to see that slowing them down at all. The album itself is a brilliant collection of sometimes upbeat and sometimes harrowing songs about growing up, set to very minimal soundscapes and warm vocals. They seem to be able to describe perfectly all the emotion and elation associated with growing up in song, and it's this quality that makes them so likeable.
Favourite tracks: Islands, Crystalised, Heart Skipped a Beat
2. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
Animal Collective are a band who have been going for a long time, though I only found out about them this year with this, their eighth album. Merriweather Post Pavilion has been their most successful album (in the mainstream) so far, before this they seem to have been somewhat of a cult band (over here, anyway) and so this is my reason for only just hearing about them. It is a fantastic album, taking the listener on a wondrous journey through lush soundscapes and echoed vocals, complete with rolling drumbeats that lift the listener up into the clouds and beyond... It may take you a while to get into it though, as it sounds like nothing I have ever heard before. It took me a while anyway, I'm not really used to such mindblowing music. It starts with the dreamy In the Flowers and keeps the dreamy, happy mood right up until the final track, the climactic (but no less uplifting) Brother Sport. Although technically the music is quite complex, there's nothing deep to understand here; it's just very very happy music.
Favourite tracks: Brother Sport, My Girls, Lion in a Coma
3. Björk - Voltaïc
Okay, I accept this isn't really in the same league as the others but it's so damn good I wanted to include it anyway. Voltaïc is a box set comprised of 2 CDs (one live disc and one disc of remixes) and 2 DVDs (one live disc and one disc of music videos) containing material from her Volta campaign (Volta was her last proper studio album). It's not really an album like the others on this list by it's very nature, but this is so good any Björk fan (and most open minded people) would be stupid to miss it. Her songs come to life a lot more when she performs them live and this is worth the expensive price (unless you can find it cheap somewhere) for the live material alone. It is difficult to describe the brilliance of Björk in words, so I will simply urge you to buy it (or at least have a look). You won't be disappointed.
Favourite tracks: It's all good here, though the live performances of Earth Intruders, Hyperballad and Declare Independence are particularly brilliant. The remixes are all top-notch too.
4. Fever Ray - Fever Ray
Fever Ray (I can't remember her real name, her stage name is awesome anyway) is one half of Swedish electropop duo The Knife (they gave us the original version of Heartbeats, or 'that song on the advert with all the colourful bouncing balls'). Fever Ray sounds very different to her parent band, though happily she sounds a lot better too. The sounds present in her songs are still in the same vein as those used in The Knife's songs (lots of weird synthy noises and bouncy drums) but Fever Ray's music is a lot darker. Out of all the albums mentioned here, this is the only one I would describe as being 'scary'; the vocals are so eerie and those weird electro noises I already mentioned are twisted into much more spooky versions of their originals. It is difficult to find flaw in this album, every song moves so well into the next and you get dragged further and further into Fever Ray's dark musings on herself as it progresses. Essential listening for anyone in possession of a soul.
Favourite tracks: If I Had a Heart, When I Grow Up, Concrete Walls
5. Deadmau5 - For Lack of a Better Name
I have never been that much into electronica and I don't think I'll ever be an expert on the genre, but this album (very much an electronica album) made such a buzz on the internet earlier this year that I had to listen to it for myself. What a brilliant discovery that was. Deadmau5 has been going for several years now, but he has only really found mainstream success over the last two, with his first two full studio albums. This, the second, is far more diverse than it's predecessor and takes the listener through a world of slick beats and catchy samples. Every track is mixed seamlessly into the next and as a result the album feels like one complete item rather than a collection of songs. This 'item' manages to constantly keep the listener interested by mixing up the flow with each track change, giving a very danceable experience complete with mellow moments to cool down and savour the masterfully produced sounds within. One of the more danceable moments is the fantastic Ghosts n' Stuff, featuring Rob Swire of Pendulum on very auto-tuned vocals. It's an epic track, complete with apocalyptic organs and a heavy synth bass line. Even the auto-tuned vocals work. This epicness does not go away, instead sticking around for more or less the entire album. For Lack of a Better Name is an electronic masterpiece.
Favourite tracks: Moar Ghosts n' Stuff/Ghosts n' Stuff, Hi Friend!, FML
6. Muse - The Resistance
So here it is, the one album I was anticipating much more than anything else musically oriented this year. It is a testament then, to how much good music was released in 2009 when 5 other albums have beaten it. I was honestly expecting The Resistance to blow everything else away, for it all to pale in comparison to this, Muse's fifth and most challenging album to date. When I saw them live in November I was completely blown away, on the stage they not only lived up to my expectations, they soared right over them. The tracks fall a bit short on the album though. Don't get me wrong, there are a few absolutely amazing songs here (probably some of the best of their career) but the consistency is all over the place. Take the closing three part (Muse don't seem to understand the word 'boundaries') Exogenesis, for example. The first two parts (Overture and Cross-Pollination) are fantastically apocalyptic pieces, especially the former, with its never-ending spiral of strings and falsetto of doom. The final part (and last track on the album, named Redemption) is rather tame in comparison and to make things worse, very repetitive. The whole album is plagued by issues like this one but if you can overlook its flaws, The Resistance is a very enjoyable experience. I was just expecting something a bit more ridiculous.
Favourite tracks: United States of Eurasia, Uprising, MK Ultra
7. Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown
This album (and it seems, everything Green Day has done since they released Dookie) was the subject of a lot of mixed feedback when it was released way back in May. I've always kind of liked Green Day though, so I thought I may as well give it a chance. Even after the first listen, this album draws you in and you become addicted, having to listen to all three of the 'acts' all over again. One of the things that surprised me most about this album was its level of ambition. It is very long (by anyone's standards), clocking in at around 70 minutes, but when you listen to it all the way through it doesn't feel that long. When they released American Idiot over five years ago, critics said they couldn't make an album more ambitious. With this one though they've smashed that statement through, rocketing upwards to write an album of stratospheric proportions. The album is a sequel of sorts to American Idiot, telling a story of a young couple caught up in the events post-American Idiot. The story flows through three distinct acts and while there are moments of awe-inspiring brilliance (such as penultimate track American Eulogy, which releases all the tension surrounding 21st century America in a chaotic 4 minutes) the album is ultimately let down by the same thing as The Resistance, its lack of consistency.
Favourite tracks: American Eulogy, 21st Century Breakdown, ¡Viva La Gloria!
8. Maxïmo Park - Quicken the Heart
This third album from Maxïmo is on a somewhat different trajectory to the first two, in a way they seem to have grown up a bit. This means that they've traded their trademark bonkers 3 minute guitar/keyboard songs for a sound that is altogether more intelligent. The only song on this album that is strongly reminiscent of the first two is the opener - Wraithlike, a song which ironically focuses on criticising the band's past. The opening line itself 'Here's a song that finally you can understand' is clearly cynical regarding frontman Paul Smith's random and often chaotic lyrics. Just because they've grown up doesn't mean they've becoming boring though. I really really like this album, and it sees them as sharp and witty as ever. It's just a bit different to what you might expect.
Favourite tracks: The Kids Are Sick Again, Wraithlike, I Haven't Seen Her in Ages
9. Franz Ferdinand - Tonight
This was one of the first albums of 2009 I listened to and it definitely set the scene for the rest of the year. Tonight is a brilliant journey through what would be commonly called the 'perfect night out'. It starts with Ulysses, a track very aptly named (Ulysses was an adventurer in Greek mythology) as it sets up the night ahead, with a frantic build up of tense energy from a very quiet beginning. All the while Alex sings about his desire to go out and 'get high' before exploding into a frenetic chorus. The album keeps going at its own unrelenting pace as the 'night out' gets more and more intense; by the time Lucid Dreams comes around you're spinning in a pool of cocktails and acid trips. You just about have enough time to regain your senses for the surreal Dream Again (sounds like even more acid) and the somewhat calmer Katherine Kiss Me (a song which quite accurately describes the 'morning after'). Tonight is good because of the way it progresses so well, it's also a lot of fun.
Favourite tracks: Lucid Dreams, Ulysses, Send Him Away
10. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
This is another album in which the band making it have gone off in a completely different direction to what you would expect. It's Blitz! still sounds unmistakably like Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but there are a lot of differences between this album and its two predecessors. For one thing, Nick Zinner has traded in his guitars for keyboards and synths on most of the tracks. This isn't necessarily a bad thing though. A lot of the tracks sound just as energetic as they always have been, although in a few of the tracks it does seem like there is something lacking. A bit like an empty space where Nick's guitars used to be, an empty space which cannot be filled by anything else. That said though this album contains some of the best songs of their career and overall it is a good album, just not as good as the previous two.
Favourite tracks: Zero, Hysteric, Skeletons
TOP TEN SONGS OF 2009
This list was somewhat easier to do than the album one, it also comes with SOUND!
1. United States of Eurasia - Muse
When I first heard this (it was released for free way before the album) I couldn't stop listening to it and with the Collateral Damage outro (a nice bit of Chopin) it becomes simply a flawless piece of music to listen to. That's what I think, anyway.
2. Moar Ghosts n' Stuff/Ghosts n' Stuff - Deadmau5
Okay, so this is actually two songs... but on the album they're mixed so that one leads straight into the other and they are both very similar. Unfortunately I couldn't find a single mixed track on youtube so you'll have to cope with two separate ones.
3. Brother Sport - Animal Collective
The version posted here is live.
4. If I Had a Heart - Fever Ray
This song gives me serious shivers.
5. Islands - The xx
6. The Kids Are Sick Again - Maxïmo Park
7. Crystalised - The xx
8. My Girls - Animal Collective
9. Uprising - Muse
Live version.
10. Lucid Dreams - Franz Ferdinand
That's all for 2009 folks! I know this one ran on a bit late (oops...) but nevermind, eh? Roll on 2010!
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