The year in numbers!

Hi guys! As it’s the end of they year, I thought I’d just do a little recap and give you a run down of my top flavours of the year! There has been a vast amount of music released this year, and lots for us to look forward to in 2011! I found this year had a particularly strong crop of musical endowment, and had to miss out certain albums that I was a big fan of, such as Vampire Weekend’s Contra, Jamiroquai’s Rock Dust Light Star, Train Save Me San Francisco and the return of the K.O.L. and the Manic Street Preachers! Here are my top 5 albums of 2010 …

5. Example – Won’t Go Quietly. This is the UK born rappers second studio release, and is a surprise entry into my top albums of the year. I was rather sceptical when I first heard the title track ‘Won’t Go Quietly’, however after really giving it a chance this pop-rap fusion album has really won me over! The singles ‘Kick starts’ and ’Last ones Standing’ are a testament to just how good this album is. I tend to rate albums, mainly, by their longevity, or durability, and it is so often the case that after a few weeks I get bored and start searching for something new. However this is an album that I can listen to over and over and can’t get tired of! Its quirky lyrics and humorous views of society are what make this stand out as one of my fave albums of the year.

 

4. Rolling Stones – Exile On Main St. This is a re-released of the Stones classic 1972 album. The reason this has made my top 5 is for a similar reason to Example. When an album so good that it can be re-released almost 40 years later and still sound as original and ground breaking you can’t simply ignore it! This is a fantastic piece of musical quality, and with the 10 new tracks added, it was a must hear all round!

3. Darwin Deez (Self titled). This is a really different, interesting album that once again has all the makings of being able to endure the music marathon. I love this album, with all of its socio-political quips, and use of deep metaphors it really stands out as one of the most original pieces of indie of the year. Tracks such as ‘Radar Detector’ and ‘The Bomb Song’ are real frontrunners. If you haven’t heard it yet… get it now!

2. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. It was a really for me to separate this and what I have chosen as my top album. The only real difference is that I’ve seen my first choice performed live! (…not to give it away..) Other than that they are really un-separable. This is by far the best commercial Hip-Hop album of the year. Kanye’s tuning of his emotional turmoil through his attachment to music is really unique in this genre. But don’t let that fool you, he has lost non of his swagger! This is an completely integrated, rounded album which will not disappoint! Seeing ‘All of the Lights’ and ‘Devil in a New Dress’ starring as my top picks.

1. The Courteeners – Falcon. Narrowly pipping Kanye, this album is my pick of the year! I am an unrepentant Courteeners addict, and seeing them live has really made my year! This album released earlier in 2010 is a blistering follow-up to their first release ‘St. Jude’, and is a shining light to those artists who simply can’t make second albums. More emotionally grounded, this album is of slightly higher production value than the first, and focuses more on Liam Frays love than his life. ‘The Opener’, ‘Take Over The World’, ‘Scratch Your Name Upon My Lips’… this whole album oozes class, and fits plushly into an already polished live set! Stocking filler?? Yes Please!!   

Well those are my top albums of the year! If you disagree that’s great, leave me a comment and let me know what you’d have done differently!

Just to finish off, I’m very much looking forward to 2011’s new musical adventure! Here are a few to look forward to….

White Lies – Ritual. The first single off this album is already out and to be honest, I already love ‘Bigger Than Us’!

Chapel club – Palace. Once again, the first single ‘All The Eastern Girls’ from this UK based indie group is promising big things! I’m really excited to hear the album…

Beady Eye – Different Gear, Still Speeding. A new group for Liam Gallagher, (Noel-less) already sounds electrifying. Expect BIG things!

Dr. Dre – Detox. The long awaited return of Dre is drawing close… If the album is anything on his others, I’m excited. ‘Kush’ is the first single.

The Wombats – Proudly Present: This Modern Glitch. I still love the Wombats fun outlook, and amusing lyrics, lets hope the album is a cracker! (… the first single doesn’t disappoint!)

That’s it from me! MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Hope you get everything you want, I know I will…. The Killers are reuniting in 2011!!

Cheers guys Tx

The Kings of The New Road

Something a little different for you!

This week I had the opportunity to do something I know my friend Freya will be madly jealous of, and something I was absolutely buzzing about! I was in Leeds 02 Academy for what I’m going to go out on a limb for, and say was probably one of the top 3 live acts of the past 5 years… The Courteeners!

I will, as always, be completely open about this, and say I am a huge Courteeners fan, and have been since I first heard ‘Kimberly’ one of the first releases by the Manchester band in late 2007. The raw sound, socio-political lyrics and fierce delivery shone a bright spotlight on this talented lot, no one more so than the incredibly talented lead singer Liam Fray.

 The lead up to the gig itself was started out badly, as driving from Manchester with my mate Phil became problematic as he had no idea where he was going, and almost took us to Birmingham- I was not going to miss this gig.. but luckily we made it for the end of the support act. (Miles Kane provided the support, and from what we caught it was really quite good.) However it was the main spectacle that had driven the 02 to be Sold Out, and the eager crowd certainly weren’t about to be disappointed!

The Courteeners are still something of a ‘cult’ band. Even after two widely successful albums, the four piece have done the almost unthinkable, and retained their cool status while still becoming fairly mainstream. This, it would appear, is part of the reason why they still manage to pack out arenas with ‘real’ fans. Fans who have been there from the beginning and know every word to all of their songs (culminating in Fray giving a shout out to an audience member who was seeing them for the 50^th time!! Now that’s dedication, if only I had the money….) This was however my 3^rd time seeing the lads tear it up, and I still get the same buzz, of electricity that hums from every inch of the venue as the tension builds before the Courteeners finally took the stage!

The shows seem to get better and more polished every time I see them, and this was no exception. As the crowd went mental, the lads started with ‘The Opener’, an obvious choice to start the show, but nonetheless one of their headline tracks for their 2010 release Falcon. What I feel sets this band apart from the rest at the minute, is their real appreciation of the crowd, and visa versa. You can almost feel them drawing on the energy in the room and giving it back twice as hard.

I mentioned ‘Kimberly’ as one of the originals, and this was the third track of the set. The band have defiantly not lost their love for their own music, and certainly know what the fans react best to, expertly mixing the new and old tracks. ‘Cavorting’ (a personal favourite of mine, and a track defiantly worthy of a mention!) from the 2007 release St. Jude came next. The admiration of the crowd was palpable, as the lads maintained the high tempo with ‘Cross my heart & hope to fly’ and the energy hit critical.

One of my favourite things about the Mancunians is their appreciation of not only the heavy hitting tracks, but also the subtlety that can be gained by a really top melody.  Here the lads changed up the pace and brought out ‘Lullaby’ a beautiful melodic number, which shows off Liam’s sensitive side, and emphasised this intricate relationship.

Soon after we were hit with a tirade of Courteeners best bits, seeing ‘Scratch your name upon my lips’, ‘Sycophant’, ‘Good times are calling’, ‘Bide your time’ followed by ‘Take over the world’! Thoroughly breathless and already losing my voice it was as if the lads could do no wrong, and the crowds buzz simply increased as the lads lapped up our appreciation.

The gig flew by, and it felt as if time had sped up as all of a sudden we were heading for the exits. But not before the show was completed, with what I can only describe as sheer insanity. The final two songs were (in my opinion) the Courteeners best pieces of music, and as instructed by a buzzing Liam we nearly took “the f***ing roof off”!  ‘Not Nineteen forever’ send the crowd into a frenzy in which I found myself basically fighting my way even closer than I already was to the front, simply to be as involved as humanly possible. The track is, put simply, an incredible all round piece of music. Teasing and toying with the crowd, with the subtle nuances of the lyrics culminating in a huge chorus, it is probably my favourite song of the last 3 years! (…with the possible exception of The Killers ‘When you where young’.)

Once this tsunami of awesome indie has finally subsided, the lads followed up (and finished) with ‘What Took you so long?’. This has been the final track all 3 times I’ve seen them, and I really can’t think of a better end to a Courteeners show! Once again bringing the house down around them, and causing chaos to ensue throughout the crowd (this may have been a slightly tunnel visioned version of events… but in the middle of all that mayhem it was quite hard to consider what was happening towards the rear.)

Over all this was a quality gig… and the Courteeners don’t disappoint when it comes to their live shows! With a fantastic flow, the lads seamlessly moved from one track to the next, vibeing off the crowds reactions and intense engagement. After ‘Not Nineteen forever’ Liam commented that ‘No other band in the UK right now’ get the sort of reaction they got to their biggest tunes. With so many fantastic tracks, and a completely dedicated fan base it’s hard to see how any other band could get close! If you ever only take one thing from my blogs, let it be this: if you get the chance, GO AND SEE THE COURTEENERS!!

Cheers for reading!! Leave me a comment let me know what you think!
Tx

                    

Tracklist 08/12/2010

(1)The Opener

(2) Will it be this way forever?

(3) Acrylic

(4) Cavorting

(5) Cross my heart & hope to fly

(6) Lullaby

(7) Please don’t

(8) Scratch your name upon my lips

(9) Sycophant

(10) Good times are calling

(11) Bide your time

(12) Take over the world

(13) Fallowfield Hillbilly

(14) No you didn’t, no you don’t

(15) Swear Down

(16) The rest of the world has gone home

(17) You overdid it doll

(18) Not nineteen forever

(19) What took you so long?

Take off of Air Yeezy.

Sorry for the delay between posts! Major computer problems!

However that has given me the chance to really get into the nitty gritty of the latest Kanye West offering! ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ is Ye’s 5^th mainstream release and defiantly lives up to the hype.

When I first started reading reviews of this album’s “excellence” and how it was lining up to be Kanye’s “Best Hip-Hop offering yet” I immediately began to dread this release. In my opinion you should never.... EVER over hype an album, as 99% of the time it simply doesn’t live up! (Look at Jay-Z’s infamous return to Hip-Hop in 2006 with ‘Kingdome Come’) and you end up ultimately disappointed and frustrated.

BUT occasionally, very occasionally you manage to discover an album that is more than just hype, and makes you sit up and listen. That priceless 1%, that tiny niche which doesn’t just happen by chance but by pure brilliance! ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ is just such an album!

I’m going to be straight up and say that I’m a massive Kanye fan, I’ve even heard a lot of his mix tape material, which a lot of is pretty awesome, (like his version of Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’). His music is just so powerful. And yes we all know that he can act out a little when it comes to being in the public eye, but to me that is just a way of keeping him in the public eye. Any publicity is good publicity.... ask Taylor.

Outbursts aside, the man falls into that category which I personally feel is FAR too over used, and has almost lost its significance due to this. But Yeezy, like his ‘Big Brother’, is nothing short of a musical Genius.

From his first venture into rap in 2004 with ‘The College Dropout’ his music has been streets ahead of his peers. From the first [skit] track to the last, the album had classic written in/ on/ through/ and all over it. Seeing the first single ‘Through the Wire,’ sampling Chaka Kahn’s ‘Through the Fire’, which in a literally sense painted the agony of the 2002 car accident which shattered his jaw. Ye exploded onto the scene... and when he arrived, it was obvious he was here to stay! Stepping away from the gun toting, gangsta persona which was almost inbuilt into Hip-Hop at the time, Kanye’s self reflective, style speaks volumes about love, loss, family, humour, politics, pain and life... and was a breath of fresh air! The meticulous production value is one of the key factors making Yeezys music so compelling, and is no more obvious than in ‘The College Dropout’. Infusing his Hip-Hop offerings with off-the-wall samples, string orchestras and Gospel choirs, this was truly a revelation in the genre.

His 2005 and 2007 albums ‘Late Registration’ and ‘Graduation’, respectively, continue this fantastically intricate blend of socio-political middle class Hip-Hop. Listening to these albums you get a real sense of Kanye West maturing in/ and through music. With tracks such as ‘Heard ‘um Say, ’Roses’ and ’Flashing Lights’ contributing more passion in a few lines, than most Hip-Hop artists can muster in their whole (usually short lived) careers.

2008 saw Ye reinvent himself (Madonna style) with the deeply emotional ‘first break-up album’ in Rap. ‘808’s & Heartbreaks’ welcomed you to Kanye’s own personal devastation, asking the question how could you be so heartless? This deviance from ‘straight’ Hip-Hop was described by Ye as less Rap, more ‘Pop Art’.(... clearly Kanye had ALOT to get off his chest, and felt the best way to do it was through synthesisers and Auto-tune...? Thank you Jay-Z for ‘The Death of Auto-Tune’!!)

But Yeezy has come back to his routes in Hip-Hop and ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ feels like a real leap forward for the charismatic mogul.

The album brings together all of the best parts of his previous offerings, bundles them together and spits out something new and innovative. The album has a beautiful flow to it beginning with the track ‘Dark Fantasy’, which I had to laugh at... the man who needs no introduction gives the first track on his new album TWO.... then the song starts. The scene is set like a twisted old fairytale, before throwing you down the rabbit hole to be spat out completely energised, with no idea whether there was a happy ending... or any ending at all! Then, as soon as its over, you want to take the trip again!

This feeling of almost an LSD style, trip through Kanye’s mind is elaborately coupled with the 30minute video he produced to extend the track ‘Runaway’. The track itself is an incredibly honest stunning song, (all be it for a rather prolonged ending), and is defiantly one of the stand out tracks on the album. This showing off one of the many creative facets to Kanye’s artistic, captivating personality.

The first single ‘POWER’ is classic Ye. With a heavy base and complex lyrics he smashes you with his deep emotional veiled metaphors, and his thick political undertones. The track is a monster! After nearly 3 years away from (true) Hip-Hop it is clear that he has lost none of his game. Choosing not to go with one of the many collaborations on the album is possibly a marker set down by West, as he comments on various tracks through his career that he feels that featured artists often outshine him (especially seen in ‘Big Brother’ from Graduation with regards to Jay-Z). This is a stand-alone track. It is all about Kanye West now. And he really does himself justice.

Other tracks worth mentioning on the album are... well... ALL of them!

I don’t often say this about an album, but there isn’t a track on there I don’t like! I even like the ‘All of the lights (Interlude)’ which butters you up before hitting you with the full track. ‘All of the lights’ is defiantly one of the biggest tracks, and a personal favourite of mine. Joining forces indiscriminately with the likes of Elton John, and Fergie on this one Ye shines through as the driving force of this song, and the album.

Speaking of monsters, the track ’Monster’ is a classic Kanye-Jigga collaboration, which really lives up to its name. With the likes of Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj & Bon Iver also featured the track is a really heavy Hip-Hip track, which it looks like everyone wanted a piece of by the extensive list of names featured.

But for me it is the second half of the album that plays out the biggest tracks. ‘Lost In The World’ (feat. Bon Iver) is an amazingly striking track that has all the tenderness of a ballad with all the rawness of Hip-Hop infused. Ye’s confusion about love and loss bleeds from every pore of this track. Where as ‘Blame Game’ (feat. John Legend) is a fantastically composed track that once again speaks of Yeezy’s emotional turmoil post relationship. Culminating in a hilarious piece of improv by Chris Rock, parodying a phone call from Ye’s ex lover

(watch out for the lines:

"you know what i goota thank yeezy, 

and when i see that brother i gotta thank him!
I'ma buy the album, 

I'ma download that s**t.... 

I'ma shoot a bootlegger!! 

thats how good i feel about this!")

'Devil In A New Dress' (feat. Rick Ross) is yet another track on the album that needs a mention. Yeezy’s blunt honesty through the album is crescendo’d here. Speaking of his wild love life, and relationships through to one night stands, with the starp “the way you look should be a sin, you my sin-sation”.

I really can’t give this album any more plaudits, or like me you’ll start thinking I’m over hyping it and stop listening. But if you have any favour for Mainstream Hip-Hop this album is the Must of 2010… maybe even more so than Jay-Z’s Blueprint III (… controversially).

Definitely get this!
Cheers for reading! Leave me a comment!! Tx

Come around Kings?

Good morning! (… or good afternoon or good night! Which ever suits you best!)

This blog is going to focus on the latest Kings of Leon release ‘Come Around Sundown’.

As I sit here writing notes about the intricacy of the tracks, and the subtlety inbuilt into this album, I find myself wondering….. “What the hell am I doing writing notes when I could be enjoying new Kings of Leon Tunes!?? ”

The album comes as the bands fifth release off the back of the extremely successful 2008 ‘Only by the Night’, and will defiantly disappoint some fans that were hoping for another ‘Sex on Fire’ fuled alternative rock-fest.

This album has come under wide criticism for its lack of headline busting tracks, and its mellow Southern soulfulness. However in light of the previous KoL releases I am really not surprised by it. I, like many, am the first to admit I was slow on the uptake when it comes to the Kings of Leon. It was their 2007 hit ‘On Call’, from their third release ‘Because of the Times’, which alerted me to the deep, edgy lyrics, and ruthless guitar riffs, which was something I hadn’t heard performed so fascinatingly since first hearing The Rolling Stones ‘Brown Sugar’.

The back catalogue continues this trend of gritty, yet tenderly composed Southern infused indie. The foundations for ‘Come Around Sundown’ can clearly be heard through these releases. Seeing such tracks as ‘Trani’ and ‘Milk’ from ‘Youth and Young Manhood’ and ‘Aha Shake Heartbreak’ respectively, being clear forerunners for many of the tracks on this album.

It came as no surprise to me that the KoL have deliberately slowed their tempo, so as to almost re-find their routes in Nashville-based blues/indie. The album feels like a group of tracks specifically designed for live performances, after finally cracking their native U.S. it appears to be a strategic positioning to attempt to perfect their live set.

This is an album you really shouldn’t make a split second judgement on!

The intimacy of some of the album tracks, such as ‘The Face’ is something I feel needs time and some patience to really appreciate. The headline tracks are typically strong KoL, the first single ‘Radioactive’ boasts a punchy guitar riff, and intricate lyrics. However for me the biggest track on the album is the first, almost ironically titled, ‘The End’. The track bludgeons you with Calebs’s cries of “I aint got a home”, and I feel sets the scene of an omniscient moment of power felt by the front man during a gig, when he holds all the crowd in the palm of his hand toying with their emotions, “Sitting on your throne”. I personally equate this track to the likes of Jay-Z’s ‘Encore’… by creating the feeling of ‘The End’ [of the gig], and the loss that comes hand in hand with this, exhilarates andthe raw passion of the audience hits fever pitch! (Before slamming us with some of our favourites as their encore to finish). A real roller coaster of emotion, this is one of my favourite tracks! ‘The Immortals’ is a track I feel is worthy of mention as one of the strongest tracks on the album.

But sadly it is those tracks that didn’t quite entice and tease the way ‘Use Somebody’, and ‘Crawl’s’ raw muscle previously overpowered us.

Tracks such as ‘Back Down South’ and ‘Mi Amigo’ show a little too much moody melodrama to be any more than fillers (something I DIDN’T enjoy saying!! But that’s just how these offering feel).

I personally like this album! In terms of a live set, some of these songs would sit well with the KoL stylistics and unique manner. I also think with perseverance, it is effortless to find yourself falling in love with the easy, blues nature of tracks like ‘No Money’ and ‘Birthday’. As my friend Mark Davies says, ‘This album is a Grower!’

Cheers for reading! Let me know what you think with a comment, or simply if you have an idea of an album you’d like to see blogged about! 

Tx

Mr not-so-Brightside?

I said I was going to start with some slightly older albums, and here is one. Brandon Flowers: Flamingo

For a start, Brandon Flowers is one of the most enigmatic and energetic front men of our generation. A bastion of modern music whose live performances simply inspire! However, I know Brandon's 'flamboyant'... but Flamingo.. Really??

Ok so. I am completely, unequivocally, unquestionably a huge fan of The Killers. From the second I heard the demo of Mr. Brightside I was hooked. Their first offering, the 2006 'Hot Fuss', was/is the perfect contradiction, Glamorous Indie Rock'n'Roll. An almost too perfect first album. With real grit, and use of fascinating metaphors made this a defining musical moment.

The second, 'Sams Town' was three quarters genius, and a quarter questionable... however not to go without mention, involved possibly one of the most creative, holistic and (not to be a cliché) genius pieces of rock music ever written.. When You Were Young.

The third album 'Day and Age' (not completely ignoring 'Sawdust'- but strictly keeping to major releases) was in my opinion less than impressive. With only a few top tracks, it really lacked the punch and grit of earlier releases.

Taken from the video for 'Crossfire'

This first solo effort from Flowers, for me, continues a similar pattern. The album, less 'Indie Rock'n'Roll' more 'Country', shows a different side of Flowers. With a slower tempo, and a more reminiscent, crooning approach this album claims to be ‘Playing With Fire’, but I feel merely smoulders…

Flamingo has flickers of the Brandon Flowers genius that ignited the world in 2006, with the first single ‘Crossfire’ being a solid offering. BUT ‘Jilted Lovers And Broken Hearts’ is the real tour de force, starring as an anthemic Killers-esc track with a big chorus, and Flowers own cryptic way of telling stories of love and life experience. Also ‘Magdalena’ tells the story of a religious pilgrimage which takes in Mexico: A truly extraordinary showing of Brandon’s creative talents, staging the use of his own diverse inspiration.

What I feel is really disappointing about Flamingo is that the Best offerings, are only as good as some of the more average of Brandon’s earlier efforts. Tracks such as ‘The Clock Was Tickin'’ and ‘Jacksonville’ are prime examples of this. With no real tempo, the album as a whole is deflated by such lacklustre contributions. I really want to like this album, as Brandon Flowers is one of my favourite artists, but I find it hard to gain any sort of upbeat experience from Flamingo as it lacks flow and consistency. 

Flamingo is not going to be one of the albums I’ll request on my death bed, but in the wise words of one of my friends: you have to enjoy and accept when an artist attempts a new direction with their music, as without progression you get stagnation…. And nobody wants to hear another ‘Hot Fuss’… 

…..  

.......

 … Well…  .... ... ..... I wouldn't say no!

A little less production value and slightly more focus on the music, perhaps deviating and throwing in a few more Rock ‘n’ Roll riffs could have made this album a real force to be reckoned with! What I really want to say, is that sometimes less is more.

I do want to stress however that with The Killers Brandon is easily one of the best live front men going, and from personal experience puts on one of the most fantastic and complete gigs you could possibly imagine (and this goes for ALL of his music regardless of album, or period in his musical progression). So I have no doubt that when he puts on a show of Flamingo, it will be nothing short of this (and having heard their BBC Maida Vale session in September I get the impression my thoughts are not unfounded!)

Cheers for reading!

Tx

No introduction necessary.... well

As this is my first post, I'm guessing NO one will read this!

However I thought I'd put up a small amount about me, and what I'm going to post about.

Everyone has a blog these days, so I guess I'm just jumping on the bandwagon. Nothing wrong with that! Nothing wrong at all. I guess I haven’t had one until now, because I plainly thought they were for people who had no friends and allot to talk about.. Well sign me up!! (..lol still hoping no one's going to read this..)

I'm Tom! Hola! The bandwagon has truly been jumped upon!

Really though, I guess I thought what I had to say would be insignificant.... overlooked... skipped over, and to be honest... There's nothing wrong with that! Nothing wrong at all. I simply want to get myself out there.

Blogs are clearly alot harder to write for than I had initially anticipated! Though for this blog, I'm going to focus on what really consumes most of my time... music! and yes there are 1 billion other music blogs! But hey, you never know, you just may like mine... number 1 billion, and 1!

I'm a student, doing a masters in advertising, and though this has nothing to do with that, I feel it is very useful for anyone who is creative to be involved in as many artistic behaviours as humanly possible! (... therefore I may occasionally stray for the blogs purpose!)

As you can probably tell structure is the least important thing when it comes to me writing, I think that to be creative ideas need to be free, regardless of in what order. (a Jackson Pollock painting never appeared to have design, therefore why should this?!) I am going to begin with a few albums that have been out a little while... why not, get the creative juices going. Then I hope to give a (incredibly subjective) view of new music, as and when it crashes over us! Tom's music blog 1 billion and 1! Enjoy.....