Five Songs You Must Hear... #6

Time to take a look at a juicy feast of new tracks from the ever emering new indie/disco/electro scene in the UK this year; featuring tracks from some of the biggest new breaking acts in the country that have still yet to be really recognised by the industry for their efforts.

#1: Partyshank - Penis Vs. Vagina

Massive new tune that's even been included in a set by Justice, yet the Grime/Indie duo from London have still be to snapped up by any record label to date. This track comprises of dark bass and powerful vocals, yet a cheeky foreground that's instantly danceable whilst still being accessible.



#2 The Glamour Manifesto - Digital Behaviour

Big, Powerful percussion, guitars and high pitch filthy synths all with a similar voice of fall out boy in this track. Although, the lack of tunage on their myspace is clearly going to have an effect on building their fanbase.

#3: Glamour For Better - Shape

The four-piece indie/electro band from Reading have already also signed upto Ear Candy. This tune is sharp and full of electronica influences, yet they shape things up with near screamo vocals, that at times beings their sound down.


#4: Tapedeck - Destiny


This track reminds me of early Basement Jaxx, an 80s beat and sweet rhythm is cheesy and ever similar to Room 5's cover of Make Luv, but it works well. They class themselves as Screamo on MySpace, but I've yet to be enlightended on this claim. It sounds more like Jamiroquai gone indie. Something that will either explode with juiceness or produce an epic fail!


#5: Queens of Noize - Kiss With A Fit

Similarities in voice of this duo already spring up Robots in Disguise, and at first I thought it might be a side project of the duo. They are about to appear on BBC 6music with Partyshank and they're going to appear in the June issue of Vogue, at this stage any exposure is usually welcome.

Album Review #4: Crystal Castles

Crystal Castles
Crystal Castles

Well, that's the first time I've had to write the same thing twice, and no one actually said "you can say that again", but oh well.
It's taken around three years to produce a put together but the debut album from Toronto electronica duo Crystal Castles is finally here and it's been creating a major buzz on the music scene over the past month or so. It was released in North America in the middle of march, but only last week over here in the UK, where is only reached #47 in the charts. Me thinks it may just climb up a bit this week; if it doesn't then British people are a shameful and should be mercilessly slaughtered like dogs!
It's taken three years to get this album out, mainly due to endless touring and promotion, but they obviously explored musical genres at the same time until they were happy with what they came up with.
The result is very much like an American Justice, not American justice per say, we all know what that's like, they have the chair after all. No, I'm talking about Justice the French duo who are most famous for their song 'D.A.N.C.E' that most recently won best video at the American NME Awards 2008.
Much has been said already before spoiling it for you, or letting onto too much. Let the longest review so far, begin!

Review

#1 - Untrust Us
A slow paced opening is initiated under the vocals of death! 'Untrust Us' is at best a dim, half-hearted drone. Maybe it's just their style to piss people off with the very first listen and first track; maybe they like it that way. Personally I like to be blown away on the first track, and this, although it is genuinely good, just doesn't do it for me.

#2: Alice Practice
For what started out as a voice test that was only taken seriously once Klaxons keyboardist ___ got hold of it and started spreading it around and when the track was released it sold out in just three days. If the last track's vocals sounded like death, then these come from the Satan’s daughter; more like Alice in Hell than Alice in Wonderland. If the record carries on like this, I may have to inject myself with some depressants to calm myself down, such is the explosive nature of this - annoying to some but fucking genius to me - song.

#3: Crimewave
Possibly one of the best tracks on the album, it’s a composition of slow beat rock, dumbed-down synths and vocals that sound like C3-PO on crack. This song live is one of the most chilled out mind explosions I've ever heard and the closest thing to my Nan trying to rave that I’ve ever heard. If CC were really trying to delight and piss people off at the same time, then this is the song that makes it. Stonking dancefloor epidemic.

#4: Magic Spells
There's something very poetic about this track, although it’s slightly repetitive and probably my least favourite on the album.
It's quite an experimental track that plays heavily on a bassy background, I sort of the feel also that the vocals don't really fit; this could have been used a lot better as a short skit rather than a full length waste of time.

#5: Xxcuzxx Me
If the world's heaviest person could do ballet blindfolded with a broom stuck up their arse then this is what it would sound. The bass is incredible and the destructive overload of synths and powerful percussion makes for the most extreme track of the outing. I was slightly disappointed not to hear this song in their set on their recent tour, but I hope they play it at Gatecrasher or the NME New Noise Tour.

#6: Air War
One of the most accessible tracks on the album, full of strong 80s influences, which bursts with energy with every beat. It’s one of the most accessible tracks of the album, although I can't really draw any comparisons to other artists, I'm starting to see CC as one of the most unique new acts in the world today. Their energy and presence on record is amazing for a band that comprises of just two; although they do have a session drummer.

#7: Courtship Dating
Definitely my favourite track of the entire album; it's so well crafted and put together, and played live with a session drummer and 5 strobes, smoke and LEDs its transformed into a Stonking phantom of magnificence. I think it’s quite possible that this is so far my favourite track of this whole year so far.

#8: Good Time
"Good times keep rolling, got to escape now", one of the few mellow tracks of the record, that shows their unique depth of sound that is clearly one of the reasons they're the hottest new act on the planet. This music is epic, yet seriously danceable and you don't even need a glowstick to be having a good time.

#9: 1991
A sonic bass and sweet melody foreground place start this track off well, but it’s the shortest song on the record, I would have preferred the track to have been even shorter, almost like an extended skit, but its length leaves the listener yearning for more.

#10: Vanished
Easily one of the best produced songs on the record, it’s a beautiful anthem that shouts and screams with quality. It reminds me of the backing music on the old Pokémon Gameboy games, especially when you're about to capture Mewtwo at the end of the game.

#11: Knights
Epic are words that have been sprung around other reviews around the web a lot about this track, but I don't find this short symphony epic, I find it rather like alcohol, when you feel sick, letting out the pain makes your head feel better, yet if you carry it inside you, you end up feeling as darkly sick and wonderful as the genius of this song.

#12: Love and Caring
The sister track to 'Alice Practice' brutal bass and pathotic screaming from Alice Glass sex up this track more heavily than a Russian bush and French celery in a 80s Eastern European porno. Fookin' joy to my music stained ears.

#13: Through the Hosiery
Standard joy to my ears, the opening is instantly catchy yet pointlessly stupid, but that's how all great music is created I think. Sticking a flanger on vocals isn't very difficult, but it always sounds impressive when you're pissed. Keith Murray's solo on The Great Escape was invented during teaching someone else how to two-tap on guitar, and Slash's best riff came about when he was simply sodding about, and he's never even really liked it, but it sounds awesome.

#14: Reckless
it’s hard to explain in words how similar yet how different some of the tracks on this album sound. An Atari sound chip has helped create the bands primary sounds, and with the fact that the band have said they have no influences, could this be one of the purest records out on the market at the moment.

#15: Black Panther
After 14 tracks I didn't think I could take anymore of this raping of my acoustical measuring organs, but 'Black Panther' has just upped this album from extremely enjoyable to as contagious as the Black Plague. Soon boils will start to appear all over my body as my bodily organs start to give way to this masked rhythm that is now the soundtrack to my life.

#16: Tell Me What To Swallow
I really wish I could tell Alice Glass what to swallow, because it wouldn't be her own microphone! The close of this album begins a whole new chapter of disco music to the world. If you can open your ears and close out all emotions and preconceptions to comprehend how effortlessly epic this track sounds, then you can truly understand the brilliance of Crystal Castles.

Verdict

It’s easy to like Crystal Castles, but what's even easier is to fall head over heels in love with their New Rave destroying, genre splitting Punk-Revival synthesised juice goblets of blood and terror.
I think it's quite possible that this song could be the soundtrack to the Iraq War, its bloody and genuinely terrible, but if you look at the background its where the old and bold of this world trick the young and innocent into killing each other or in this medium go out and spend your hard earned cash on this extreme episode of Indie-Noisia and Disco-Trance.
The genius of this album cannot be fully appreciated until you've given it at least the 5th listen. When you first listen to it, it's hard to see the point of just making uncontrollably stupid noise for the point that you're able to do it. However, the whole point of this album lies in the fact that this music is possible to create, and you know what, it’s the best album I've listened to in almost a year, well that may not sound like very long, but in the music industry these days, a year seems like a millennia. Buy this album, or cheekily download it, and you will find your life has just become that tad bit more of a tonk more exciting, just because a skinny but yet insanely hot Canadian girl put next to 'Satan on synths' are able to turn all the conventions of music on its head just for a laugh. Crystal Castles are the best thing to happen to Canada since they broke away from the British Empire, and what's even more hilarious, is that the Canadian Government are funding this exodus. "Blame Canada, Blame Canada!"

10/10

Up & Coming Artists #3: Flobots

Flobots

A Time For American Heros

This week's Up & Coming Artist is the 6-piece (7 piece with session trumpet) Indie/Hip-Hop band that with their 2007 second album 'Fight With Tools' and 2008 single 'No Handlebars' is setting the US Modern Rock scene truly alight. I don't normally review bands or artists that have already released two albums, however this is a truely important exception.

With a MySpace following of 65,000 people worldwide and over 3 million profile views, they are quite well established and have recently signed to a Major American label. However, this fame has duly been well earned and the band have had to work very hard for their work to be finally recognised by the fatcats of the US Industry.

At the turn of the year, their album began to sell more rapidly and they were soon outselling more established national acts, and early this year they were offered a formal major recording contract with Universal, which they rightly snapped up and said thank you very fucking much America.

All this is very well, but what might you ask stands this band aside from the rest of the ever emerging new generation of great new bands and acts from the likes of New York, Chicago and in this instance Denver, Colorado; the heart of America.

The band were first referred to me by a mate at work around two months ago, I'd never heard of them, despite the fact they were about to set alight a new genre of rock in the most important country in the world.

With exploding lyrics from frontman Jonny 5 that scream Mike Shinoda at every angle for me, Flobots comprise a set-up that touches on light-metal/indie/math and thrash rock all sexed up with a dab of hip-hop and progressive/classical rock.

This year's single 'No Handlebars' really sums up Flobots in a nutshell, its poppy, its bright, its fun and yet its meaningful and serious all at the same time. "I can lead a nation with a microphone and I can split an atom from a molecule".

Flobots are starting to sounds to me like the American power-rock version of Oxford, England's mathrock funksters Foals.

Although the band are insistant, that although they've now signed to a major label, they won't abuse the privilages they've been given that other bands do. They insist they are going to use their new found fame for solely good purposes and to help change the dogmatic society of America for the better.
Upon signing their new deal with Universal, the label wanted the band to release 'Fight With Tools' completely untouched and were very keen for the band to continue exploring music with activism and community-building.
"We imagined a world where the message of 'Fight With Tools' is the mainstream, with the airwaves broadcasting honest statements about our nation’s past violence and calling for a new vision of a fully engaged, non-violent society. We imagined a network of music fans in cities around the globe organizing to implement this vision.
This is where I feel the band's true identity is shown, and I pray to god, and every angel in existence that the band carry on with this message, and their third album could potentially be one of the biggest selling albums in America that year, and I literally cannot wait for the band to come to the UK sometime later this year or early next. A slot at Glastonbury 2009 would be absolutely perfect!

Storming The Charts #3: Sam Sparro

Sam Sparro

Black & Gold

Australian born Sam Sparro was once many years ago a child actor - starring in a McDonald's commercial - before his father when limp and toe to get him into singing and performing. He was introduced to soul music and through his singing, Chaka Khan became one of his early admirers. Sparro moved to London to discover the British music scene, and it was after these experiences and others that included a job in a coffee shop in Los Angeles that he wrote his first single 'Black & Gold' during the low times in his life. Sam returned to the UK where he was immediately snapped up by London-based Island Records, launching him to instant stardom.

The single 'Black & Gold' was released in the UK on March 23rd and has received significant airplay on Radio One, as well as gracing the top of almost every music video channel in existence, bar of course MTV Base over the past few weeks.

Sam has not been afraid to come out and assert that he is proud to be gay, and its definitely not affected the exposure of his material, which I think is a really positive sign of how dynamic and free flowing the British music scene is becoming these days.

The single has been well received by many professional reviewers, including surprisingly DIS, which I find baffling; however, maybe thats yet another sign of the positive moves in the industry over the past year or two.

'Black & Gold' is a dark yet powerful dance ballad, that comprises of razor sharp vocals from Sparro, and a beat that could force my Grandad out of his grave to get jiggy on the dancefloor!

"Cos' If you're not really here, then stars don't even matter... I wanna be next to you"

You really get a sense of how Sam wants to empower his audience and take them on his own life journey, but all within the comfort of your own living room chair. Black & Gold is a feel good 80s power ballad with 21st century wit and spice.

The fact that this song had been riding in the top 5 of the singles chart is clear proof that even these days, good music can still grace the top of the charts, and we may not have to carry on praying that we don't always have to be subjected to the clasping claws of Soulja Boy and his fellow 'New Hip-Hopstars' for much longer.

What scares me about mainstream music at the moment is that, it is now almost May and there have been only FOUR number one singles for this entire year! Personally I think that's shocking. I pray for mercy upon the Singles Chart and the sane citizens of The United Kingdom for many years to come.

Five Songs You Must Hear... #5

I'm quite into my Filthy House and Electronica music at the moment, so I thought I'd enlighten you with some blasts from the past and some recent licks. No doubt you'll recognise some of them, although others I'd love to surprise you with as always.

#1: Justice Vs. Simian - We Are Your Friends


Probably the most well known song produced by the French duo, its easy to dance to, easy to sing-a-long to, but most importantly its a fucking tonk tune that you can party to and sing to with a group of 50 people when you're absolutely blitzed out of your skull!


#2: Bassment Jaxx Feat. Dizzee Rascal - Lucky Star


Easily my favourite track that the UK duo has ever released, and its also been graced with the presense and power of Mr. Dizzee himself. Sporting beats and riffs to die for, this song is the perfect way to get in the mood for a night of absolute drunken sweaty mayhem.


#3: Leftfield Feat. Afrika Bambatta - Afrika Shox


If you're looking for some genuinely good electronica that you can move your arms around in the air like a Team America SOS Signal, but also be blown away through sheer quality then this song is for you. Be sure not to turn it up too loud though, bleeding of the ears can be contageous.


#4: Uberzone - Satisfaction (Short Mix)


This track conjures up such bass and tight synths that its utterly out of this world. Sounding and feeling as if ET shat on a turtle and ate it for breakfast the next day, that is presuming that ET really does exist of course!



#5: Azzido Da Bass - Dooms Night


Absolutely immense track thats been remixed more times than Jordan's had boob jobs. Be sure to check out the 'Switch Remix' and the new 'Dooms Night 2008' mix that can be found on 7digital I believe, and it's also featured on the 2008 Floorfillers album.

Album Review #3: The Last Shadow Puppets

The Last Shadow Puppets
The Age of the Understatement

When I look at pictures of Alex Turner and Miles Kane together, I can’t help but think their new band was some idea thought up after a night of heavy drinking and strip poker.
Firstly there are the people that see Turner finally stepping out into the limelight to lap up the celebrity lifestyle, and cash in on his success with the Monkeys’ by releasing a duet album with his new best mate. Then there are also the people that think Kane is using this project to stir up some interest for his in-hype but struggling for popularity band The Rascals.
However, when you throw all those equations out of the window and take the time to sit down and listen to their debut album, that’s when you can start making comparisons to the great duos of music history.
The opening title track and debut single ‘The Age of the Understatement’ is quick to point out that this is a serious record and not just a weekend job. The thunderbolt beat and cute pop vocals from Turner and Kane play off of each other like a Torvelle and Dean Dance.
Many critics have labelled it as a Bond theme album, and to be honest, they’re not far wrong.

Review

Track #1: The Age of the Understatement
The title track opener sports a fiery drum roll, clever riffs and percussion perfection that lament a truly epic beginning of the album.”What seemed all unknowing and candid, but they suspected it was false”. These lyrics speak of the mysteriousness and deceitfulness of this “relentless marauder”.

Track #2: Standing Next To Me
True guitar pop down to the bare nails that could easily be released as a single later this year, it seems to be getting a lot of popularity on iTunes at the moment as the next best song past the title track, however I think the real genius in this album lies later on the in record, with ‘Separate and Ever Deadly’ and ‘I Don’t Like You Anymore’.

Track #3: Calm Like You
Building ever so gently with drums and trumpets, before Turner’s explodes onto the scene and unleashes his toned down acoustic voice that without Matt Helder backing, sounds all sheepish; it’s only when Kane joins in does it all start to make sense.

Track #4: Separate and Ever Deadly
This is my favourite song on the record, Kane and Turner really nail it on the chorus and towards to the end of versus when their vocals play off of each other. It’s almost like prose at a West End show. “Can’t you tell I’m a ghost in the wrong coat/Biting butter and crumbs”, is possibly the best duet piece of the album that stereotypes the shifts of personality during relationships.

Track #5: The Chamber
Starting out calm and collected, the voice of Turner takes over for the majority of the song with Kane backing. ‘The Chamber’ is a mellow song about blind love and being locked inside your own feelings for someone, and the inability to see the bigger picture. It’s beautifully put together, but for me it’s just too short and the ending to the song really doesn’t do the rest of the work justice.

Track #6: Only the Truth
Upbeat and powerful, the riffs in this track are sublime, they burst and burn your ears, and percussion and violins circumvent the vocals. “Only the truth, she reckons she holds”. There’s something about this song that reminds me of Arcade Fire, exploding with noise and energy with every note, almost like ‘No Cars Go’, yet at 2:44 it’s yet again on the short side. This record really is turning into a short and sweet affair.

Track #7: My Mistakes Were Made for You
For me this is the closest thing this record offers to the Monkeys’ brilliance, like a 505 sliced with ‘Do Me a Favour’, only with the thunderous ending of the latter left out. At this point of the record, I’m starting to question the importance of Kane, it’s almost like Domino asked there to be a lot more from Turner on purpose. Obviously because they realised it would sell more copies.

Track #8: Black Plant
‘Black Plant’ is a joy of a listen; Kane’s backing flows sweetly with the beat and accompanies Turners vocals stupendously. “The paper cuts from the love letters you never gave him”. This dark female that the two speak of throughout the album, she’s mysterious and wondrous, yet ever deadly. The pair once said in an interview, the album culminated the dreams and fantasies of both of them.

Track #9: I Don’t Like You Anymore
This track starts off with a neon blast of a sonic beat, but is followed up with mesmerising vocals from Turner, and that in turn is garnished by explosive vocals from Kane. This woman, whoever she is, seems to be just as machiavellian as she is mysterious and ever deadly. This track reminds me of one of Kane’s Rascals’ tracks titled ‘Is It Too Late?’, is swings and sways from beat to beat, and the speed of the song stretches with the emotions that accompany the vocals from Kane and Turner.

Track #10: In My Room
If anyone can identify the opening of this track to anything other than the Bond title sequence please let me know. “Humour absorbs the thought... turning the tension round”. The fact that it’s similar is irrelevant; it’s a tight and tasty tune that offers sweet vocals, clever riffs; a distant organ and a beating heart of a rhythm.

Track #11: Meeting Place
As the album beings its ending, I feel the second half of the album hasn’t has the same affect on me as the first four or five tracks that exploded with energy. You know how you feel when you get a massive steak, every bite is worthwhile and every mouthful you get happier... or sort of. However, by the end of the meal, you feel bloated, unable to move and have the worst indigestion ever. Although this track does nicely round of the message of the record, it does carry on the theme of the ‘mysterious woman’, and bring it to a sensible close

Track #12: The Time Has Come Again
Personally I think this is quite a weak closer, On the other hand, it’s not a bad last effort, and be the end of the track, the ending starts to make sense. This mysterious woman is too good to be true that no matter how much you try to get away from her, you always find yourself going back and persuading her to take you back even if you are “hiding” from yourself.

Verdict

I agree with a lot of the critics views of this album, but feel some of them are mislead by the hype, I tried not to pay attention to most of it; I read the NME interview with Turner and Kane before they reviewed the album, and I read the review in Q before I sat down and had my first listen. I was impressed by the difference of the album, I don’t think it’s the sort of jam I’m usually interested in, but it sort of reminded me a bit of Sinatra and Martin, it has the fun and X factor of The Rat Pack, and the cheek and charm of the Everley Brothers; yet there’s something else, that can only be explained by its modern scope and appeal. Turner and Kane have incorporated some of their Trip Hop conventions as well as their favourite mid-song silences that are so effective.
I’m not going to be drawn in and say that it’s one of the best albums of the year, it’s clearly not. However, it’s definitely worth a listen one evening after work, and it’ll appeal to a definite wider audience that’ll also only benefit their day jobs. I admire the two for trying something different at least. Turner could have sat on his arse over the summer and new-year before working on the Monkeys’ third, but chose to spend it doing this. It’s almost like a kids hobby, like friends playing with each others’ trains sets and arguing over who’s got the faster diesel. It’s not great and not something I’ll be banging on every second of every day, but it’s a good album to dip in and out of over the next few months, and I’m quite looking forward to seeing them at Reading later this year.

7/10

Up & Coming Artists #2: The Metros

The Metros
Libertine Rivivalists or Indie Saviours?

The Metros are a five-piece snarling filth-riden punk spewing Libertine-eaque punksters from the ever so famous but not so nice Peckham in South-East London. Already my heart is calling out to me to hail my heritage and sink into "Oh South London...".
Having heard a lot from forums and other bloggers, and general discussion around university, I felt ashamed that I knew next to nothing about their 'pornstars-on-tour' live performances. The band is made up of one drummer, one bassist, two guitarists and one frontman - who from pictures I've seen over the past few hours - looks like he is always got a line in reserve.
I also enjoyed reading a rare treat from the Guardian's 'new band of the day guru', with his take on how the band "like The Subways, missed a trick when they didn't call themselves The Undergrounds or The Tube", how very fucking witty and zany; supposedly from years of Journalistic experience...
The result of one of London's hottest new bands is an array of sexual tension and educatative hypertension boils down into the quality of Foals-esque string picking, yet the seriousness of Jimmy Carr. However, maybe they just don't give a fuck, and why they're former name was The Wanking Skankers, hardly the most formal of address is it, you can imagine the Queen standing up at the Royal Variety Performance all in to give them a hand, I'm sure.
They describe their sound as Funk, Punk and Rockabilly, the latter can only mean to me they're this modern band version of Elvis with skinny jeans and drums, but what do I know.


Their debut single 'Education Part. II' says and does exactly what it says on the vinyl, Education, Education, Education. However, John Major obviously didn't have the same kind of vision for back-to-basics teaching as these lads did.
"Educations overrated" states frontman Sauly Adamczewski - I've no idea how to pronounce it - the track leads into a feast of filthy indie goodness that culminates in the utter destruction of everything in the studio
They're clearly quite a way away from the mainstream at the moment but with a tidy sum of festival slots over the summer including Glastonbury, Zoo Thousand, T in the Park, Oxegen, the Japanese Summersonic Festival and Reading & Leeds; they'll surely whip up a storm of indie crazed teensters.
I can see them releasing an album some time during the beginning of next year, and as long as they keep up their current style then i'm sure it'll sell well.

If there's any criticisms I've got of them, is the durability of their sound, they could easily do very well this summer, release the album, and then just burn up like some of the past year's one record wonders. Only time will tell.

Storming The Charts #2: The Last Shadow Puppets

The Last Shadow Puppets
The Age of the Understatement

When I look at pictures of Alex Turner and Miles Kane together, I can’t help but think their new band was some idea thought up after a night of heavy drinking and strip poker.
Firstly there are the people that see Turner finally stepping out into the limelight to lap up the celebrity lifestyle, and cash in on his success with the Monkeys’ by releasing a duet album with his new best mate. Then there are also the people that think Kane is using this project to stir up some interest for his in-hype but struggling for popularity band The Rascals.
However, when you throw all those equations out of the window and take the time to sit down and listen to their debut album, that’s when you can start making comparisons to the great duos of music history.

Their debut single 'The Age of the Understatement' was released this week in the run up to the release of their debut album, also named The Age of the Understatement.
Firstly I'd like to point out, that its in no way similar to any of the past new 'indie-band' music thats been chocking out airwaves over the past couple of years. Its fresh, its poppy and its downright brilliant, but its also just very darn British. I doubt I'd ever see Dave Grohl teaming up with Brandon Flowers, to create a dipiction of the changes of music in America over the past thirty to fourty years to be honest. Musical duo's are just very British. Think of Lennon and McCartney, Ike and Tina Turner, The Everly Brothers; Their just a handful of some of the great duos of the past. Although it may take most people to cotton onto the idea, or for the Monkeys' to take over America and for The Rascals to create a masterpiece album; before most people really know who they truly are. I mean if Damon Albern and Noel Gallager were to put aside their differences of the past and make a duet album right now, Matt Bellamy and Thom Yorke were to do the same, then the world would shit a solid black brick of holy terd on George Bush's oval office desk!

Now that that explananation has gotten out of the way I can concentrate on ripping apart this little treat of a tune, that clocks in at just over three minutes flat. The vocals are bright and edgy, the guitar work is sublime and the drumming is second to none. Turner and Kane's vocals play off of each other like a a beautiful symthony played along to the nutcracker. Think of how well Chemical Brother's 'Electrobank' was played out to Sofia Coppola's amazing gymnastics; this is right up there.

Riding high in the charts within the top 10 this week, its set the album a high bench mark to pass, but I'm confident the album can do an even better job!

Five Songs You Must Hear... #4

This week see's some pure classics get given the respect they deserve. Also included is Orbital's 'P.E.T.R.O.L'; another one of my immensely favourite tracks from the 90s break-beat era to quench your rave thirst!



#1: Nena - 99 Luftballons


Possibly the only sound that sounds great in both English and German (well except perhaps England 5 Germany 1), and one of the biggest pop tunes of the 80s, this will keep you singing to the early hours.





#2: Gary Numan - Cars


An utter stonker of a song from the London based singer and composer from back in 1979, which was a massive hit in both the UK and the United States. The song was so popular that in many countries it completely outshadowed the rest of his career.



3: Iron Maiden - 2 Minutes to Midnight


This was the tenth single to be released by the band back in 1984. The song carried a strong anti-war message during the end of the cold war, but the only thing that matters is that its a fucking great tune that can't be ignored.



#4: Blondie - Atomic


Undoubtedly the most famous song produced by the band. It's one of the most recognisable songs from the New Wave movement and possibly the most famous song written by Debbie Harry; not a lot of people know this song was first released as a remix in 1981.



#5: Orbital - P.E.T.R.O.L


If those songs bore you to death, then grab a few listen of this hydro pump of a track. Orbital are one of the most recognisable acts from the LA 90s rave scene and this is one of the scene's most famous releases; effin' tonk!

Album Review #2: The Kooks

The Kooks
Konk

The Kooks will release their follow up to the multi-platinum debut 'Inside In/Inside Out next month, which is almost certain to be as popular as the previous, and definately certain to get the Brighton based four piece their 1st No.1 album.
The Kooks exploded onto the music scene back in 2005 when they snapped up by Virgin Records. After being quiet for pretty much all of last year, frontman Luke Pritchard told NME that the band has written "80 or 90 songs", which has been edited down extensively over the past 6 months to come up with a finished final piece two disc album entitled 'Konk' and 'RAK'. Konk is the official album which is named after the London studio that it was recorded in, with RAK being a second shorter collection of 8 other new songs, and an extra alternative song for the Konk opener called 'See the Sun'.
I've listened to the album over once, and struggled to pick it apart, however, found the whole experience rather refreshing after the onslaught of indie-dance albums from DIOYY, The Whip, Neon Neon and Crystal Castles that I've been worshipping recently.
They do strike me as quite a niche within the indie scene. Although they are undoubtedly massive! The hype stands for good reason, If he could write a song like 'Naive' at the age of 16, think of what he can do in the future. This new record does hold some juicy gems including the chirpy singalong 'Always Where I Need To Be' and the funky anthem 'Do You Wanna'.
So onto the actual review of this 12-track blast.

Review

#1 - See The Sun
From the outset of this song, and the first 30-40 seconds of the first track, its clear that the band have learnt a lot from their year on the sidelines and tours over Europe and America. I love this song already, its uplifting but not overbearing, and cheesy but not cringy. The opening lines "Oh you can have it all and wrap in the world/you can have everything/you can have love and lots of earthly things" lead into a masterful choice of lyrics that leads onto the chorus, with hey-ho, clapping, how quaint! A great opener.

#2: Always Where I Want To Be
This is a certain dancefloor filler, and has all the ingredients of a brilliant chart topper. "Du, du dedudu dede du" it's as contageous as Klamidia. Ok bad joke, but in book it's a good as true. Ok so now you think I have Klamidia, this review is going well...
Download this track now, it'll be the band's first single from the album, and it's out in the shops on Monday (31st April). It's been getting some good airplay, so it's certainly a top 10 contender, if not top 5.

#3: Mr. Maker
Not sure about this one, its definately The Kooks, but the only thing is, it sounds rather like The Hoosiers, and that's never a good thing. Can't really think of anything other to say about it either, I think I've said all I need to, moving on...

#4: Do You Wanna
This is more like it! firstly, I can't start a review of this track along without saying I EFFING' LOVE IT. The untold amount of times that young men will strut around the indie club dancefloors of Britain this year, eyeing up the finest talent just to be able to grab her arse and whisper into her ear "I Know You Wanna Make Love To Me!" And the guitar riff at 1:18 following that line is good enough for even the ugliest cunt to pull it off and follow it up with some hardcore grinding action!
That's all I have to say about that song, just listen to it, now! Forget Klamida, this time its full on Aids!

#5: Gap
I've already spent over an hour on this review now, and i'm not even half way through yet! Now that's what I call dedication! I wish I could say the same for this track though.
This album is starting to turn into a bit of an up and downer. It's great for cruises across the Atlantic, but not so much for a sunday picnic.
I fell with this track that I've heard it all before, the music is kool, but the lyrics just seem too bland for my liking.

#6: Love it All
0:06-0:09 reminds me of a song a song, but I can't put my finger on it. I'm gonna do a search then carry on writing. Got it! It sounds like the chorus of 'Travis - Closer'. Weird isn't it, that such a small extract from a song, can remind us of another. I think for that reason alone it makes this song good.
Looking past the lame reason I've given you though, it's definitely along the theme of 'refreshing' I gave you at the start of the review, and it's a great little tune to break the half way mark on. One thing that I've picked up on from this track, is Pritchard's range of voice, he can really hit those high notes well.

#7: Stormy Weather
Yeah, this is what I was hoping for. Something more a lot more grittier, yes its another song about love, but there can be a lot more ways to approach the subject, in lots of really 'interesting ways'. Argurably the best love song of last year was '505' by the Arctic Monkeys, but this is one of those that won't be listened to by everyone, but it's glam beats and bass make it one of the best on the record in my opinion.

#8: Sway
I'm really hoping for a decnet grand finale after this track, but until then i'm going to suffer with yet more songs about love. I'm not complaining about the quality of music at all, this is genuinly good stuff. I'd just prefer the band to have a moan at society maybe, create some banter with another band or piss off a lot of their 'lovydubby' fans with a golden nugget of masturbation. The Fratellis sing a majority of their songs about love, but they do so, in a much more fun way. Their second album will trump this like a Harrier Jump Jet trumps my grandads Volkswagon Polo down to the shops and back. for the morning paper.

#9: Shine
Yet again, I'm not really feeling this track either, it's just not something I'm going to end up putting on my iPod. It's one of those songs you'll always have on your iTunes, just because its quaint to group it with the entire album and the artwork, looking all organised and 'professional', but when you look at the play count, it's still stuck at zero.

#10: Down To The Market
At last, something that makes me want to tap my feet. I think the band have done a great job with this. The guitar solo's are electric on a tune made up of lyrics of yet more love. Although, Pritchard chucks out the old luvvydubby chords for this. I think this track would be great live, although it's a little on the short side, which was slightly disappointing.

#11: One Last Time
This song should actually be called 'One Last Love Song... I Swear Baby'. I've decided to give this one a decent listen though. Sounds corny, but eyes closed, 'closed mind' however you do 'close your mind'. I've never understood that convention, how can you only think about one thing at a time, the first second someone tells me to only think about one thing, I think about 5,000 things at once.
This is quite a short link between the 10th and 12th songs of the record, but it actually fits really well, as it leads onto something genuinely decent.

#12: Tick of Time
I love these sorts of jams, I can't play the guitar myself, but ever since going along to see The Enemy, The Wombats and Noah and the Whale, I've really been into tiny acoustic gigs. Putting the whole 'intimate gig' shite aside, its a place to just have a good sing-a-long. You could see the band sitting on the end of Brighton Pier playing out the song to a few hundred lucky souls, but the you could also see Pritchard alone, on a tropical island duetting with Otis Reading on the end of a jetty...

+Hidden Track: All Over Town
... It seems the band went all Klaxons with a nice 'pause' on the last track, and put a 'Hidden Track' at the end. I've never gotten the idea of all this 'BONUS TRACK' business, if they wern'y on all of these albums, you'd still be paying exactly the same for it anyway, so what's the whole point in forcing your own fans into a false reality mind set.
"Mum can you buy me this album, its got a BONUS TRACK ON IT. That must mean we get it for free! You know, like in ASDA when you get those 2for3 deals!" What a load of Bull**%>! How about make it the 13th track and be done with it.
Putting aside that rant, I quite like the ending. It's mellow but uplifting and really inkeeping with the refreshing feel.

Verdict

Although, I've moaned about some of the songs on the Album, none of them were crap. I just like to see more of a variety that's all. For all the good that my last year's favourite album by The Enemy was, it was still full of two or three songs that sounded very alike. However that's their debut so you can let them off. Radiohead only found their real voice on the third attempt, so many The Kooks will make a better album next time.
There's definitely some great songs there though, really am genuinely impressed, because their last effort was kind of a disappointment for me, I do hope it gets to No.1, because I think they deserve it.
Don't think of this album as 'just another indie album' think of it as, a work in progress. You know on 'Lost' and back in the old days when TV programs had 'To Be Continued' at the end of them. The Kooks haven't launched themselves to superstardom with this record, but they haven't faded out like Razorlight did. Just 'watch this space' over the next five years or so is all I will say.

6/10

Up & Coming Artists #1: Lykke Li

Lykke Li
Swedish Pop Princess

Lykki Li is most certainly the hottest new female singer in both talent and looks to come out of mainland Europe this year. Daughter of a mother music photographer and musician father, her life has always revolved around everything visually and acoutically facinating about the world. That also coinsides with the surroundings she grew up in; Stockholm, one of Europe's most stunning cities and one of the continents party capitals.

Sweden is the world's 3rd largest exporter of music after the US and UK. It's obviously most famous for Abba, The Cardigans and metal band Arch Enemy back in the day, but in recent years Robyn, The Hives, The Caesars, Basshunter, Placebo and Axwell who is famous for his club remix of Hard-Fi's 'Hard To Beat'. Sweden is a country with a massive music heritage and history and Lykki Li (Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson) is no exception.

Her music is simple and soothing. She feels that overloading tracks with strings and all sorts of instruments and computer-genrated sounds takes away some of the emotion attached with music. She much prefers a simple beat, backing chords and her voice pumping simple but thought out lyrics that will always conjure up strong meaning for anyone who comes across it.

I first come across the scandanavian singer when NME featured her back before christmas 07' in their Radar section under 'everyone's talking about...', so I thought I'd check her out.
The first track I heard was 'Little Bit', which she released a vinyl single and on an EP back in 07'.It's extrodinary minimal pop, every beat and chord has a life of its own and its accompanied by her unique voice. She does sound a little bit like Robyn, but she has a much larger range of voice. I suppose you could call her a bit of a hippy, shes got all the credentials to be a massive star outside of Sweden, but thankfully she certainly no Britney.


Her debut album 'Youth Novels' was released in Sweden on January 30th and it was released in the UK on March 3rd. The record opens with 'Melodies & Desires' an introduction into Li's interpretation and understand of the world around her. Her voice is so piercing and extrodinary, I can't compare it to anyone else; this is simple music, but so very clever at the same time. Her songwriting talent cannot be called into question, and it's really evident during 'Im Good, I'm Gone'; "And if you say I'm not OK/Then that's the goal".

Her real life and soul is to be found in the upbeat 'Let It Fall' and the previously mentioned 'Little Bit'. Shes said on many occasions she doesn't want to be like Robyn and welcomes negative criticism, because in the end it'll make her a stronger person and be able to make better music for her fans.
However, don't let her slow paced music draw you away from her personality, she's a strong woman who wants nothing more than to be a global superstar, famous for her talent and ability to touch people from all walks of life rather than her good looks and famous parents, that seems to be the norm these days. She's also fed up with being compared to Robyn, stating the only things they have in common is their nationality and gender. Speaking to NME's Radar again just last month, she stated she didn't want to just be this girl on stage that danced, she wanted to have the presense of her idols Iggy Pop and Cobain.


For me, she certainly has a lot more talent than Robyn, and a better hair cut for that matter! Although, its sad to say in this day and age of the music industry, but she's not going to touch artists like Madonna, Kate Bush and Courtney Cox if she's moping around on LL Recordings and Moshi Moshi, she needs to break away and sign with a quality Label, possibly Domino, famous for signing the Arctic Monkeys, who are not primarily concerned with controlling an artist, but let them do what they want; so long as they still rake in profit, of course.

If you're looking for an artist who you can listen to practically any time of the day, while getting ready for the town or sitting depressed in bed, then Lykki Li will certainly leave you hanging high.

New Blogging Lease of Life

For anyone who regularly reads these posts, sorry I've been away for a little while, been very busy!

I had a mental case of work while I was back at home for easter break, and I've come back to even more at uni! Just been given titles for the 'Lankmarks in Journalism' part of my course. So now it's time to start researching and all that malarkee! Joy to the World.

I am also now doing two podcasts! The one that runs along side this blog and another with a mate on my course, who does the 'The Only Thing... I Know for Sure' blog. Their both music based, however this is one is quite a lot more anylitical and most dialog based, as aposed to the more music driven one that runs with this blog.

I'm hosting a night at my University's Union on Thursday (April 10th) and Monday (7th) is my flatmates 19th, so there's not going to be much time for the blog. However I'm going to write a mammoth of posts in one night, then just publish them on the appropriate day, which means I won't start to fall behind, then neglect the blog all together.

So the next blog will be up tomorrow, which will be the march playlist, then from then on there will be a blog up every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Monday's post will be featuring a new artist; Tuesday will be an album review; Every Friday will be the 'Five Songs You Must Hear' piece; Friday will be a 'Storming the Charts' and Saturday is going to be alternated. Next Saturday see's the introduction of the polished format and the first proper episode of the podcast, then the Saturday's that are in between the podcast being published there will be room for a random post. This will either be another gig-review, the monthly playlist or just a post about a random topic I want to engage with.

One other thing before I leave you is the link to my other podcast with Mike
Please give it a good listen if you can, we both want this to be really successful, we managed to sneak an interview with Frank Turner for the first one, which sort of indicates that it's not just some silly podcast, but that we've recorded it in a studio and aimed really high with artists and such.

Ears To The Skies

Lee