Entries Tagged 'Music' ↓

Best Albums of 2007

1. Twilight Sad: Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters
I think I’ve got a weakness for anthems.  These guys make great tunes that the singers full-on Glaswegian lilt make especially fun for me to sing along

2. Marnie Stern: In Advance of the Broken Arm
Is this really my second favourite album of the year?  I don’t know, what I do know is that despite being the bastard child of Eddie Vanhalen and Captain Beefheart I find myself listening to her album again and again.

3. Blonde Redhead: 23
Great melodies that just circle round and round in your head, there’s nothing else to say.

3. Radiohead: In Rainbows
A great release.  I’m slightly disappointed that I thought I was buying in to a totally new way to buy music only to find that a CD release and closure of the download website are heppening at the end of the month.  It’s unfortunate that they’ve let all this obscure the music.

4. The Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
A fantastic second album, but just not quite as good as the first.  Still though the only band to appear in my top 5 albums and live act list.

5. St Vincent: Marry Me
6. Thurston Moore: Trees Outside the Academy
7. Future of the Left: Curses
8. The Drones: Gala Mill
9. QOTSA: Era Vulgaris
10. Bat For Lashes: Fur and Gold

Older Albums That I Heard and Really Enjoyed This Year

1. Modest Mouse: Interstate 8
2. The Thermals: The Body, The Blood, The Machine
3. CSS: Cansei De Ser Sexy (Brazilian release)
4. Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton: The Knives Don’t Have Your Back
5. Mclusky: Mcluskyism
6. Lupe Fiasco: Food and Liquor

Live Shows
It’s been a great year for live music for me.  Here’s hoping I see such great stuff next year.

1. Arcade Fire (Barrowlands, Glasgow)
A brilliant act on the top of their game.  I read a disappointing review of them playing a larger venue in Glasgow last month, I’m so glad I got to see them on the crest of greatness.
Review

2. Bjork (Connect Festival, Iverarie)
An amazing performance.  A musician that will never be dwarfed by her
fame or appeal.  Spectacular and powerful.
Connect Festival Review

3. Aereogramme (Connect Festival, Iverarie, and QMU and Classic Grand,
Glasgow)
A long time favourite band of mine played their final gigs this year before calling it a day.  I saw them three times this year and they played their hearts out ferociously each time.
Gig Review
Connect Festival Review

4. Foo Fighters (Meadowbank Athletics Stadium, Edinburgh)
I’d wager they’re best straight rock band performing right now.  Whatever you think of their recorded output live they’re unstoppable.

5. Modest Mouse (Connect Festival, Iverarie)
A fascinating performance and great showcase for the songs.
Connect Festival Review

6. Cat Power Review
7. Seasick Steve
8. QOTSA
9. Bat For Lashes
10. Hold Steady

The layers of grime from last weekend are gradually being removed.  I’m still pretty knackered and sore, 3 days of dancing in muddy slog will do that to you, but what a weekend.  Connect was billed as a boutique festival, quality over quantity and looking back at the weekend there’s been plenty of festivals with more bands I’ve wanted to see but the hit/miss ratio at Connect was out the park.  I think over the weekend I’d class only one or two acts as average.
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The prospect of a Cat Power’s live show is one that got an array of reaction.  I’ve been listening to her records for a while and her piercing voice on You Are Free had me hooked.  This was to be my first chance to see her perform and I was preparing for the worst.  The internet is awash with reports of her running off stage in tears, being regularly far too drunk to play, and half playing songs before giving up.  A friend refused to come with me because he had seen her a few years ago and described it as horrible, a voyeuristic experience of watching someone emotionally and physically fall to pieces.  While in the last year she has been playing with the support of the huge Memphis Rhythm band this was to be a solo gig.

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OK quick disclaimer, if you’re reading this trying to decide whether to go or not, you’re too late, sold out everywhere.  But you know there’s always next time, or eBay for the desperate.  And damn should you all be desperate.

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Usually when cinematic is used to describe music it’s lazy shorthand for sweeping epic sounding arrangements.  Aereogramme have always been described as such and it pissed me off no end that that was the best description that could be mustered.  On their new album though My Heart Has A Wish That You Would Not Go On they thoroughly embraced it.  Much of the album was written as a soundtrack to an imaginary film, a great idea but I felt a little disappointed listening to it.  It’s a more carefully composed album than the previous ones but it lacked the truly heavy screaming parts that made the band unique.  Singer Crag B ended up virtually mute after touring and recording the last album, I couldn’t help feeling this new direction had been forced on them by circumstance.  To top it off when I saw them before it was one of the most amazing gigs I’d ever been to, they were in an old church and it’s certainly the only time I’ve seen a band play with quadraphonic surround sound.

So not really feeling the last album and knowing that every time I’d seen a band for a second time it had been a let down (White Stripes, Explosions in the Sky, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Flaming Lips) I was waiting for further disappointment.  All was instantly forgotten.  Right from the start they kicked in with the new songs that really came together live.  The new member on keyboards and laptops added loads to scope of the sound.  Some of the heaviest drumming ever complete with an added percussion section really drove things home.  The mountainous bass player stood like had a towering presence that when he got going made you worry for other band members.  As for Craig B while he may not be able to scream his lungs out anymore the softer turns are as clear as ever cutting through the rest of the band.

Don’t miss them when they come your way.

1) The Knife: Silent Shout
As verified by the online Indie music behemoth Pitchfork this is the album of the year.  Stirring melodies and dynamic music engaged me, a sceptical listener from the first play.  Also Heartbeat on Deep Cuts is a must hear.

2) Martha Wainwright, live on NPR
While the album is good I heard this first and it’s what brought the most impact, a half hour set of brilliance that when I listened to it gave that same chill I got with Cat Power: You Are Free.  I’m a sucker for that beautiful voice and the naked songs.  Bonus it’s free.

3) Eagles of Death Metal, Live
Rock with balls dammit.  Not since I saw the Flaming Lips has any band made a gig this enjoyable.  While feeling quite old amongst an as yet un-jaded teenage crowd, the energy and enthusiasm for the back to basics rock’n'roll was just great fun.  No violent mosh pit required just bring your guitar and turn it to 11.

4) Deerhoof, Live
I remain unconvinced of their recorded output (Friend Opportunity is a good listen though) seeing them live this year was immense.  Supporting Radiohead with a small early riser crowd I watched the 3 of them with a huge grin on my face.  The sound the noise and energy was brilliant.  About half way through I realised the terrific racket coming from the drummer was created entirely by a single bass, snare, and cymbal.  Frantic fun.

5) Wolfmother, Wolfmother
Zep throwback, but damn do they throw back.

6) Be Your Own Pet, Be Your Own Pet
Indie Rock album of the year, great songs, voice, and enough edge to make this interesting.

7) Black Keys, Rubber Factory, 10AM Automatic
When that solo kicks in, I just can’t get over that sound.

Also rans.. suckered by more lovely voices on Emily Haines: Knives Don’t Have Your Back and Joanna Newsom: Y’s.

Top albums:
Death From Above 1979: Your a Woman I’m a Machine (Blistering metal fun)
The Arcade Fire: Funeral (Strictly speaking 2004 but UK release was this year)
Franz Ferdinand: You Could Have it Better With… (Quality pop)
The White Stripes: Get Behind Me Satan (Cause the Stripes rock)
Wolf Parade: Apologies to Queen Mary
The New Pornographers: Twin Cinema
Belle & Sebastian: Push Bar to Open ( A great compilation of the many genius non-album tracks)
M.I.A.: Arular
Art Brut: Bang Bang Rock and Roll

More great music picks of the year after the jump.

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