Articles

Features

Culturedeluxe's Top 50 Albums of 2008

It`s time once again to count down our favourite albums of the year. There will be shock inclusions, there will be unfathomable exclusions but, as always, we challenge anyone to come up with a more eclectic Top 50 than the one below.

You can win all fifty albums by breaking into your local HMV, stealing them and getting away before the police turn up!

Culturedeluxe`s Top 50 Albums of 2008

1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8
9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28
29	30	31	32
33	34	35	36
37	38	39	40
41	42	43	44
45	46	47	48
49	50

	1.	`Eine Kleine Nacht Musik`
		Eine Kleine Nacht Musik
		A surprise choice at number one perhaps, but Henry `Riton` Smithson`s exquisite krautrock by numbers side project beguilled enough of our staff to take the top award. Loved by almost all who`ve heard it, if you haven`t then pick up a copy soon to put pressure on Mr Smithson to record a follow up.
		Released on 14 July 2008 on Modular.
		Original Review (9/10)

	2.	`Fleet Foxes`
		Fleet Foxes
		A release which embarrassingly initially passed us by and remains unreviewed, Seattle`s Fleet Foxes picked up plaudits from everywhere else in 2008 with an album full of genuinely jaw-dropping moments.
		Released on 16 June 2008 on Sub Pop.

	3.	`Intimacy`
		Bloc Party
		A year after the `difficult` second album, Bloc Party surprised us al this year with a characteristically strong third LP which blended the best elements of their previous discs into one time-honed tome.
		Released on 27 October 2008 on Wichita.
		Original Review (9/10)

	4.	`Oracular Spectacular`
		MGMT
		They made more new friends than anyone else at this year`s Glastonbury Festival and, with a string of radio friendly singles nagging the nation`s ears, `Oracular Spectacular` has sold handsomely all year.
		Released on 10 March 2008 on Sony.

	5.	`Falling Off The Lavender Bridge`
		Lightspeed Champion
		With a peculiar title that befits his obscure image and unconventional songwriting, Dev Hynes` debut solo effort was the first to entrance us this year scoring full marks in an early review.
		Released on 21 January 2008 on Domino.
		Original Review (10/10)

	6.	`Third`
		Portishead
		So-called because it was literally their third LP in a seventeen year career, the legendarily worksky Bristol combo delivered further proof that the best things are worth waiting for with a harder sounding, ore experimental LP.
		Released on 28 April 2008 on Universal.
		Original Review (10/10)

	7.	`Angles`
		Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip
		Few gave the DJ and poet double act much future after the semi-novelty` Thou Shalt Always Kill`, but the format stretched well to a full LP, of which the Radiohead-sampling `Letter From God To Man` was a breathtaking standout.
		Released on 12 May 2008 on Sunday Best.

	8.	`Off With Their Heads`
		Kaiser Chiefs
		With their reputation somewhat damged by the below average `Yours Truly, Angry Mob`, Nick Hodgson and Ricky Wilson moved quickly to deliver a highly competent, if unremarkable, third long player.
		Released on 20 October 2008 on B-Unique.
		Original Review (6/10)

	9.	`Santogold`
		Santogold
		After years in the background, Santi White finally broke through with her own debut album of which tracks such as `L.E.S. Artistes` and `say Aha` were crossover pop gems.
		Released on 12 May 2008 on Atlantic.
		Original Review (8/10)

	10.	`Stainless Style`
		Neon Neon
		You`ll never hear a better tribute to 80`s motor maverick John DeLorean, but then how often do the genius minds of Gruff Rhys and Boom Bip combine to produce a guest-laden album with a spectrum of styles and sounds? A brilliant sonic experiment.
		Released on 17 March 2008 on Lex.

	11.	`The Seldom Seen Kid`
		Elbow
		After eighteen years of trying to make it, Elbow`s fourth LP `The Seldom Seen Kid` catapulted Guy Garvey into a Jarvis Cocker-esque elder statesman of indie role. By the end of the year `Grounds for Divorce` and `One Day Like This` were permanently ensconced in the collective minds of the nation and the band had nabbed the Mercury Music Prize.
		Released on 17 March 2008 on Fiction.
		Original Review (10/10)

	12.	`Friendly Fires`
		Friendly Fires
		One year on from the early buzz created by early singles `On Board` and `Paris`, Friendly Fires expanded on their early promise with an album full of dance-inspired indie gems.
		Released on 1 September 2008 on Moshi Moshi.
		Original Review (9/10)

	13.	`Sunday at Devil Dirt`
		Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
		Following on from, and even eclipsing, 2006`s sublime `Ballad of the Broken Seas`, Scottish singer Isobel Campbell teamed up once again with former Screaming Tree Mark Lanegan for a collection of bittersweet duets that cemented their reputation as this generation`s Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra.
		Released on 5 May 2008 on V2.
		Original Review (9/10)

	14.	`This is Not the World`
		The Futureheads
		Cruelly dumped by their former label, Sunderland`s Futureheads responded with a fabulous two finger salute in releasing the single of the year in `The Beginning of the Twist` and a companion album which signalled a triumphant return to their signature speed-rock - and all through their own label.
		Released on 26 May 2008 on Nul.
		Original Review (9/10)

	15.	`Alas I Cannot Swim`
		Laura Marling
		Although best known in 2008 for her single collaborations with Mystery Jets and Noah and the Whale, Laura Marling also managed to melt hearts across the nation with her own debut album - one with a strength and passion that belied her age and notorious shyness.
		Released on 4 February 2008 on Virgin.
		Original Review (9/10)

	16.	`Little Death`
		Pete and the Pirates
		Despite some of the catchiest singles on radio (or perhaps not on the radio - highlighting the problem), Pete and the Pirates excellent debut collection lay somewhat forgotten by the end of the year. However, songs as strong as `Come On Feet`, `Mr Understanding` and `Dry Wing` were simply too strong for us to forget when it came to poll time.
		Released on 18 February 2008 on Stolen.
		Original Review (9/10)

	17.	`The Age of the Understatement`
		The Last Shadow Puppets
		On a sabbatical from the Arctic Monkeys, Alex Turner teamed up with The Rascals` frontman Miles Kane to record an atmospheric, 60`s tinged album part Walker Brothers to another Billy Fury. Some may have heard it all before, but young indie fans lapped it up as thirstily as their parents before them.
		Released on 21 April 2008 on Domino.
		Original Review (8/10)

	18.	`Midnight Boom`
		The Kills
		The title referred to `the moment the moon comes up and everyone else goes to bed` and those of us who joined Alison and Jamie for the night were not disappointed. Jamie Hince`s relationship with Kate Moss may also have led to a minor `sales boom` later in the year.
		Released on 10 March 2008 on Domino.
		Original Review (9/10)

	19.	`Antidotes`
		Foals
		Although singer Yannis Philippakis denounced the album some time after its release, the strength of Foals` material (part afro-funk, part math-rock, part French O-Level) meant we were listening to this all year long.
		Released on 24 March 2008 on Transgressive.

	20.	`Chemical Chords`
		Stereolab
		Stereolab`s first genuinely great pop album in years arrived in August. An unlikely musical pact between Motown and krautrock was signed with results standing up admirably next to the band`s classic early 90`s material.
		Released on 18 August 2008 on 4AD.
		Original Review (9/10)

	21.	`Superabundance`
		Young Knives
		While not reaching the Mercury-nominated levels of its predecessor, `Superabundance` was the best thing the Knives have done to date with a wonderful mix of their multiple-paced tunesmithery.
		Released on 10 March 2008 on Transgressive.

	22.	`To Survive`
		Joan as Police Woman
		Joan Wasser`s second JAPW album built on the solid base of her first and hugely increased her fanbase helped along with guest appearances by David Sylvian and Rufus Wainwright.
		Released on 9 June 2008 on Reveal.
		Original Review (9/10)

	23.	`I Know You`re Married But I Got Feelings Too`
		Martha Wainwright
		While Rufus was helping out Joan Wasser, his sister was receiving rave reviews for her third LP with twelve folk gems and covers of Pink Floyd`s `See Emily Play` and The Eurythmics` `Love is a Stranger`.
		Released on 12 May 2008 on Drowned in Sound.
		Original Review (8/10)

	24.	`Twenty One`
		Mystery Jets
		In danger of the whole world forgetting who they ever were, Eel Pie Island`s Mystery Jets returned with a second album and a glittering, gilt-edged 80`s pop sound. Soon people stopped referring to `that band that used to have the old geezer in it` in favour of `that band with the great song about the girl two doors down`.
		Released on 24 March 2008 on Warner.

	25.	`Parallax Error Beheads You`
		Max Tundra
		Ben Jacobs` third LP was his most accomplished as his wacky stylings, led by lead single `Will Get Fooled Again`, reached out further to a wider audience.
		Released on 20 October 2008 on Domino.
		Original Review (7/10)

	26.	`Glasvegas`
		Glasvegas
		Almost certainly placed twenty five places lower than on the NME`s list of albums of the year, Glasvegas rode a tidal wave of weekly music press interest to deliver a competent album, even if it wasn`t as great as some would have you believe. Lyrics ranged from social worker saviors to never-present patriarchs all delivered in the rough Glaswegian accent of the uber-pretentious James Allan.
		Released on 8 September 2008 on Sony.

	27.	`Luna`
		The Aliens
		Perhaps less an album than a band showing off their adeptness at multiple styles, be it the psyechedelic pop-rock of `Magic Man`, the stadium metal of `Billy Jack` or the wonderful, dreamy stargazing of Lone Pigeon`s `Boats`. On `Luna` the former Beta Band members prove once and for all just how far advanced they are musically when compared to their higher-selling peers. One of the musician`s choices of the year.
		Released on 29 September 2008 on Pet Rock.
		Original Review (9/10)

	28.	`This Gift`
		Sons and Daughters
		The Glasgow act`s third album was preceded by the super indie cum pop of `Darling` in early January. Shortly after one of the best crossover albums of the year was with us.
		Released on 28 January 2008 on Domino.
		Original Review (8/10)

	29.	`Saturnalia`
		Gutter Twins
		The second collaboration for Mark Lanegan in 2008 and his second appearance in the Top 30 albums. This time he teamed with former Afghan Whig Greg Dulli finishing off recordings they`d started some five years previously with great results.
		Released on 3 March 2008 on Sub Pop.

	30.	`Seventh Tree`
		Goldfrapp
		After the glam, pop and horse-tail madness of `Black Cherry` and `Supernature`, Alison Goldfrapp and co returned to the realms of their debut `Felt Mountain` for a more downtempo, ambient sound. The spots on television adverts may have dried up but an understated, beautiful album remained.
		Released on 25 February 2008 on Mute.
		Original Review (8/10)

	31.	`The Renaissance`
		Q-Tip
		The former A Tribe Called Quest man released his first album in nine years just over a month ago and this new collection which featured collaborations with Mark Ronson, Norah Jones and D`Angelo was universally lauded.
		Released on 3 November 2008 on Universal.

	32.	`The Dotted Lines Mixtape`
		Sway
		Preceding and ultimately topping his second LP, UK hip hop star Sway released `The Dotted Lines Mixtape` to the Internet in February as a taster of what to expect from `The Signature LP`. Most agreed he should have released this instead.
		Released on 11 February 2008 on DCypha Productions.

	33.	`Music for An Accelerated Culture`
		Hadouken!
		Surfing the same sonic waves as Enter Shikari and Klaxons, Hadouken! were the music of choice in 2008 for the thinking kid in a day-glo hoodie.
		Released on 5 May 2008 on Surface Noise.
		Original Review (7/10)

	34.	`Flight of the Conchords`
		Flight of the Conchords
		Already established through their trans-continental comedy show, New Zealand`s Flight of the Conchords proved their music stood up to repeated listens with this impressive debut in May.
		Released on 12 May 2008 on Warner.

	35.	`Made in the Dark`
		Hot Chip
		While not htting the same heights as `The Warning`, `Made in the Dark` did boast the dancefloor friendly `Ready for the Floor` which invited us to do it, do it, do it until the cows came home.
		Released on 4 February 2008 on EMI.
		Original Review (6/10)

	36.	`Crystal Castles`
		Crystal Castles
		Named after an ancient computer game, Crystal Castles music sounded like that of an ancient computer game with added shouting. By the end of the year Alice Glass had been named the coolest person in the world by the NME which means I wouldn`t hold out for a follow-up any time soon (eh, Beth Ditto?)
		Released on 28 April 2008 on Trouble.
		Original Review (6/10)

	37.	`I Can Hear Your Heart`
		Aidan John Moffat
		With former Arab Strap partner Malcolm Middleton still basking in his surprise Christmas Top 40 success, Aidan `John` Moffat released a highly personal, autobiographical album designed to be read first and listened to after. Highlights included a cover of Bruce Springsteen`s `Hungry Heart` and an engaging tale of Moffat drunkenly gate-crashing the party of a teenage girl. And they say Glasvegas monopolised dour Scottish music this year?
		Released on 21 January 2008 on Chemikal Underground.
		Original Review (9/10)

	38.	`When the Haar Rolls In`
		James Yorkston
		The album I personally voted as the year`s best only just scrapes the Top 40 when all the votes are counted up. It probably best sums up just how many people out there have missed out on the year`s most impressive collection from the most bankable of all the Fence Collective.
		Released on 1 September 2008 on Domino.
		Original Review (9/10)

	39.	`Offend Maggie`
		Deerhoof
		Deerhoof`s thirty thousandth (well, it seems like it) album was preceded by a novel promotional campaign that saw the band release the sheet music to the song `Fresh Born` before the song itself so that fans could create their own versions and learn to love the song from a new angle. That`s reason alone for their inclusion here.
		Released on 13 October 2008 on ATP.
		Original Review (6/10)

	40.	`Black Sheep`
		Julian Cope
		Cope`s annual album outing actually brought with it a few tunes this time round and, as a massive return to form, was actually heard by those outside his loyal legion of droogs.
		Released on 8 September 2008 on Head Heritage.

	41.	`Dear Science`
		TV on the Radio
		The Brooklyn five-piece`s 2008 effort outshined previous work `Return to Cookie Mountain` combining the 80`s influence of Peter Gabriel and David Bowie with their alternative rock staple.
		Released on 22 September 2008 on 4AD.

	42.	`I Started Out With Nothing And I`ve Still Got Most Of It Left`
		Seasick Steve
		Signing to a major label may dilute the whole `hobo with nothing but a three stringed guitar and a bottle of Thunderbird` image that made Steve`s name, not to mention the production but it harms neither the simple tunes and stories that have made Seasick Steve`s blues twang hugely popular over the past couple of years.
		Released on 29 September 2008 on Warner.

	43.	`Asking For Flowers`
		Kathleen Edwards
		The Canadian country star`s third LP was an emotional affair recalling the likes of Tom Petty and Neil Young over eleven tracks.
		Released on 28 April 2008 on Universal.

	44.	`Dig Lazarus Dig!!!`
		Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
		Following his Grinderman sabbatical, Nick Cave was charged with following up 2004`s sublime double LP `Abbatoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus` which he did with his highest charting album ever.
		Released on 3 March 2008 on Mute.
		Original Review (8/10)

	45.	`Quaristice`
		Autechre
		Designed for release in .FLAC format and released in January, Autechre finally agreed to release a physical CD in March. For fans, the absence of a discernible beat for much of the album was of little bother as they immersed themselves instead in spacious, difficult soundscapes.
		Released on 3 March 2008 on Warp.
		Original Review (7/10)

	46.	`Snowflake Midnight`
		Mercury Rev
		Gone were the radio-friendly sounds of `Opus 40` and back were the sometimes difficult, experimental sounds of `Boces`. The result was an impressive curate`s egg. Those who loved it loved it and those who didn`t bought another copy of `Deserter`s Songs` from iTunes.
		Released on 29 September 2008 on V2.
		Original Review (7/10)

	47.	`Alopecia`
		Why?
		A springtime follow-up to `Elephant Eyelash`, `Alopecia` had journalists literally tearing their hair out. Not because it wasn`t very good, but simply that barely anyone outside a music magazine office seemed to have heard one of the year`s most unique LPs.
		Released on 10 March 2008 on Tomlab.

	48.	`Sonic Diary`
		Costanza
		In a battle of former Tricky vocallists, Costanza ruled over Martina Topley-Bird in 2008 (and over Tricky himself come to think of it) with an album full of unfettered electronica in an evocative, esoteric masterpiece.
		Released on 14 July 2008 on ZerOKilled Music.

	49.	`Carried To Dust`
		Calexico
		Calexico`s sixth LP may very well be their best yet, certainly the finest amalgmation of their twin influences in alternative country rock and traditional Mexican mariachi. `Writer`s Minor Holiday` was an absolute triumph while the unlikely mambo of `Inspiracion` will have you grinning wildly trying to keep the words `Carlos Santana` off your lips.
		Released on 8 September 2008 on City Slang.
		Original Review (8/10)

	50.	`Modern Guilt`
		Beck
		As is Beck Hansen`s wont, every second or so album steps outside the mainstream and indulges the other side of his oeuvre. This is one of those and, while there was no `Sexxlaws` or `Devil`s Haircut` to groove to down the local indie disco, there was still plenty to recommend it as always.
		Released on 7 July 2008 on XL.

Bubbling Under...51 - 100

51. Grace Jones - `Hurricane`
52. Calvera Conspiracy - `Inflikted`
53. Meat Beat Manifesto - `Autoimmune`
54. Glow - `Glow`
55. Vikki Jackman - `Whispering Pages`
56. The Flaming Lips - `Christmas on Mars`
57. Bardo State - `Mariposa`
58. El Guincho - `Alegranza`
59. The Ting Tings - `We Started Nothing`
60. Boris - `Smile`
61. Frank Turner - `Love, Ire & Song`
62. Deerhunter - `Microcastle`
63. Drever, McCusker & Woomble - `Before the Ruin`
64. David Holmes - `The Holy Pictures`
65. Barry Adamson - `Back to the Cat`
66. Brigade - `Come Morning We Fight`
67. Get Well Soon - `Rest Now Weary Head You Will Get Well Soon!`
68. Mogwai - `Hawk is Howling`
69. Grails - `Doomsdayer`s Holiday`
70. Zombie Zombie - `A Land for Renegades`
71. Eugene McGuinness - `Eugene McGuinness`
72. Chase & Status - `More Than A Lot`
73. Muscles - `Guns, Babes, Lemonade`
74. The Dandy Warhols - `Earth to the Dandy Warhols`
75. Religious Knives - `The Door`
76. Vampire Weekend - `Vampire Weekend`
77. The Acorn - `Glory Hope Mountain`
78. Menahan Street Band - `Make The Road By Walking`
79. The Walkmen - `You & Me`
80. Version Big-Fi - `Everything But`
81. The Ralfe Band - `Attic Thieves`
82. Diamanda Galas - `Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!`
83. Paul Weller - `22 Dreams`
84. Amadou & Mariam - `Welcome to Mali`
85. Rolo Tomassi - `Hysterics`
86. The Japanese Pop Stars - `We Just Are`
87. Billy Bragg - `Mr Love and Justice`
88. Earth - `The Bees Made Honey in the Lion`s Skull`
89. Idle Tigers - `The Spirit Salon`
90. Cut Copy - `In Ghost Colours`
91. The Young Gods - `Knock on Wood`
92. Nine Inch Nails - `The Slip`
93. Cynic - `Traced in the Air`
94. Fonda 500 - `Je M`Appelle Stereo`
95. My Brightest Diamond - `A Thousand Shark`s Teeth`
96. Asva - `What You Don`t Know Is Frontier`
97. Juana Molina - `Un Dia`
98. Duffy - `Rockferry`
99. Johann Johannsson - `Fordlândia`
100. Tapes `n Tapes - `Walk It Off`

Thanks to Bob Ferguson, Chris Unitt, Richard Brown, Dean Coster, Andy J, Phil Russell, Bryony Jones, Keith Haworth, Ben Goldrun, Andy Thorn, Nick Foster for their votes.

Last year`s Top 50 Albums can be found here.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Culturedeluxe's Top 50 Albums of 2007

The Culturedeluxe staff poll is finally in and our final fifty is before you now. A few surprises, perhaps; a few shocking ommisions, definitely; but for a more definitive list of the finest music of 2007 you'll be hard pushed to find a better countdown than this one. The top ten are accompanied by some quotes of the CDX staff on why that particular album floated their boat this year.

1. Justice - '†'
"Of all the bands that were supposed to revitalise dance music this year, this is the only group that made an entire album that almost made me want to dance. It must be exceptional."

2. LCD Soundsystem - 'Sound Of Silver'
"James Murphy makes an album that is honest and heart-felt, curbs the ironic element to a minimum and still manages to be filled with great beats and hooks. See, it can be done."

3. PJ Harvey - 'White Chalk'
"Peej returns with an ethereally dark beauty."

4. Maps - 'We Can Create'
"One man in his bedroom creating music that plays daily in heaven...plus he's a lot more appealing than that White Town bloke."

5. Bloc Party - 'A Weekend In The City'
"Proof that at least one band in today's indie elite are capable of matching their debut...and then some!"

6. Paul Steel - 'April & I'
"Paul Steel's ambitiously inventive album is bursting with wit, changes of style and odd subject matter. What's more, he pulls it all off with contagious glee."

7. Arctic Monkeys - 'Favourite Worst Nightmare'
"Building on the songs that made their debut so essential in 2006, the Arctics brought in some production big guns this year and came back bigger, louder and, dare I say it, better."

8. Radiohead - 'In Rainbows'
"A return to a 'listenable' sound without really compromising the styles of the past couple of albums. It'll be in many top 10's and with good reason."

9. Richard Hawley - 'Lady's Bridge'
"Hawley adopts the role of wine-sodden crooner recently vacated by Neil Hannon and delivers another outstanding compendium of 60's tinged love songs."

10. Lethal Bizzle - 'Back To Biznizz'
"Any album that uses The Ruts and The Clash to nick music from is alright by me. And he made Babyshambles and Kate Nash sound fantastic. The man must be a genius."

11. Gruff Rhys - 'Candylion'
12. Basia Bulat - 'Basia Bulat'
13. Shinichi Osawa - 'The One'
14. Burial - 'Untrue'
15. Pharoahe Monch - 'Desire'
16. Ministry - 'The Last Sucker'
17. The Aliens - 'Astronomy for Dogs'
18. Iron and Wine - 'The Shepherd's Dog'
19. Reuben - 'In Nothing We Trust'
20. Boy Is Fiction - 'Boy Is Fiction'
21. Comeback Kid - 'Broadcasting'
22. Super Furry Animals - 'Hey! Venus'
23. Saul Williams - 'The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust'
24. Ced Hughes - 'Ced And The Technicolour Soundwave'
25. The White Stripes - 'Icky Thump'
26. Photek - 'Form & Function Volume 2'
27. Babyshambles - 'Shotter's Nation'
28. Alexisonfire - 'Crisis'
29. Gravenhurst - 'The Western Lands'
30. GoodBooks - 'Control'
31. Digitalism - 'Idealism'
32. Interpol - 'Our Love To Admire'
33. Goose - 'Bring It On'
34. Foo Fighters - 'Echoes Silence Patience and Grace'
35. Shocking Pinks - 'Shocking Pinks'
36. Julie Fowlis - 'Cuilidh'
37. Marcus Intalex - 'Fabriclive 35'
38. Klaxons - 'Myths Of The Near Future'
39. Thrice - 'The Alchemy Index'
40. To My Boy - 'Messages'
41. Eugene McGuinness - 'The Early Learnings Of...'
42. Midlake - 'The Trials of Van Occupanther'
43. Leon Switch & Kryptic Minds - 'Lost All Faith'
44. Robyn - 'Robyn'
45. 1990s - 'Cookies'
46. Stars - 'In Our Bedroom After The War'
47. Alabama 3 - 'M.O.R.'
48. Bad Religion - 'New Maps Of Hell'
49. Battles - 'Mirrored'
50. Simian Mobile Disco - 'Attack Decay Sustain Release'

Of course, you'll have your own opinions and charts, why not let us know just how good or bad our choices are below and, of course, feel free to nominate your own choices too.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Oh dear...the NME Cool List

It's that time of year again, an increasingly irrelevant band of NME writers have cast their votes for this year's 'Cool List' - a thinly veiled celebration of the trite sub-scenes the NME have championed that people actually took notice of peppered with the journo's favourite drinking buddies. For the umpteenth year running, the coollest person in the world goes straight in as a new entry while most of last year's top 10 drop out, proving not only the transient nature of the NME's writers, but their quickness and eagerness to promote out of control bandwagons at all times. Elsewhere there are pointless inclusions of famous frontmen's less-celebrated bandmates and bafflingly lower-placed cooler bandmates (why's everyone's favourite monkey Matt Helders below Alex?) Please also note we are obliged not to mention the artist at number fourteen.

THE NME Cool List 2007

1. Frank Carter (Gallows)
2. Jamie Reynolds (Klaxons)
3. Lovefoxxx (CSS)
4. Ryan Jarman (The Cribs)
5. Lethal Bizzle
6. Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys)
7. Kate Nash
8. Amy Winehouse
9. Beth Ditto (The Gossip)
10. Keith Richards (Rolling Stones)
11. M.I.A
12. Thom Yorke (Radiohead)
13. Drew McConnell (Babyshambles)
14. ARTIST NAME OMITTED BY REQUEST
15. Tom Clarke (The Enemy)
16. Noel Gallagher (Oasis)
17. Hayley Williams (Paramore)
18. Brandon Flowers' Moustache (ooh, surreal)
19. Matt Bellamy (Muse)
20. James Smith (Hadouken!)
21. Caleb Followhill (Kings of Leon)
22. Matt Helders (Arctic Monkeys)
23. Eddie Argos (Art Brut)
24. Craig Finn (The Hold Steady)
25. Morgan Yeah? (Does It Offend You, Yeah?)
26. Simon Neil (Biffy Clyro)
27. Simon Taylor (Klaxons)
28. Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
29. Kele Okereke (Bloc Party)
30. Meg White (The White Stripes)
31. Tim Harrington (Les Savy Fav)
32. Gerard Way (My Chemical Romance) (No, Really?)
33. Jamie T
34. Pete Doherty (Babyshambles)
35. Lou Hayter (New Young Pony Club)
36. Ian Brown
37. Joe Lean (Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong)
38. Andy Burrows (Razorlight)
39. Kyle Falconer (The View)
40. Nicky Wire (Manic Street Preachers)
41. Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age)
42. Cole Alexander (Black Lips)
43. Suki (Real Heat)
44. Brandom Flowers (The Killers)
45. Yannis Philippakis (Foals)
46. Patrick Wolf
47. Carlos D (Interpol)
48. Santogold
49. Dev Hynes (Lightspeed Champion)
50. Spider Webb (The Horrors)

'Outraged' comments, as always, welcome below. Might I suggest the extraneous inclusions of Brandon Flowers, Nicky Wire, Hayley 'Avril Lavigne' Williams and Noel 'If we put you in will you do an interview with us, please?' Gallagher?

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

News

Festival 2009 Updates

Macmillan Cancer Support will be taking over Brick Lane in East London on Thursday 13th August where its first ever large scale music event – Macmillan’s Brick Lane Takeover – will welcome 2000 music lovers from 12 noon with Frank Turner and The Chapman Family already confirmed to perform at the event.

The all-dayer kicks off at 12 noon and offers 12 hours of exceptional music entertainment from an eclectic mix of some of the best indie, electro, folk and punk rock bands around.  One wristband will give fans access to live music from a host of established acts, in 7 of East London’s finest venues - 93 Feet East, Vibe Bar, Café 1001, Hoxton Bar + Kitchen, Old Blue Last, Cargo and Macbeth.

Macmillan Event Organiser Alex Blair says: `Macmillan’s Brick Lane Takeover is certainly one of the most ambitious and exciting events that Macmillan has put on!  Thanks to the generosity of so many bands and venues, we hope to raise £30,000 to help Macmillan continue to provide vital support to people affected by cancer.`

After the sell out success of 2008, Festibelly have developed their boutique festival for another wonderful weekend this summer. Set in the peaceful surroundings of the New Forest, Festibelly provides a chilled day, party night time, camping and intimacy, with a capacity of only 1000 people.

2009 features musical performances from some of the most exciting talent to emerge from the indie, rock, pop, acoustic, and reggae scenes. After his astonishing 2008 performance, Festibelly welcome back `folktronica` wizard James Yuill as headliner.

The strong line up continues with Rough Trade signings Micachu & The Shapes, grime pop upstarts Man Like Me, critically acclaimed ensemble Laurel Collective and future-romantic pop group ColouringIN. They are joined by London`s favourite reggae party, Reggae Roast who will be `dubbing` it alongside live performances by Brother Culture and the heavyweight 9-piece brass band, Brass Roots.

For those of you who may not know, Melt! is a unique music festival on the Ferropolis peninsula set against a breathtaking backdrop of five huge hulking coal mining diggers that tower into the sky.  Melt! effortlessly mixes guitars, beatboxes and vinyl grooves so perfectly; indie boys dance with raver girls while hip hop heads wave their glowsticks. And with such a great location and massive line up, Melt! is one of the `must do` festivals of the summer.

COMPLETE FESTIVAL LINE UP:
!!! | Animal Collective | Amazing Baby | Aphex Twin + Hecker | A Critical Mass feat. Henrik Schwarz, Âme, Dixon (live) | Matias Aguayo | Baddies | Kasper Bjørke | Bloc Party | Bodi Bill | Bonaparte | Boy8Bit | Boys Noize + Erol Alkan | Brodinski | Buraka Som Sistema | Cajuan | Caribou | Channel X | The Cheapers | Philipp Cerfontaine | Cold War Kids | Crystal Castles | Deadmau5 | Delphic | Digitalism (live) | Dinky | Diplo | Jochen Distelmeyer | DJ Koze | DJ Phono | DJ Supermarkt | The Dodos | David Dorad | Drop the Lime | Andreas Eckhardt | Ellen Allien | Empro | Tim Exile | Fabiano | Fever Ray | Fieber Tanz | Filthy Dukes | Foals | Sascha Funke | Glasvegas | Goldie | Gossip | Daniel Haaksman feat. Deize Tigrona | Hell | Matthew Herbert (DJ-Set) | James Holden | Jazzanova Live! | Sven Jozwiak | Paul Kalkbrenner | Karrera Klub | Kassette Boys | Kasabian | King Kong Klub | Klute | Markus Kavka | Kiki | Klaxons | Kode 9 & Spaceape | LA Roux | Les Yper Sound | Luna City Express | Michael Mac (Club NME) | Magnetic Man feat. Skream & Benga (live) | MC Justyce | Mediengruppe Telekommander | Marcus Meinhardt | Metronomy | Mikroboy | Moderat (= Modeselektor + Apparat + Pfadfinderei live) | Hudson Mohawke | MSTRKRFT | Muff Potter | Mujava | Lars Christian Müller | ND Baumecker | The New Wine | Oasis | Passion Pit | Phoenix | Pilooski | Polarkreis 18 | Revolver Club | Radio Slave | Jesse Rose | Röyksopp | Scharrenbroich trifft Gunjah | Shir Khan | Simian Mobile Disco (live) | Skinnerbox | Luke Slater (live) | The Soundtrack Of Our Lives | Daniel Stefanik | Gunnar Stiller | Super 700 | Sweat Club DJs | Team Recorder | Anna Ternheim | This Will Destroy You | Thunderheist | Tiga | Tobias Thomas | Travis | Trentemøller (DJ-Set) | TRG | The Virgins | The Wedding Present | Markus Welby | The Whitest Boy Alive | WhoMadeWho | Patrick Wolf | James Yuill | Yuksek | Zander VT | Gisbert zu Knyphausen

Standon Calling 2009 are delighted to announce that Hawkwind will be celebrating their 40th anniversary with a special performance.

They join the likes of Friendly Fires, Femi Kuti, Ladytron, Tony Christie, The Whip, Sun Ra Arkestra, Golden Silvers to name a few. What better place to see the pioneers of space rock than this space themed wonderland in the rolling Herefordshire countryside.

Nick Foster (View Original Article)

 

Get Ready For Festival Season

In these cash strapped days, instead of taking an exotic holiday in a far away place why not stay in good ol`Blighty or pop across the water to Ireland and visit a festival instead. There will be plenty to choose from this summer and news of what bands are to appear at which festival are starting to roll in:

First up is Oxegen, which takes place at Punchestown Racecourse, Naas, Co Kildare Ireland, who`ve announced that Snow Patrol, Bloc Party, The Script and `IkissedagirlandIlikedit` Katy Perry are set to join Kings Of Leon between 10th-12th July 2009.

Then there`s Brighton`s Great Escape who have Metronomy, Kissy Sell Out, Passion Pit, Micachu and the Shapes, Esser, VV Brown and many other up and coming artists playing across 34 venues in 3 days on May 14th, 15th, 16th.

For more information on these festivals go to:

Oxygen: http://www.oxegen.ie

The Great Escape: http://www.escapegreat.com

Nick Foster (View Original Article)

 

Kele Okereke, Superstar DJ

If you`re in Manchester and are planning to see Bloc Party headline the (or failed to get a ticket like the rest of us) then this might be for you. Kele will be heading down to The Deaf Institute after Wednesday night`s gig for a DJ set. Consider it an afterparty show combined with further promotion for their new single (review here). You can expect to hear a mixture of indie and rock, party tunes and a few dance classics thrown in for good measure. Or a two hour set of Don Cherry sax solo`s and Lou Reed`s metal machine. We`re expecting the former.

It`s part of "Now Wave" a new(ish) night at Manchester`s Deaf Institute, which has to be one of the best looking venues in the country. More information can be found here, along with a list of future events.

Dean Coster (View Original Article)

 

The NME Awards Nominations Are Out

Oasis may have released yet another decaffeinated version of their original, now apparently outlawed, brew last year, but that hasn`t stopped their fans from riding the buzz of their latest sugar pill.  Yes, the somewhat mouldy Mancs picked up an unbelievable seven nominations for this year`s NME Awards last night - however, with a tantalising nod for `Worst Band` it`s clear not everyone is still enamoured with the Gallagher brothers.

Elsewhere, the nominations look like a who`s who of the NME front cover over the past year including two shouts for Crystal Castles who`s Alice Glass picked up the much-derided number one spot in last year`s `cool list` and various recognition for the work of Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys and The Last Shadow Puppets.

This year`s `Godlike Genius` award, nominated by the magazine, goes deservedly to The Cure for over three decades of fine music, horrendously-applied make-up and disguising cosummate happiness as acute misery.

Best British Band
Bloc Party
The Last Shadow Puppets
Muse
Oasis
Radiohead

Best International Band
Crystal Castles
The Killers
Kings Of Leon
MGMT
Vampire Weekend

Best Solo Artist
Ladyhawke
Laura Marling
Lightspeed Champion
Jay-Z
Pete Doherty

Best New Band
Glasvegas
Late Of The Pier
MGMT
Vampire Weekend
White Lies

Best Live Band
The Killers
Kings Of Leon
Muse
Oasis
Radiohead

Best Album
Bloc Party – `Intimacy`
Glasvegas – `Glasvegas`
The Killers – `Day & Age`
Kings Of Leon – `Only By The Night`
Oasis – `Dig Out Your Soul`

Best Track
Kings Of Leon – `Sex On Fire`
The Last Shadow Puppets – `The Age Of The Understatement`
MGMT – `Time To Pretend`
The Ting Tings – `That`s Not My Name`
Vampire Weekend – `A-Punk`

Best Video
The Last Shadow Puppets – `My Mistakes Were Made For You`
Late Of The Pier – `Heartbreak`
Oasis – `The Shock Of The Lightning`
Radiohead – `House Of Cards`
Vampire Weekend – `A-Punk`

Best Live Event
Glastonbury
Isle Of Wight
Reading and Leeds
T In The Park
V Festival

Best TV Show
Gavin & Stacey
The IT Crowd
The Mighty Boosh
Never Mind The Buzzcocks
Skins

Best Film
The Dark Knight
Juno
Quantum Of Solace
Twilight
Wall-E

Best Dancefloor Filler
Bloc Party – `Mercury`
Crystal Castles – `Courtship Dating`
Dizzee Rascal & Calvin Harris – `Dance Wiv Me`
Friendly Fires – `Paris`
Late Of The Pier – `Bathroom Gurgle`

Best DVD
Arctic Monkeys – `At The Apollo`
Foo Fighters – `Live At Wembley Stadium`
Kaiser Chiefs – `Live At Elland Road`
Muse – `HAARP`
The Rolling Stones – `Shine A Light`

Hero Of The Year
Alex Turner
Barack Obama
Brandon Flowers
Noel Fielding
Noel Gallagher

Villain Of The Year
Amy Winehouse
George Bush
Gordon Brown
John McCain
Pete Doherty

Best Dressed
Alex Turner
Alexa Chung
Brandon Flowers
Noel Fielding
Noel Gallagher

Worst Dressed
Amy Winehouse
Brandon Flowers
Johnny Borrell
Katy Perry
Pete Doherty

Worst Album
Britney Spears – `Circus`
Coldplay – `Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends`
Jonas Brothers – `A Little Bit Longer`
Razorlight – `Slipway Fires`
Scouting For Girls – `Scouting For Girls`

Worst Band
Fall Out Boy
Jonas Brothers
Oasis
Scouting for Girls
Tokio Hotel

Sexiest Male
Carl Barat
Keith Murray
Matt Bellamy
Miles Kane
Pete Doherty

Sexiest Female
Alison Mosshart
Hayley Williams
Kate Jackson
Lykke Li
Stephanie Dosen

Best Website
Bebo
Facebook
Last FM
MySpace
YouTube

Best Venue
Brixton Academy
Manchester Apollo
London Astoria
Glasgow Barrowlands
London O2 Arena

Best Album Artwork
The Cure – `4:13 Dream`
Guillemots – `Red`
The Killers – `Day & Age`
Muse – `HAARP`
We Are Scientists – `Brain Thrust Mastery`

Best Band Blog
Foals
Lightspeed Champion
Little Boots
Noel Gallagher/Oasis
Radiohead

Godlike Genius
The Cure

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Bloc Party Not Charty

Having been available as a digital download since August, and thus propagated around peer to peer networks multiple times over, Bloc Party aren`t waiting with baited breath for this Sunday`s album chart rundown.

Instead, they`re planning to shun the Top 40 further by no longer releasing physical singles (although somebody really should tell them that digital only singles are chart-eligible as long as money changes hands to download them).

The band told BBC6 Music : "I don`t think our digital release was eligible so this is our only shot at the charts - but the kind of band we are, isn`t one you were going to see on Top Of The Pops really."

(you won`t see anyone on Top of the Pops mate - don`t you know it`s all X Factor these days?)

"We`ve never entirely played the game." they continued.  "Maybe we`ll find out that it`s a great success, but maybe we`ll find out that people just aren`t buying CDs anymore.  Our record company`s been behind our ideas for this record and future singles.  We`re talking now about not doing any more physical formats for singles meaning we won`t have any more eligible singles after `Talons`."

`Intimacy` was released physically through Wichita this week.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Bloc Party To Play First Tour For A Year

Bloc Party have announced their first UK tour, albeit one short on options, since December 2007 which will see them play tracks from their brand new album `Intimacy` to huge audiences in early 2009.

Tickets for the shows go on sale this Friday at 9am and demand is expected to be huge.

January 2009
25 - Academy, Glasgow
26 - Academy, Glasgow
28 - Apollo, Manchester
29 - Apollo, Manchester
31 - Civic, Wolverhampton

February 2009
1 - Civic, Wolverhampton

April 2009
11 - Olympia, London

Bloc Party release `Talons` on October 20th and the physical version of `Intimacy` bolstered by new tracks not available on the digital version one week later.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Get Your Claws Into a Brand New Bloc Party Single!

Having already pre-released their new album `Intimacy` digitally (or `done a paid Radiohead` or whatever people call it these days), Bloc Party will release a brand new single a week before the physical LP comes out.

`Talons` is the name of the single and eagle-eyed (see what I did there?) readers will be able to tell me immediately that it`s not on the album...well, not yet anyway.  Kele Okereke explains:

"We wanted to keep things fresh and we thought the fans would be more excited to get a new song rather than something off the album. `Talons` is one of the last songs we recorded during the `Intimacy` sessions and I always had it in mind to be one of the extra tracks we promised for the CD if it turned out well.  It turned out great so we decided to make it the next single.  I’m enjoying this way of working, not over-thinking things, just make a decision and get on with it!  It’s quite liberating in a way, I’m sure it’s going to be the way things happen more and more in the future."

It`s released on double 7", CD single and digital download with those who have already downloaded `Intimacy` being able to pick up `Talons` for free.  Remixes come courtesy of Moody Boyz, XXXChange, FrankMusik, Midfield General and Phones.

You can listen to it now on their MySpace.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Get Intimate with Bloc Party

Bloc Party have announced details of their third album today during a web chat with fans.  The album will be called `Intimacy`, which may prove a clue to the overall sound, and will be available, get this, from this Thursday - 21st August...on digital.

In a smart move to prevent (or maybe cause) a leak, the band will provide all fans who pre-order the CD (with the considerable wait until the official release on October 27th) with a digital copy of the album from Thursday.  The CD will, however, contain more tracks thus providing a tasty dangling carrot to the band`s legion of fans.

The album has been co-produced by Paul Epworth (who produced debut `Silent Alarm`) and Jacknife Lee who helmed 2007`s follow-up `A Weekend in the City` and the band have three more festival dates to play this month at Reading (23), Leeds (24) and Connect in Inveraray, Scotland (30).

Bloc Party - `Intimacy`
1. `Ares`
2. `Mercury`
3. `Halo`
4. `Biko`
5. `Trojan Horse`
6. `Signs`
7. `One Month Off`
8. `Zephyrus`
9. `Better Than Heaven`
10. `Ion Square`

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Lydon Brands Attack Claims As 'Jealousy'

Clearly feeling the need to have his say regarding the allegations that have been aimed his way all day, John Lydon has reacted to claims he racially abused singer Kele Okereke before his entourage assaulted him in Spain this weekend.

In an issued statement, Lydon referred to himself in the third person and denounced Okereke's claims as 'jealousy' and 'publicity seeking'.

"I feel very sorry for a man who needs to lie about what was a perfect evening. After the show John Rotten and management remained behind to sign autographs, which we did for four solid hours without incident and had a great time talking to other Spanish bands. This seems to have sparked jealousy in certain bands."

"The trouble was brought to us, resulting in those causing the trouble being physically removed by festival security."

"We are in the middle of a wonderful tour, after 30 years we are achieving a true unity in our audience. They are multi-varied, all ages, all races, creeds and colours."

"When you are at a festival with bands who are jealous fools, lies and confusion usually follow. If they need publicity so badly this is the allegation universe they run into."

"Grow up and learn to be a true man. When you have achieved as much as I have, come back and talk to me. It's a shame that the wonderful world of the media is riddled with nonsense like this."

With Bloc Party allegedly having Foals, Kaiser Chiefs, Neon Neon and Har Mar Superstar among others as eye witnesses, Lydon may need to call on those 'other Spanish bands' to come forward as the incident has been reported to both Spanish and English police.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Never Mind The Bigots - Kele Bloc Party Attacked By John Lydon

In a startling incident which started the day as a reported scuffle between Foals frontman Yannis Philippakis and Sex Pistol John Lydon at Barcelona's Summercase Festival, it now turns out that Yannis was, in fact, coming to the aid of Bloc Party lead singer Kele Okereke - the subject of attack by Lydon and members of his entourage.

According to Okereke, he approached Lydon backstage at the festival, declared himself a fan of Public Image Ltd and asked if Lydon would be reforming that particular act any time soon. Lydon responsed angrily claiming Okereke had a "black attitude" before his crew punched and kicked the Bloc Party front man.

At this point Philippakis and Kaiser Chief Ricky Wilson tried to come to Kele's aid before security broke up the fight. Okereke was left with various cuts and bruises and visibly shaken as a result. He has since made a statement:

"It's not an issue of the physical assault, even though it was an unprovoked attack. It is the fact that race was brought into the matter so readily. Someone as respected and as intelligent as Lydon should know better than to bring race into the equation, or socialise with and encourage those who hold such narrow-minded attitudes. I am disappointed that someone I held with such high regard turns out to be such a bigot."

Culturedeluxe joins those condemning the has-been rocker, for years a shadow of his former self who hasn't done anything of note since 1993's 'Open Up' collaboration with Leftfield. Now that it turns out he's a bigot too, well, ever had the feeling you've been cheated?

Love and wishes for a speedy recovery go out to Kele Okereke.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Bloc Party To Release 'Mercurial' New Single

As I'm sure you all know by now, Bloc Party's secret countdown and rendezvous with Zane Lowe on Radio 1 last night were all a promotional tool to gain maximum exposure for surprise new single 'Mercury' which is released on 11th August to be followed, at some point, by album #3.

In sound, it's a real departure, with guitars all but discarded for discordant synths, avant-jazz saxophone and Justice-style glitched breakbeats. 'Banquet' it aint.

Speaking to Zane Lowe on BBC Radio 1 last night, frontman Kele said : "We're in the middle of it [our album]. We're still writing and working on it so it's quite hard to have an overview really. We are making the record I always wanted us to make so we just can't wait for it to be done."

You can now listen to 'Mercury' and watch the video at www.blocparty.com/.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Big News Coming From Bloc Party?

Bloc Party's official website is currently showing nothing but an intriguing countdown which, as I write this, stands at 16 hours, 37 minutes and 17 seconds. Therefore, something is due to be announced there at 11 o'clock tomorrow morning.

The question is what?

Tune in there and then to find out - my money's on something to tie in with their third album.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Chemical Compound - Brothers Do Greatest Hits

After fifteen years at the peak of dance music the time has finally come for Ed Simons and Tom Rowlands to compile their work in time to sell it again to a lucrative Christmas market.

'Brotherhood' is released on September 1st and features fourteen singles including the unreleased 'Keep My Composure' featuring Spank Rock and apparently not including the unreleased new single 'Midnight Madness' which precedes the album on August 4th.

Long term fans of the boys will sigh and ask what's in it for them? Well, get this! A second disc will be thrown in featuring all ten of the Brothers' legendary 'Electronic Battle Weapon' mixes, all unreleased and notoriously hard to get hold of!

Chemical Brothers - 'Brotherhood'
1. 'Galvanize' (featuring Q-Tip)
2. 'Hey Boy Hey Girl'
3. 'Block Rockin' Beats'
4. 'Do It Again' (featuring Ali Love)
5. 'Believe' (featuring Kele Okereke)
6. 'Star Guitar'
7. 'Let Forever Be' (featuring Noel Gallagher)
8. 'Leave Home'
9. 'Keep My Composure' (featuring Spank Rock)
10. 'Saturate'
11. 'Out of Control' (featuring Bernard Sumner)
12. 'The Golden Path' (featuring The Flaming Lips)
13. 'Setting Sun' (featuring Noel Gallagher)
14. 'Chemical Beats'

What do you think of this line-up? Should Tim Burgess be enraged that both 'Life is Sweet' and 'The Boxer' were missed off? Should early rarity 'Loops of Fury' have made an appearance? Answers below!

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Reading and Leeds Festival line up announced

The line up for the Reading and Leeds festivals were announced yesterday (March 31st) and the full line up (so far) is:

Reading: Friday August 22, Leeds: Saturday August 23

Main Stage

Rage Against The Machine

Queens Of The Stone Age
The Fratellis
The Enemy
Biffy Clyro
Serj Tankian
Dizzee Rascal
Taking Back Sunday
Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly
Anti-Flag

NME/Radio 1 Stage

Babyshambles
The Wombats
Vampire Weekend
MGMT

Reading: Saturday August 23, Leeds: Sunday August 24

Main Stage

The Killers

Bloc Party
The Raconteurs
Editors
We Are Scientists
Dirty Pretty Things
The Subways

NME/Radio 1 Stage

Manic Street Preachers
Bullet For My Valentine
Justice
Foals

Reading: Sunday August 24, Leeds: Friday August 23

Main Stage

Metallica

Tenacious D
Slipknot
Feeder
Avenged Sevenfold
Dropkick Murphys

NME/Radio 1 Stage

The Cribs
Conor Oberst
Pendulum

Nick Foster (View Original Article)

 

Chromeo Need a Hit?

2003's 'Needy Girl' ushered in Chromeo to the world's dancefloor brethren and, with the band having found a whole new fanbase with last year's 'Fancy Footwork', the duo are preparing a re-release for their flagship tune - with a stack of remixes, naturally.

Over the past 12 months P-Thugg and Dave1 have found themselves in high demand. Everyone from Kanye West to Hall & Oates have been singing the praises of their electro-slap-funk output.

Remixes are promised from Lifelike, Teenage Bad Girl, Paper Faces, Boy 8-Bit and Bloc Party whose 'High School Prom Mix' adds some much needed John 'Breakfast Club' Hughs bathos to the track.

The new single is out on 3rd March through Back Yard Records, no strangers to re-releases themselves having given The Gossip a career from three re- and re-re-released singles.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

'Fluxing Hell' - It's Bloc Party

Bloc Party have announced a completely new single for release on November 12th through Wichita. 'Flux' was produced with Jacknife Lee, producer of the band's successful second LP 'A Weekend in the City' and who released his own album to a muted response recently.

The single will feature another two new songs across the CD and 7" formats, these will be 'Emma Kate's Accident' and 'The One and Future King'.

Bloc Party also play some pretty massive shows this December.

December 2007
12 - Glasgow SECC
13 - Manchester Central
14, 15 - London Alexandra Palace

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Harry Potter and the Unlikely Indie Compilation

Today marks the release of the seventh and final book in the popular Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. Finally, a whole generation of Potterphiles will find out whether Harry defeats Lord Voldemort and how he does it. We won't spoil it for you, but prepare to say goodbye to some old friends.

Speaking to Details magazine this week, Harry Potter of the screen Daniel Radcliffe has announced that his favourite band of the moment are US alt rockers The Hold Steady. He also expressed a liking for Bloc Party, Art Brut, The Strokes, The Cribs (oh dear) and The Others (who? they!?) and said his lifetime ambition was for The Libertines to sing 'Happy Birthday' to him. We doubt even Potter's magic could reform that particular group...

Sticking with the Potter-indie theme, members of Pulp and Radiohead played as the Wyrd Sisters in 'The Goblet of Fire', while ex-Stone Rose Ian Brown played a 'thoughtful wizard' at the Leaky Cauldron pub in 'The Prisoner of Azkaban'.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

You'll Have Had Your T?

Culturedeluxe's Scottish contingent are off to T in the Park this weekend and here's Richie Deluxe's guide to making the most of your weekend.

Friday's line-up is rather sparse with only the Main Stage, T-Break and the Bacardi Bar boasting a full evening line up. I'd heartily recommend Edgar Prais who open the T-Break stage and have some excellent tunes in their arsenal. Once they've played I'd grab a few beers and wait for Bloc Party then Arctic Monkeys. If you can fit in Kobai who play in the gap in between then all the better - they're a Glasgow band who suitably tickled us last year with their 'Serotonin' single.

So to Saturday and the first full day. Take things slowly to begin with at the Bacardi Bar and visit our old employers Snafu until you're sure it's safe and the Saw Doctors have finished. On no account go near the Main Stage until The Skids come on, then rabidly sing 'Ahoy! Ahoy!' with every old bloke within a forty mile radius. Immediately after scoot off to King Tut's for another, yet completely different, Scottish band in Camera Obscura.

We hear Gogol Bordello have cancelled but it does mean the unfortunate clash with the Long Blondes is no longer an issue. Go see the latter for a performance high on sex and fun. Speaking of which, CSS follow immediately on the NME stage if you don't fancy the retro sound of James or the er...retro sound of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

After sticking your head round the door of the Slam Tent to hear a bit of Dizzee Rascal, get yourself a good spot for the anthemic sound of The Arcade Fire. Then, well, it's up to you, Hot Chip are one hundred times the live band that The Klaxons are but let your hype-o-meter lead you. Of course, I'll probably miss both as my desperation to see Brian Wilson (and not one of the fucking Killers, Kooks or The View) is so high that I'm probably going to shack up in the Pet Sounds tent early.

Sunday must start with a visit to the Slam Tent to see Andy 'It's Andrew Weatherall you cunt' Weatherall. At Oxegen two years ago he surprised punters by playing a punk rock set, who knows what the legendary DJ and producer will do this time. Next I'd recommend you remain in the Slam Tent for Digitalism's live show or head off to the Pet Sounds arena for a double bill of ex-Arab Strap man Malcolm Middleton followed by US college-rock revivalists The Hold Steady.

After a quick lunch, take your pick from either The Twang or Switches to snoozily listen to from the back of the crowd, then get yourself a good place for The Gossip on the NME stage. Expect a big crowd as those preoccupied with Beth Ditto's size will be treating it as a freakshow. Of course, if they play 'Standing in the Way of Control' first then the crowd will soon dwindle.

Being very careful to ignore the two Jacks on offer (Just Jack and Jack Penate) you should now head to the Pet Sounds arena to enjoy the unique sounds of the Brian Jonestown Massacre in a rare Scottish performance.

I'd then recommend a nice long snooze for three hours. Have a walk round the stalls, try your luck in the fairground (if you can walk through it without being accosted by neds then you win) and sample the most bizarre 'ethnic' food that you can. You'll only be missing the likes of The Fratellis, Ocean Colour Scene, Jet, Badly Drawn Boy, Mika, Enter Shikari and whichever two of the Wu Tang Clan turn up.

Later on we have the day's conundrum. Which of Interpol, Editors, Air, Pipettes, Hardfloor and The Little Kicks would you most like to see and why the fuck are they all on at the same time? Afterwards you can wonder why there's pretty much nothing decent following any of them. However, when pushed, plump for Queens of the Stone Age if you can make it into the King Tut's Tent.

Download your own T in the Park schedule here

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Here It Is....The Glastonbury Line-Up

We published a rumour list some time ago on the site and a few hardy internet kids called us 'rubbish' over on another forum, so this time we're sure we've got this year's Glastonbury line-up correct!

Friday 22nd June

Pyramid Stage

Arctic Monkeys
Kasabian
The Fratellis
Bloc Party
The Magic Numbers
Amy Winehouse
Gogol Bordello
The Earlies
The View
Adjagas

Other Stage

Bjork
The Arcade Fire
Rufus Wainwright
The Coral
Super Furry Animals
Bright Eyes
The Automatic
Modest Mouse
The Cribs
Reverend and the Makers
Mr Hudson and the Library

Saturday 23rd June

Pyramid Stage

The Killers
The Kooks
Paul Weller
Paolo Nutini
Lily Allen
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
Guillemots
The Pipettes
Seasick Steve
Liz Green

Other Stage

The Stooges
Editors
Maximo Park
Babyshambles
Klaxons
CSS
Biffy Clyro
The Long Blondes
Brakes
El Presidente
Switches

Sunday 24th June

Pyramid Stage

The Who
Kaiser Chiefs
Manic Street Preachers
Shirley Bassey
James Morrison
The Marley Brothers perform 'Exodus'
The Waterboys
Corb Lund
The National Youth Orchestra

Other Stage

Chemical Brothers
The View
The Go! Team
Mika
The Rakes
Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly
Cold War Kids
Sunshine Underground
The Enemy
The Holloways
Kharma 45

So, a little something for everyone there, including a performance from everyone's favourites Kharma 45 for the Sunday early birds - if they actually turn up to this festival...disappointment caused by their Reading no-show last year was huge.

Obviously Glastonbury has a range of other stages including the John Peel stage, One World, Circus and the Hungarian Performance Art Circle. So, don't spend too long ogling at these middling indie bands will you?

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Singles Roundup

Not a bad week for music, this. Sure, as ever there's a hefty dose of the unlistenable - Fall Out Boy's "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs" does as much for good taste as it does for vowels; Gareth Gates' turgid comeback remains un-playlisted for good reason; and Meck manages to spew up an even less appealing slice of euro-dance in "Feels Like Home" than the dire "Thunder In My Heart Again" - but that's always to be expected. Unusually however, there's a large portion of good stuff to go with it, or at the very least an abundance of listenable tracks.

So let's get that latter category of almost-made-its out the way. First up is Muse's "Invincible", which despite being a largely indifferent track makes up for this by sounding unequivocably unique. It's a testament to the niche that Muse have carved for themselves that the only really effective way of describing the track is by saying that, well, Muse made it. It's shamelessly OTT, featuring a ridiculous guitar solo, overblown production and trademark Bellamy vocals. Mika can try a little Freddie all he wants; it's Muse who are really the spiritual successors to Queen's nights at the opera - and while it doesn't really do anything for me, "Invincible" is a fine testament to this fact.

Timbaland's been riding a wave of success lately, and has easily usurped the Neptunes' position as producer-of-choice for the A-list elite of US hip-pop. He's done fabulous work with Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake that I take no shame in liking; but bringing them together as guest vocalists on his own material is a somewhat more muted affair. "Give It To Me" has a great beat and a nice chord progression in the chorus, but ultimately it lacks the spark of "My Love['s]" gorgeous synth programming and the earworm catchiness of "Maneater". Ms. Furtado also puts in a decidedly tired-sounding vocal performance, which completes the sensation of languid indifference. It's hard to find anything to dislike here, but it ain't easy to like either.

Patrick Wolf's another close call. It's true that, third album in the making, excellent songwriter and die-hard Londoner Wolf deserves all the success he can get. It's a shame, though, that the praise that he's finally garnering is for "The Magic Position", one of his least impressive efforts. I wouldn't normally condemn Wolf as being twee, but this single certainly pushes that boundary beyond my comfort zone. And, more worryingly, the main major-scale riff ("The Major Key!" - yes Patrick, we noticed already) becomes really quite irritating after a few listens. The smirking double-entendre of the title, however, is most appreciated.

Lastly, there's Bloc Party, a band that divides CDX opinion if ever there was one. Some think that A Weekend In The City is undisputed album of the year; others reckon that Kele's latest outburst that labelled Oasis as "repetitive" and "over-rated" was a nasty case of the pot calling the kettle black. Ashamedly I'm something of a fence-sitter, and the same applies for "I Still Remember". I like what I hear, but it's still uncomfortably close to coffee-table indie, and it's a track that I just know will leave me cold after more than a handful of listens. It's got OBVIOUS SINGLE written all over it though, and I expect it'll sell pretty well. Still, Bloc Party can do much better than this.

Now, on to the cream of this week's crop. Ok, so it's a cheeky re-release, but Klaxons' "Gravity's Rainbow" is still as good as it was last year, and will no doubt appeal to the new legion of fans won over by the excellent "Golden Skans". It's colourful, it's catchy, and it's got more energy that Bloc Party could ever hope to have (though whether they'd want it is another matter!) So what if they've got a stylist with all the subtlety of a 5-year-old, or that "nu-rave" is a sensless genre, or that they hang out with the Geldofs - at the end of the day, "Gravity's Rainbow" is a cracking single with fun in epic proportions. And with a tasty remix by an in-form Soulwax thrown in this time round, it's a bit of a no-brainer.

The Freelance Hellraiser's latest, "We Don't Belong" is a great slice of downtempo indie-disco with tight drum production and choice use of guitars. The vocals are a bit over-done, but the chorus sample that sounds suspiciously like a "Hey Jude" knock-off works a treat. The Alex Gopher mix is a very cool electro workout, which never strays too far from the realm of minimal breaks, and two more remixes from the Hellraiser himself (the Analogue one being particularly good) round off a very worthy 12".

I'd never heard of Louie before seeing this week's release schedule, but on the recommendation of my editor overlord I had a listen to "I Know What You're Doing Tonight". And pretty great it is too: high energy indie that checks all the boxes you'd want it to. It's uptempo enough to work on the dancefloor, but still strong enough a song to withstand the iPod treatment as well. Structurally it works very well too, with the breakdown and build-up making this a very strong contender for single of the week. And a fun, sing-a-long chorus is always as plus in my book.

We've talked quite a lot lately about Mark Ronson's upcoming Versions LP, which as a whole doesn't really live up to the promise of the few tracks that leaked or were released in advance. One of those is "Stop Me", an extaordinary cover of an extraordinary song. Straying somewhat from the usual horn-heavy workout, Ronson's Smiths cover is a sublime effort that owes as much to Rob Dougan's way with strings as it does with his own mastery of brass. You've probably heard it by now, so I won't elaborate too much; but it really is an excellent track.

But not quite as excellent as this week's dark horse, Peter, Bjorn & John's jangly and uplifting "Objects Of My Affection". I've not been overly impressed by the Scandinavian trio thus far, but the swelling whistle-led chorus is so perfectly orchestrated on this one that it's utterly irresistable. The driving military rhythm gives it urgency and purpose, and Peter's slightly nasal voice is a perfect match for the harmonic build-up to the chorus. It owes a lot to soundtracks from countless generic Westerns, but it's done elegantly and, to be honest, brilliantly. Expect to hear this in the background of many films and programmes to come. Single of the week.

Richard H (View Original Article)

 

Kele Okereke Doesn't Particularly Like Horror Movies

In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Bloc Party's Kele Okereke is clearly not having a good day. Possibly he's jet-lagged. Possibly he's sick of answering questions about his private life and just wants to 'talk about the music, man' like any serious rock 'n' roller. Just possibly it's questions such as this one that do it...

Q: OK. Let's talk about vampires. On "Song for Clay (Disappear Here)," you sing, "East London is a vampire/ It sucks the joy right out of me." Where does your fascination come from?
A: I don't think there is a particular fascination. The imagery lends itself to the analogy that I was making in that song.

Q: Are you a big fan of horror movies?
A: Not particularly.

Read the full interview here

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Full T in the Park Line-up Announced

T in the Park organisers have been quick to mention the number of awards they've been decorated with in recent years and, as a Scotsman, you feel kinda proud that T in the Park is the festival most people want to go to. Then you remember just how bad the average person's taste in music is...and how badly the festival continues to suffer on a yearly basis.

So, this year's headliners as T in the Park becomes (as suggested earlier this week) a three day festival, are Arctic Monkeys and, as I unfortunately guessed the other day, The Killers and Snow Patrol. Up and down the country boring tossers are wetting themselves and I'm (I already have a ticket you see) in tears.

In fact, from the entire line-up announced the only bands I'm remotely excited about seeing are The Arcade Fire and Interpol, the rest I've either seen in lacklustre performances before or they're fucking awful.

Still, decide for yourself.

Friday 6th July
Main Stage
Arctic Monkeys
Bloc Party
The Coral
Lily Allen

Saturday 7th July
Main Stage
The Killers
Razorlight
The Arcade Fire
James
James Morrison

Radio 1 / NME Stage
The Kooks
My Chemical Romance
Babyshambles
CSS

King Tut's Tent
The Klaxons
Jamie T

Slam Tent
Booka Shade
Ame

Sunday 8th July
Main Stage
Snow Patrol
Scissor Sisters
Kings of Leon
The Fratellis
Paolo Nutini
Goo Goo Dolls

Radio 1 / NME Stage
Kasabian
Interpol
Maximo Park
'flamboyant' Mika

Pet Sounds Arena
Damien Rice
Amy Winehouse
Tori Amos

Slam Tent
Dave Clarke
Slam
Hardfloor
Digitalism
Soundstream / Soundhack

I hadn't noticed it, but music has been on it's knees begging for mercy for the past year or so and today it just died.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Bloc Party Confirmed for T in the Park

Speaking to 6 Music News, Bloc Party's Gordon Moakes has let it slip that the band will be playing this year's T in the Park. The official statement on this year's main acts will not be made until later today, but here's one exclusive for ya. Gordon said,

"I don't know which ones have been announced from which one's haven't, I know we're playing T In The Park, I think we're playing Reading Festival, Glastonbury, so I think we'll be ever-present over the summer."

The bassist also commented on the coin-throwing incident which saw the band leave the stage at Aberdeen's Music Hall for ten minutes last sunday.

"Somebody threw a coin and it kind of threw Kele's concentration more than anything else, because he was in the middle of a song. When we got through to the end of it, I said 'do you want to go off stage?' So we came off, and I think we were all a bit shaken by the whole thing."

"There was this general feeling before we went on that the crowd was different to the sort of crowd we're used too. We're used to very enthusiastic, carefree audiences, but for some reason there was quite a muted tone to the whole evening and at least one person wanted to make them their presence felt."

CDX couldn't make it to the gig but we're quite surprised. Aberdeen crowds tend to be among the most enthusiastic and carefree. Perhaps Bloc Party are a victim of their own success and enjoyed the company of, as many band's do, the kind of moron who buy's a ticket on the basis of "Aye, I like that 'Banquet' song, ye ken. The wan Chris Moyles plays. Aye. Dinnae ken their ither stuff."

So, the moral of the story. Don't get popular and only write partially-melodious cacophonies. Either that or have a 'no fuckwit' policy on the door.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Bloc Party in Granite City Gig Walk-Off

Kele Okereke was struck by a coin last night, two songs into Bloc Party's Aberdeen Music Hall gig. The band left the stage, although returned some five minutes later and completed their set.

Although he was unhurt, Kele apparently took some convincing to return to the stage. When he did there was a visible tension in the air.

Given Aberdeen's famous reputation as being full of miserly penny-pinchers, this is somewhat ironic. You'd expect missiles to be objects with no worth attached to them - the Mika album perhaps?

Joking aside, it's only recently that bands of this calibre have started coming back to Aberdeen, and we really don't need stupid cunts driving them away again. Whoever you are, mate, you're an arsehole.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Singles Roundup

After last week's "avalanche on shit mountain" (thanks, Dan, for your ever-evocative imagery), things should really have only been able to get better. Did they? Did they fuck.

One word manages to dash CDX's hopes in an instant: Mika ('Flamboyant' Mika! - flogging a dead horse Ed). Technically 'Grace Kelly' is only out in shops today, though it's plagued the radiowaves like a particularly nasty case of leprosy for a good while now, and has sat on the top of the singles chart for an inexplicable two weeks on the back of download sales alone. You've heard this song before, so I don't really need explain the extent of aural shitmongering going on here. But for the sole purpose of spleen-venting, I'll just say that Mika combines the worst elements of the Scissor Sisters, Freddie Mercury's solo career and Prince and minces them together in a sonic patty that even that dodgy kebab van round Watford High Street would be ashamed to serve.

This week's big disappointment is Bloc Party's 'The Prayer', an unexpected choice of lead single from their largely excellent 'A Weekend In The City' LP. Perhaps more a statement of intent than anything else, it still leaves me scratching my head as to why they would choose to release a track with no chord progression in its verses as a commercial A-sider (you should have seen the mob complaining about that very thing in HMV this morning! - Ed). Even Paul Epworth manages to balls up his remix – a very rare occurrence indeed – though this is easily forgotten in the face of Para One's tasty glitch-up.

What with Bloc Party stumbling at the first hurdle, candidates for single of the week suddenly appeared in more unexpected places. The very hit-and-miss Bent pull a rather temtping slice of electro-disco out of their top drawer in 'Waiting For You', but unfortunately it comes off more Beck-at-his-most-pretentious than LCD Soundsystem – a missed opportunity methinks, and that 8bit solo in the middle is so naff that it verges on the inexcusable. The promising Hot Club de Paris (about as Parisian as Bernard Manning, for your reference) try to take some of the more acceptable elements from early-00's American youth-punk and incorporate it into a very British indie setting, but it comes off as insincere, and the song itself is pretty dull, so no dice there. As mainstream US hip-hop goes, Nas' Incredible-Bongo-Band-sampling 'Hip-Hop Is Dead' isn't too bad, but I couldn't bring myself to recommend anything with that nonce from the Black Eyed Peas in it, so we'll forget about that one too.

The rest is also pretty disheartening. Camera Obscura's latest sounds like sub-par Belle & Sebastian (quelle fuquin' surprise); Kasabian's 'Me Plus One' suffers from a chronic case of third-singlitis; and a nice bass riff in the Cold War Kids' 'Hang Me Up To Dry' is spoiled by a lazy vocal. Even Paul Hartnoll's latest effort, collaborating with The Cravats, sounds more like a novelty song from The Mighty Boosh than anything else. Oh, and the less said about Fall Out Boy, the better.

So in the face of another wave from the aforementioned mountain, where to turn? To grime's pint-sized British export, that's who. A lot has been said about Lady Sovereign selling out, going commercial and signing to Def Jam, but the fact of the matter is that 'Love Me Or Hate Me' is really rather special, and streets ahead of the other singles off her 'Public Warning' LP. It's bleeptastic, the production is minimal, but the chorus is inspired: M.I.A. take note, this is what grime-pop should sound like. Okay, so it's not exactly a new song, but we're not going to forget about it just because her British label is now a secondary consideration. So say "thank you", Sov, because we love you – now pat yourself on the back and help yourself to another Lambrini; it's on us.

Also released this week are…

A Million Billion – Volcano Season
Annuals – Big Zeus
Babypinkstar Vs Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse Of The Heart (Good Grief! - Ed)
Bowling For Soup – High School Never Ends
Coral Sea – Look At Her Face
Coronas – Decision Time
Dan Sartain – Flight Of The Finch
Dartz! – Once Twice Again!
Data Select Party – This Charm Is Charmless
Dennis Ferrer Ft Daniele – Church Lady
Headrush – Livin' In A Fantasy
Jakazid Ft Barry Scott – Cillit Bang
Jamie Pearce – More Than Enough
Josh Groban – February Song
Kitto – River Of Butterflies
The Little Ones – Oh MJ
Louise Setara – Wrong Again
Mr V feat. Miss Patty – Da Bump
My Federation – Honey Bee
Nate James – Funkdefining
Nick Lachey – What's Left Of Me
Noisettes – Sister Rosetta (Capture The Spirit)
Pop Levi – Sugar Assault Me Now
Protokoll – Paradoxon
Public Domain Ft Lucia Holm – I Feel Love
Roger Sanchez Ft Lisa Pure – Lost
Sarah Nixey – When I'm Here With You
Seth Lakeman – King And Country
Simple Kid – Lil King Kong
Switches – Drama Queen
Whitewater – Stay
Yes Boss – See It Through
Ying Yang Twins Ft Wyclef Jean – Dangerous

Richard H (View Original Article)

 

SXSW 2007 Line-up Announced

Each year Austin`s SXSW Music Conference grows in size and stature and, following feverish media coverage around the world, this year`s looks set to be the biggest yet as fans and media types alike spend a week checking out what`s likely to be hot in 2007.

The list below is one put together by Austinist.com of all bands who have `confirmed` (i.e. their press releases or myspaces are carrying news of their impending performances) to play SXSW. Significant acts include The Stooges, Scissor Sisters, Interpol, Morrissey, Pete Townshend (who will deliver the keynote speech) and Bloc Party. Meanwhile, CDX favourites such as Datarock, Bonde Do Role and Uncle Nick`s favourite Lily Allen will be making their SXSW bows. Most interestingly of all is the reformation of 70s glam rock band Mud who, despite the death of Les Grey, are back and still flogging their `Tiger Feet` - although, on reflection, this may be an American band with the same name.

Take a look, excited yet?

AM 120 Days 65daysofstatic Ad Astra Per Aspera Airbourne Amy Millan An Angle Andrew Winton Apollo Sunshine Aqualung Aqueduct Architecture In Helsinki As He Bled As Tall As Lions Audible Mainframe Badly Drawn Boy Beasts Of Bourbon Bic Runga Black Helicopter Black Lips Black Moth Super Rainbow Black Rose Band Blindspott Bloc Party Blonde Redhead Bonde Do Role Brave Radar Brett Dennen Call Me Lightning Callisto Car Stereo (Wars) Carly Binding Casket Salesmen Castanets Charalambides Children Collide Chris Mills Chris Smither Circa Survive Cold War Kids Crooked Still Cute Is What We Aim For Dallas Crane Damien Dempsey Daniel Johnston Danny Saul Datarock Delorentos Demander Devin The Dude Die! Die! Die Dimmer Diplo Dirty Fuzz Ecstatic Sunshine Eilen Jewell Elemeno P Emma Pollock (ex-Delgados) Emmylou Harris Erase Errata Errors Evermore Every Move a Picture Fatal Flying Guilloteens Ferraby Lionheart Field Guides Fionn Regan Foals Four Year Strong Frida Hyvonen Gasoline Cowboy George Byrne Ghostland Observatory Girl Talk Go! Go! 7188 Golden Dogs Great Lakes Myth Society HY Hard Lessons Haunt (Matt Hebert) Hazey Janes

Hedrons Hero Pattern High Dials Hoodoo Gurus Hummersqueal I Heart Hiroshima I Love You But I`ve Chosen Darkness Ian Wadley Ice Age Cobra iLiKETRAiNS Interpol Jape Jeffrey Foucault Jeremy Warmsley Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter Jessie Deluxe Josh Pyke Kill Surf City Kings Of Leon Kiosk Kris Delmhorst Kristoffer Ragnstam LZ Love Land of Talk Les Savy Fav Lily Allen Lionheart Brothers Little Birdy Loney Dear Love In October MV+EE Macromantics Mae-Shi Magik Markers Malajube Mando Diao Marca Margot and the Nuclear So And Sos Marnie Stern Mates Of State Matt & Kim Menomena Messiah J & The Expert Mika Miko Mint Chicks Money Waters Monotract Morning After Girls Morrissey Mud My Latest Novel New Buffalo New Violators Nicole Atkins OWKMJ (Ore Wa Konna Mon Janai) Okkervil River Oppenheimer Oreska Band Ozomatli Pagoda Panther Paul Kelly Pete Townshend Peter & the Wolf Peter Elkas Phonograph Pig Out Pilot Spiral Pistol Valve Popup Protokoll Prototypes RJD2 Rachel Fuller Rachel Sage Rahim Roberto Y Gabriela Rocky Votolato

Sarah Blasko Sasquatch Say Hi To Your Mom Schoolboy Humor Scissor Sisters Scout`s Honor Secretary Bird Shaky Hands Sinden Snowden So So Modern Sonic Flyer Soular Spod Starky Stax 50th Anniversary Soul Review Steel Train Subtle Sunwrae Tall Firs Tally Hall Teitur Temposhark The 50 Kaitens The Amity Front The Big Sleep The Black Hollies The Broken West The Caribbean The Creteens The Early November The Emeralds The Frames The Fratellis The Gear The Have The Immediate The Lucky Stiffs The Needles The Octopus Project The Panda Band The Ponys The Presets The Rise The Secret Fire The Shivers The Soft Hands The Stooges The Theater Fire The Walkmen The Weird Weeds The Young Knives The Zebras These Arms Are Snakes Thinking Aloud Thirteen Seconds Thunderbirds Are Now! Thurston Moore Tigercity Tin Bangs Turbonegro Uncrowned Under Byen Union Of Knives VNV Nation Via Tania Vincent Van Go Go Viva Voce Voxtrot W-S Burn Watson Twins Wild Eyes Winterkids Winterpills Wolf and Cub Wooden Wand X-Wife Yip-Yip You Am I Youth Group Zach Galifianakis

SXSW `07 takes place between March 9th and March 13th and we`re hoping to be able to bring you an exclusive report from our very own Andy Jarvis about it. If he can keep away from the free beer bus.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Bloc Party Planning a 'Weekend in the City'

The new album from Bloc Party is due out on February 5th 2007 and strongly rumoured to be called `Weekend in the City`. The follow up to 2005`s `Silent Alarm` (NME album of the year) is described by lead singer Kele Okereke as `more considered` and `more focused` than the debut.

The band have been working with producer Jacknife Lee on the album throughout the year and tracks expected to make the final running order include `Waiting for the 7:18`, `Uniform`, `Where is Home`, `England` and `Song For Clay`.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Four Tet Remixes Compilation in the Shops Soon!

Four Tet AKA Kieran Hebden releases a double CD of remixes on 25th September entitled rather originally `Remixes`.

Disc one features twelve Four Tet mixes of the likes of Radiohead, Beth Orton and Bloc Party all lovingly recreated in Kieran`s shambolic, snarling tech-style. Disc two, meanwhile, gathers together some of the finest remixes of Four Tet`s own work by some of his favourite artists.

You can have a listen to disc one from the album now by checking out this snazzy Domino e-card. You`ll also be able to download up to four tracks from CD 2 if you let your friends know about it! Check the card for more details.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Bloc Party's New LP is Almost With Us

The new, as yet un-titled, album from Bloc Party is close to completion.

Articles have been flying around the web since yesterday proclaiming the following tracklist (well, it`s alphabetical just now - expect the order to change) as the definitive list of tracks that have made it.

A Prayer To The Lord

England

Hunting For Witches

It Started In An Afternoon

Kreuzberg

On

Seroxat

Song For Clay (Disappear Here)

Sunday

Uniform

Waiting For The 7:18

We Were Lovers

Where Is Home?

This, the follow up to 2005`s pretty damn good Silent Alarm, is one of the most eagerly-awaited albums of the year.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Bloc Party Working On Second Album

Bloc Party will soon re-enter the studio to lay down tracks for their second album, and follow up to their massively successful debut `Silent Alarm`. Since its release, however, the band claim to have seen and heard many things which lead them to believe they will make a better and more considered follow up.

Speaking to NME.COM, Kele Okereke said,

"With `Silent Alarm` I wanted to talk about how it felt being a 20-year-old in the western world. I think a lot of kids, me especially, just kind of felt in their 20s that they had all this passion, and it was very hard to find a focus. And that`s what I want `Silent Alarm` to represent. I don`t want things to be as brash as they were. Slightly more considered: that`s where the next record`s going. But that`s not to say we`re going to turn all MOR!"

It is unlikely that late-2005 single `Two More Years` will be included as the band were keen at the time of release for it to be a standalone single, and a future exclusive.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Give Money, Get Ace Music In Return

A month ago the excellent Help - A Day in the Life was recorded and rush-released on the web. All money raised went to War Child to help children affected by the ravages of war across the globe. If you've bought your copy then great, and even if you haven't you can help by downloading one of the following exclusive tracks including highly-collectable demos, remixes and cover versions.

Keane - The Sun Aint Gonna Shine Any More

Radiohead - Go to Sleep (Live)

Lucky Jim - Somewhere Up Ahead

Bloc Party - Banquet (Minotaur Shock Remix)

Tom Waits - Baby Gonna Leave Me

Fatboy Slim - Push and Shove (Acoustic Mix)

My Computer - Hole in the Road

Kaiser Chiefs - Oh My God

Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls (DJ Hell Mix)

Kasabian - Butcher Blues (Live)

The Kills - No Wow

Razorlight - Golden Touch (Live Gospel Version)

The Crimea - Someone's Crying

Spiritualized - Oh Baby

Ash - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday

Danger Mouse - Painting By Numbers

The Thrills - Viva Las Vegas

The Ordinary Boys - Laughing from the Sidelines

Primal Scream - Rocks

The Go! Team - The Power is On

The Open - Drown

Editors - Someone Says (Demo)

The Duke Spirit - Souvenir

Adam Green - Dancing on the Street (Acoustic Session)

The Rakes - Something Clicked

The Bravery - Unconditional

The Others - Southern Glow

Moloko - Take My Hand

Field Music - Alternating Current

50 Foot Wave - Sally is a Girl

Caribou - Hello Hammerheads

Engineers - Come In Out of the Rain (Chris Coco Remix)

I am Kloot - Gods and Monsters

Stereophonics - Looks Like Chaplin (rare debut single ahoy!)

Four Tet - A Joy

Morcheeba - Living Hell

Sons and Daughters - La Lune

Bjork - Where is the Line (Fantomas Remix)

Bjork - Who Is It (Vitalic Remix)

Roisin Murphy - Off On It

Kid Carpet - £1500 and a Bus Apology

Brian Eno - Fractal Zoom (Up River Mix)

The Charlatans - We Gotta Have Peace

The Stands - Back To You

Amadou and Mariam - Coulibaly (Remix)

Long Blondes - Lust in the Movies

Orange Juice - Poor Old Soul (Part 2)

Feeder - Everybody Hurts

Petra Jean Phillipson - I Can't Remember

Test Icicles - Maintain the Focus (Demo)

Mylo - Drop the Pressure (The Glimmers Remix)

Super Furry Animals - Cabin Fever

Manic Street Preachers - Out of Time

Curumin - Guerreiro

Sway - Flow Fashion

  All tracks cost 99p and feature sneak previews so you can hear what you're buying. War Child Music would love to present the charity with a five figure cheque, so if you like the sound of some of the tracks above then get your credit card out and enjoy!

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Bloc Party / Kaiser Chiefs Joint Single Will Not Happen

Recent tabloid reports and internet forum gossip told us that Bloc Party and the Kaiser Chiefs had planned to collaborate together on a spectacular indie-pop version of All I Want For Christmas is You and to have it in the shops in time for the festive chart. Well, it turns out this was bollocks, but the idea had certainly been discussed as Bloc drummer Matt Tong reveals in today`s Times, "We talked about it, but it isn`t going to happen." and offered his own personal alternative, "bring back the old boys - Slade, Wizzard".

  What this does mean is yet another year where the Christmas running is has-beens (Cliff, Tony effing Christie), Westlife (resurrecting Diana Ross` 1991 single When You Tell Me That You Love Me as if too much alcohol and turkey isn`t enough to make you sick at Christmas) and the as-yet-un-named X-Factor winner. It`s always slim pickings for indie fans during this week, most bands waiting until the first week in january where low sales mean high chart positions.

  So, now that one potential dream combination bites the dust, why don`t we see some of the following get into a studio in November to hammer an old classic out?

Ladytron and Dizzee Rascal with the Polyphonic Spree - Stop the Cavalry

Super Furry Animals and Antony and the Johnsons - Merry Xmas (War is Over)

Franz Ferdinand and The Futureheads - Merry Xmas Everybody

The Magic Numbers and The Arcade Fire - Fairy Tale of New York

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Album Reviews

Intimacy

I want to start of by saying that I know a lot of other reviewers across the intrawebs have been very harsh in saying that they are disappointed in the bands new album and sound. I understand where they are coming from as I too noticed the disappearance of a lot of the guitar and bass guitar and the bands push towards a more electronic sound. All I can say is that unlike them, I love the new direction and sound. I know that sometime you fall in love with a band and it`s sound at a certain moment, but for me it`s how the band grows that makes the biggest difference. With Intimacy, Bloc Party has shown that they are growing and are not afraid to go out on a limb to do so.

The album starts off with the quieter `Zepherus` before going into the drum crazed `Ares`.  Each song on the album almost builds up the animal ferocity as the tracks go buy until it reaches a fever pitch before going into songs like `Biko` and `Signs" where it seems to left off some the wildness and show a gentler side. Then the album goes right back into the animal savagery that tracks like `Trojan Horse` bring to the album. `One Month Off` seems to be the only track on the album that harkens back to the `Silent Alarm` feel and sound. The album closer, `Ion Square`, mixes a little bit of everything that came before to have one of the most well rounded tracks on the album. A great way to end a great album.

In this reviewers opinion, Bloc Party have gone out and grabbed a lot of the same tools that other bands are using these days. Having said that, they also have come back after using those tools and presented an album that is better and different then most of the sounds out now. I am eager to see where the band goes after this as I consider this one of the their best albums to date. There is so much energy pent up in the album you can`t help but tap your foot or bang your head. Yet another in my list for album of the year. Get it now!

Phil Russell (View Original Article)

 

Single Reviews

One More Chance

Woooo. Come on kids. Blow your air horn. Grab a disco biscuit and go slamming well mad for it with these banging house beats circa 1990.  Introducing the new and improved ravetastic single from Bloc Party! 

Bloc Party have somewhat lost their way since 2005. Last week it was reported that this may be the band`s last ever release. It`s a disappointing swansong if this is the case. There is a homage to `Silent Alarm` style guitar overiding the track for you Bloc purists out there, but who wants that? There`s a party going on Grandad. Get with it. 

"This time things will be different," Okereke wails in the chorus. It didn`t need to be. A ridiculous attempt at the indie/dance crossover that has none of the depth of `Flux` or even `Mercury`. More Calvin Harris than LCD Soundsystem. If only Kele and the boys had thought with their hearts and not their skinny jeaned hips.

 

Adam Coutts (View Original Article)

 

Signs (Armand Van Helden Remix)

Guitars and synthesisers.  Indie rock and experimental alt-dance.  Armand Van Helden and… a singing vagina?  It must be Bloc Party.  Never fans of conventional release patterns, Bloc Party are back (have they even left yet?) with their second remix LP, this time offering songs from last year’s ‘Intimacy’.  Ahead of the album comes Armand Van Helden’s re-work of ‘Signs’.

Bloc Party have always been the indie band who are far more than `just an indie band`.  The musical diversity has increased with every release and left fans hungry for the next step, which this time Armand Van Helden has boldly taken.  A near-perfect meeting of both artists has produced a track that is neither too far from, nor too similar to the original.  Bloc Party’s signature post-punk spiky sound still rings true through the mix, while Van Helden’s uncanny ability to make any song danceable turns the gentle chiming original into a pounding dance track worthy of any dancefloor.

So we’ve got a brilliant track with an even better video – the woman with aforementioned musical ladybits also has a mirrorball for a head, obviously – which, if it’s to be done any justice, should be thundering through an indie disco near you.  The track that is, not Madame Mirrorface and her Amazing Lyrical Labia.  You never know though…

Jack Richardson (View Original Article)

 

One Month Off

With latest long-player ‘Intimacy’ polarising opinion with its more adventurous, electronic sounds, this third single from the album combines a more conventional, guitar-driven feel with all the freshness of their latest work.

The thumping, frenetic drum beat and rugged guitars set the perfect backdrop for uncomplicated, melodious verses and ear-hijacking chorus. This is as close as Bloc Party get to a conventional rock song, and it skilfully walks the thin line between indie posturing and radio-friendly commercialism.

The electronic breakdown keeps things interesting enough and the twitchy, juddering conclusion wraps up the song beautifully. This will, of course, have indie kids up and down the country scrabbling for the dance floor, but `One Month Off` should appeal to anyone who has a willing set of hips.

Ewan Donald (View Original Article)

 

Talons

This starts of smartly enough with a light splattering of electronica before settling into an inevitably pedestrian indie groove. Bloc Party are surely capable of much more than this, but on the evidence of `Talons`, it’s a case of not now, not yet. Not exactly speaker shredding kids, more of a light tear in the fabric of the air maybe?

Keith Haworth (View Original Article)

 

Mercury

This is ither a Radiohead-shaped bold step forward or a foolish belief that "if Justice can do it, so can we" from Bloc Party.  Of course, `Flux` represented a change of direction on its release, being essentially a Bloc Party vocal laid on top of a Vitalic off-cut, but `Mercury` goes one step further dispensing almost entirely with melody in favour of an almost hip-hop production, heavy on samples, stacatto downward arpeggio brass and gigantic drumloops.

But, understand it as best you can, you can`t help but come back to a lack of melody criticism and, with this sounding like a remix, let`s hope some of the guest mixers on the extended release can introduce a song to the proceedings. 

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Flux

One James Murphy once remarked, "I heard the kids are selling their guitars to buy turntables" in the knowing tribute to elitism 'Losing My Edge', but now this observation best describes the new single from Bloc Party, or rather it would if the involved parties picked up a drum machine and a few synth emulators upon the way. Yes, Bloc Party have 'gone dance' in a move that's certain to anger and delight fans in equal measure and, for me, it's nothing but the latter.

Based around a huge bass and synth riff reminiscent of Vitalic's 'Poney', employing vocoders liberally and boasting the pop sensibilities that were sadly absent from the recent 'A Weekend in the City' record, Bloc Party have created their first truly excellent single since 'Banquet'. Sure to be the staple of indie / dance crossover dancefloors from now until Kele Okereke collects his pension, this is essential listening.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Two More Years

The sound of a bubble bursting.Bland, uninspired, and frankly the most disappointing release this year so far. Perhaps The Bloc have been pushed a little too hard to get a new album's worth of material out, or perhaps all the best ideas went into the first album. Either way, as a BP fan, I await the album with some trepidation.

Jason Maybury (View Original Article)

 

The Pioneers

One of those released and deleted the same day jobbies - on CD, DVD and 7" picture disc. The song aint too bad either, being the standard indie rock we all love from Bloc Party. Be very quick indeed and watch out for the excellent video on the DVD while you do!

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Believe

For many people this was the standout track on 'Push the Button' particularly after 'Galvanize' began to get played to death long after it's release by the UK's slow radio DJs. Kele from Bloc Party guests on vocals over the top of a large electro-house track which, although it's nothing new, is very pleasing to the ears.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Banquet

Now you're talking! Banquet was originally released in May last year on the Moshi Moshi label, but now gets a full release in it's own right. Much as I loved the last single 'So Here We Are' I reckon this is their own 'Take Me Out', the record that will push them into the highest echelons of the Franz Ferdinand stratosphere. No, I'm not suggesting they're ripping anyone off. Besides, Franz ripped off Gang of Four first (ha).

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Live Reviews

Leeds Festival 2008

Instead of secretly putting a `kick me` sign on my back I think some joker must have written `The people dwelling here love having drunk teenagers talking loudly right outside all night as they believe it adds to their festival experience` across our tent. Two festivals, two different locations and yet almost exactly the same loud, stoner talk until six in the morning. Teenagers .. all stamina, no imagination!! Still at least it got us up early as there was time to make up after our late start the previous day. Having had no time to set up any interviews we thought we`d wonder down the the press tent to see if we could catch any early bird bands unawares. However we are far to early (obviously the bands hadn`t had the same problem neighbours as we did) so we grab a crappicino from the backstage bar and head out to the main arena to see if we can get a pair of wellies from somewhere as it had also rained all night (rain at a festival, who`d have thunk it!!).

Once we have our feet all dry and rubber protected it`s time the catch the first band of the day. The Blackout are apparently a post-hardcore band from Merthyr Tydfil, they are noisy buggers who leap all over the stage like men possesed. They have duel vocalists, one sings the other growls and have songs called `Spread Legs not Lies`. Surprisingly they are a lot more fun than that sounds and their lack of pretence is quite refreshing. The Blackout warm the early morning Leeds crowd nicely so it`s a shame that The Automatic seem to want to bring the lively party atmosphere down with the huge chip on that they have on their collective Welsh shoulders. Compere Colin ‘you can’t hurry a’ Murray warns the crowd that they had a less than receptive audience yesterday at Reading so to play friendly, which should be like a red rag to a bull but to my surprise bottles of piss seem to be a southern thing and The Automatic get a very positive response. They have a new guitarist, keyboardist and whelpy guy called Paul taking over the annoying thing position left vacant by previous member Pennie and he seems to fit in perfectly. They trot out new songs along with hits `Recover` and `Raoul`, knock out the big one, `Monster` reasonably early on in the set and seem to have developed a more straight forward rock sound. It`s a pity that they feel the need to bad-mouth the previous day`s crowd so much that any empathy we may have felt for them is soon replaced by annoyance. The Reading crowd were cunts apparently and the North has far better crowds who are not as pretentious as the ones down South who are far to cool for school. We`ll have to remember that next time they play anywhere South of the Watford gap!!

We chat for a while about how funny it would be to claim our press photo pass and rush into the pit with all the pro photographers and their big, expensive cameras, whip out our Coolpix and start snapping ... and come to the conclusion that it probably wouldn`t be as funny as we think it would so decide to pass on the close up photo opportunities.

British Sea Power are an enigma to me. Their last album was a critical hit and Mercury nominated but I have a hard time seeing what’s so special about them with this live appearance. Maybe I need to buy the album.

After BSP`s Arcade Fire-lite performance it’s time to hit some of the other tents. Firstly we catch the end of electro post punk band Fight Like Apes set at the Festival Republic stage, and very good it is too.  Then it’s onto the NME tent to witness Santogold’s Santi White dressed in gold taking centre stage whilst her dancers and band move in a robotic manner around her. It’s an impressive site and a welcome release from guys with guitars.  However, they play ace single `L.E.S. Artistes` way too early which kind of gives us an excuse to nip off to the Lock Up tent to listen to some hardcore punk. What fun! However when we get to said tent to witness the end of Fucked Up’s set, the sound is more of a sonic blast similar to Hawkwind or even early Gong (ask your hippy grandparents) than the Exploited type punk noise that we were expecting. Vocalist Father Damien has disappeared amongst the crowd, which is a very hardcore thing to be doing, the other five members look and sound like college kids making a racket a la The Velvet Underground, which has to be encouraged. Great stuff.

We then head back toward the NME stage, passing by the Radio One Introducing Stage where, according to the programme, Darlings Of The Splitscreen are playing and sound quite interesting. However it’s The Mystery Jets we want to see so we head on to another overcrowded show where we have to watch Blaine and co on the big screen, however as the band are relatively static on stage this isn’t so much of a problem. The sound is crystal clear and the band play through their set expertly, however it comes as no surprise that ‘Two Doors Down’ elicits the loudest cheer from the large crowd.

Nipping backstage to grab a beer we listen to the Editors on the main stage. I feel for the Editors, I really do. I have seen them many times at various festivals and part of their live problem is that they manage to sound on stage just as they do on record and as they are not the most animated band it simply negates the need to watch them. I’m not sure if this is a compliment or not but I quite happily listened to them whilst supping my lager, not looking at the stage.

Sometimes it’s hard to see what the promoter was thinking when putting the bill together. We have Dirty Pretty Things on the main stage at the same time number one hit single peddlers The Ting Tings play the NME tent. As we can’t get anywhere near the NME tent for The Ting Tings (we watch Great DJ on the big screen then wander back to the main stage), it occurs to us while watching Dirty Pretty Things that both bands would have probably benefitted from a switcharoo on the ol’ stage front (`Yup.  Surprise success after initial bookings has led to many bands coming a cropper when being scheduled alongside The Ting Tings this year at festivals!` - Ed).

We Are Scientists prove to be an entertaining precursor to the headliners, running through some of their more popular tracks such as ‘Nobody Move, Nobody Gets Hurt’ and ‘It’s A Hit’ while handing out sage advice. Did you know that 95% of piss that is thrown in bottles from the crowd actually ends up back in the perpetrators mouths? Well you do now, thank you We Are Scientists.

The crowd has now swelled to enormodome size for Bloc Party and Kele tries to live up to the whole almost-headlining position by asking the crowd ‘to make some fucking noise’.  It just doesn’t come off however, and is about as convincing as a forty one year old, slightly graying, white guy trying to look hip at a rock festival ..oh! The music fortunately is far more appropriate and the band play a set worthy of the position they find themselves in. Opening with new single ‘Mercury’, the band play a best-of set including ‘So Here We Are’, ‘Banquet’, ‘Two More Years’ and ‘Flux’. Finishing their set with a might rendition of ‘Helicopter’, Kele questions whether or not they could come back as headliners next year. The crowd respond positively.

Then it’s the turn of tonight’s headliners. The Killers have been touring the `Sam`s Town` LP for the last couple of years and we’ve seen them play near enough the same set three times now. So it makes a pleasant change to see a more relaxed set from the Vegas quartet. The Sawdust backdrop hints at the sort of show to expect and although opening with ‘Reasons Unknown’ and then following it up with ‘Somebody Told Me’ the rest of the first half of the set drew quite heavily from the B-Side and rarities LP, with their Joy Division cover of ‘Shadowplay’ played very early on instead of it’s usual placing as an encore.  We also heard B-side ‘Sweet Talk’, ‘Under The Gun’ and Lou Reed collaboration ‘Tranquilize’ making appearances in between the usual live fare of ‘Bones’ and ‘Smile Like You Mean It’. All in all it’s a bit of a slow start and the whole shebang doesn’t really get going until they roll out ‘When We Were Young’ accompanied by a gold firework display raining down on the crowd. New song ‘Spaceman’ show’s signs that The Killers may be returning to the 80’s influenced sounds of `Hot Fuss` and they also play a stripped down version of ‘Sams Town’, just piano and strings. Apart from these the second half of the set features all the crowd pleasers, ‘Mr Brightside’ gets the predictable wild response from the crowd as does `Fuss opener ‘Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine’. Brandon promises that they will get to ‘All These Things That I Have Done’ before the end of the encore but only after an inspired version of ‘This River Is Wild’.

Mr Flowers is as good as his word and the crowd go bananas, singing along to ‘All These Things...’ before finally being showered in confetti, while the band rolled around the stage.

Luckily Leeds didn’t suffer the same sound problems during the headliner sets that Reading apparently had and we left for our three and a half hour (add to that the hour and half it took us to get out of guest parking) drive home, happy bunnies.

Nick Foster (View Original Article)

 

Electric Picnic 2006

Well well, what a weekend. There had been a lot of hype going around, and in the weeks leading up to the event I had been wondering if the reality could match the fantastical expectations I heard being spouted by individuals. With tickets strictly capped at 30,000, the spreading of the word of this nascent gathering was almost spoken hushed, sparingly, lest the news be released to the scores of 'casual' fans out there, and that tickets might fall into the hands of those who were not 100% locked into the sheer possibility of musical exploration on offer. A whole weekend of as varied a lineup as you're likely to see, showcased on the rolling greens of Stradbally estate, Co Laois. Whispered secrets; if you knew about it, you only told someone you knew would appreciate it to the fullest.

Base camp was established on Friday evening; heavy inbound traffic meant I missed some of the earlier scheduled acts for the day, bur rather than run around like a headless chicken trying to play catch-up, I decided to take it easy, get fed, get my bearings and gear up for Massive Attack.

As the night enveloped us, the Bristolian downbeat collective took to the stage and commenced with standout recent track 'False Flags', silhouetted by neon screens showing various banners of the world, and it's clear from the offset that current world policy is on Robert '3D' Del Naja's mind; it's not long before the Bush-bashing begins, but, if anything, this angry sentiment fuels their performance, particularly during the incendiary 'Safe From Harm'. Unsettling bass rumbled off the stage and through the ground into our feet as they pulse their way through the majority of their recent best-of collection, bringing out long-time collaborators Horace Andy, Shara Nelson & Liz Frazer to perform the delicate ethereal vocals which compliment 3D & Daddy G's dark lines of truth. Del Naja informs us that despite our good cheer it might get 'a bit depressing' - oh we know. You come to see this band fully aware you're on a 'coaster going down, for like the phoenix, it's only in the flames you can be reborn. A killer encore of 'Inertia Creeps', 'Unfinished Sympathy' (still one of the best songs ever), and a colossally chaotic 'Angel' completed the set in devastating fashion. Almost worth the ticket price alone.

The rain, though predicted and certainly not light, confined itself to the twilight hours, and while wellingtons were Saturday's must-have fashion item, the skies were kind for most of the day. Camp Yellow was but a short walk from the main stages' entrance, and a plethora of produce was available to the hungry punter. Far from the dodgy burger vans that usually cater to festival-goers, I was pleased to discover a wide range of food on offer, including Mexican, noodles, coffee & buns, and my personal favourite, the Pieminister van, who will serve you a delicious proper pie, mash 'n' peas for under 10 euro.

After comparisons with my own band were raised, I felt it prudent to check out the Archie Bronson Outfit in the Foggy Notions tent to begin the day, and despite being a tad aloof they delivered a raucous drone-laden bluesy stomper of a set. If you're into the kind of infectious Southern-tinged deltarock peddled by the likes of the White Stripes, get a hold of this lot's current long player, 'Derdang Derdang'.

I caught the tail end of the irrepressibly electro Gary Numan's set, and needless to say for a lot of thirtysomethings a good time was had. Hell, even those not completely familiar with Gazza's back catalogue were gettin' down to 'Are Friends Electric?', thanks to being sampled by the Sugababes a few years ago on bootleg hit 'Freak Like Me'. If James Brown is the godfather of soul, is Numan the godfather of synthpop? For these '80s revellers, let it be so.

Next up was possibly my gig of the festival, Broken Social Scene. This stellar Canadian supergroup's existence was always tenuous, and while they remained together long enough to put out and tour two outstanding albums, commitments to their own bands were always threatening to come to the fore, and did so this weekend, the last date of their current tour, after which they would go on 'indefinite hiatus'. Having already experienced their live set back home in Belfast, I knew what to expect, but the moment the glorious opening chords to 'KC Accidental' burst forth like flowers in springtime, you are IN. Never before have I witness a band with such joyous identity make such joyous music, and possibly I won't ever again. From the easy breeze of 'Shoreline' to the handclaps on 'Stars and Sons' and the music-box innocence of 'Anthems For A 17-Year-Old Girl', that tent contained more happy per square metre than has ever been registered for the hour they were on. Closing the set with 'Ibi Dreams Of Pavement', Kevin Drew calls for the assembled crowd to scream as one, not for them, but for us, and that moment has been frozen in my head since it occurred. Here's hoping this isn't the end and they make time for BSS again in the future.

The somewhat reclusive DJ Shadow hasn't played in Ireland for 4 years, a fact he freely admits later in the set, and so the Electric Arena tent is packed full, undoubtedly by fans/worshippers of his seminal completely sampled debut album '...Endtroducing'. His new album has taken almost as long to make and hits the shelves in the next couple of weeks, and all were eager for a taste of the new material. After an opening speech slightly marred by a dodgy mic, the man his parents named Josh Davis informed us he would be playing some new stuff, and some old stuff too. True to his word, the highlights from '...Endtroducing' and second album 'The Private Press' were rolled out and expertly mixed to a crazy cut-out style video montage, and sandwiched between were some cuts from new LP 'The Outsider', featuring special guest vocals from hitherto unknown folkie Chris James and Lateef The Truth Speaker from Lyrics Born and Blackalicious. Apparently influenced by the still relatively regionalised San Francisco hip-hop variation known as 'hyphy', Shadow's new tracks come off sounding considerably more poppy & less cerebral than the last two albums, and while I choose to reserve judgement until the album is out, I hope this doesn't mark his slide into being 'just another big-name producer'. As the title of the new album hints at, he's always been different than the rest, and up til now that has worked in his favour. Interrupting closer 'Midnight In A Perfect World' to tell us he has to split, he leaves playing the track that will hopefully not be his only legacy.

At this time the pies were calling once again so I crossed the fields in time to see a snippet of Bloc Party's set. A year ago I stated that they were close to being Britain’s Most Awkward Band, but perhaps with time and gracing a few more stages they'd grow into it. Now they're a few steps higher up the bill, but seemingly the same wallflowers they always were. "We're not going to let a little raaaaain ruin things for us, are we?" frontman Kele intones several times, and though it's slightly cringeworthy to hear, he's correct, as despite the drizzle, the post-punk tinged tracks from Silent Alarm sound just as judderingly jubilant, and if new material like "Waiting For The 7:18" is anything to go by, the forthcoming album will be worth a look-in.

The Soulwax Nite Versions experience is one that I've savoured twice up until this point, but Sparks were due on in the opposing tent. A choice of brothers: Mael or Dewaele? Wacky cabaret or dance-rock fusion? In the end, my allegiance went to the Belgians, but this turned out to have been the wrong decision. 40 minutes I waited for them to reveal themselves in the Bodytonic tent, but nothing. I could only surmise that either they were either severely abusing their current status as remix kings / alt-dance overlords, or they had utilized one too many sound-bending gadgets in their setup and it had blown a fuse. Much as I wanted to feel the remixology, their tardiness had messed up my schedule, and for that heinous crime there is no forgiveness. I left and made my way back to the main stage for New Order.

Another band I saw last year, apparently jovially comfortable with their position as elder statesmen of indie; Barney & Hookey get on like two blokes having a swift half at the local on a Sunday afternoon, good-naturedly berating each other for being past it and in bad need of a pair of slippers and mug of Ovaltine. They’re even comically introduced as "four lads who changed the face of pop music - The Beatles... only joking, it's New Order!". It's all tomfoolery of course - songs like 'Krafty' and 'Waiting For The Siren's Call' from the recent album of the same name sound perfectly placed next to classics like 'Regret' and 'Temptation'. "I can't believe we were going to drop that from the set", Barney exclaims after a top performance of 'True Faith'. "Think we'll keep it in now," - damn right Mr. Sumner, it's me favourite and all. Joy Division's 'Transmission' and 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' are included, with a massive singalong for the latter, and a barnstorming 'Blue Monday' closed the set. Essential.

Others were keen to stay up & party with Groove Armada or 2ManyDJs, but I was tired, cold and wet, so I scampered back to my tent, pausing for a brief foray into the Blue Room. This was a large-ish white dome structure on the edge of the camp, sponsored by O2 and worth mentioning because it played a very pleasing esoteric selection of tunes throughout the day and night. It was arranged in a circle formation with the DJ at the front and raised benches around the outside, lending it a club-meets-Roman-Colosseum vibe, and also briefly there was a vampish performance involving a very camp man singing and writhing to an ambient dance track while being noosed by two scantily clad girls in tight leather. Enough flesh was exposed to warrant a girl near dragging her transfixed boyfriend out the door and admonishing him outside, something I found entirely too amusing at the time, but then again I had been drinking cheap cider.

The drizzle was back on Sunday morning, but we BBQ-ed anyway protected by thin plastic ponchos and swapped tales of the previous nights. The word IDMcore was invented, among other things. All was dry again at 2pm so we headed back in for the promised spectacle of DJ Grazzhoppa's DJ Big Band, which I had envisioned in my head as some kind of explosion in a Technics factory, but turned out to be 12 DJs lined up mixing various samples together with a live saxophonist to create stoner soundtrack music. There was a relatively impressive solo performance by Grazzhoppa himself, but having an inkling about DJing myself, I couldn't help wonder why, novelty value aside, there needed to be so bloody many of them. Now that WAS too many DJs. (I made the same quip on the day and I make no apology for it. Groan all you like.)

Judging by the considerable silence during the call-&-response segment of their set, the EP audience weren't exactly down with the finer details of hip-hop-history, but all that was set bang-to-rights as Grandmaster Melle Mel & Scorpio from the Furious Five gave us a guided tour of the classix from back in the day in what was undoubtedly the most funtastic set of the festival. Clearly having a ball, Mel & Scorpio led all us honky boys and girls through 'White Lines', 'The Message', 'Rapper's Delight' - a veritable hip-hop 101. 'Muscles' Melle Mel also took great enjoyment in showing us his moves 'n' poses, and taking the mick out of Vanilla Ice, which is his undeniable right as a hip-hop hall-of-famer. In addition they paid respect to their fallen heroes, and dropped the tracks which they claimed were rockin' the block parties way back when, including Madonna's 'Holiday', and bizarrely 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'. We were all wiggas after that. 24 years of hip-hop, suckas.

Back to the tent for a small allotment of time-out. Next up, Elbow. I've been a fan since they released their sparkling melancholy debut 'Asleep In The Back’, and have since followed it up with two equal feats of soaring yet intimate melody, 'Cast Of Thousands' and last year's 'Leaders Of The Free World'. During the sunny interval they occupy the stage, a buoyant Guy Garvey leads his cohorts through such tender missives as 'Fugitive Motel', 'Red' and 'Newborn', as well as the anthemic 'Forget Myself' and the Bush-baiting 'Leaders Of The Free World'. "If it's not entirely obvious, we're having a great time up here," Guy tells us, and the massively uplifting tunage they provide ensure we are also.

A sizeable number of sensitive types were already filling the Electric Arena tent in anticipation of charmingly camp troubadour Rufus Wainwright. Playing solo tonight, switching between guitar and piano, he and his wonderfully expressive voice gently cast out moving moments from 'Poses' and double album opus Want, as well as his now ubiquitous cover of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah'. New song 'Sans Soucci' he claims is about 'a castle somewhere with all the cute boys he hasn't slept with yet', but the truth is he's dashing and talented enough to almost make some straight lads' heads turn. The audience were the most respectfully quiet I've seen in a good while, so much so that Rufus had to encourage them to sing himself. Granting a fan's request by playing ‘Rebel Prince’ and finishing by displaying his mastery of French with 'Complainte de la Butte', this I feel was the gig of Electric Picnic where the distance between the artist and audience was least, despite the numbers present.

Gnarls Barkley's cancellation meant a quick schedule rethink, so despite not being totally familiar with all their material, I bounded back to the main stage for a bowl of chili and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Looking very much the art-school darlings, Karen O is a multicoloured free spirit on the loose, and the only thing more angular than Nick Zinner's axemanship is his hair. Their NY bombast lends extra life to the fractured brilliance of tracks like 'Gold Lion' and ‘Date With The Night', and yet you still believe them when they give you the most simple and honest indie love song in recent history, 'Maps'. Very much owning the stage, Karen O delivers an intense performance that promises they are every bit worth the hype.

The Electric Arena had seen a brief taste of camp earlier in the evening with Mr. Wainwright, but that was nothing compared to the sheer spectacle of the Pet Shop Boys live show. More gold lamé and silver sequins than you could shake a stick at. The mechanics of the music being provided by Chris Lowe and his synthesizer, the show is all about Neil Tennant in a top hat 'n' tails leading the assembled throng of dancers and backing vocalists in considerable celebration. Every PSB song is an anthem, from the intellectually informed 'What Have I Done To Deserve This' and 'Left To My Own Devices, though the dark undercurrents of 'It's A Sin' and 'Opportunities'. They even manage to infuse their covers with this epic stature; witness the reverential treatment of 'Always On My Mind' and the cheeky choral collision of 'Where The Streets Have No Name / I Can't Take My Eyes Off You'. Audaciously theatrical every step of the way with neon light set pieces, costume changes and choreography, they finished on the fabulous 'Go West', took a bow and exited stage right. Marvellous.

To cap the festival off I took the path less traveled and went to the Crawdaddy tent to catch the other turntable icon playing this weekend, founder member of Jurassic 5 now gone solo, Lucas McFadden aka Cut Chemist. From the off it's a groovy and informed ride through cool beat-riffic tunes, together with some sneak peaks from his forthcoming debut 'The Audience's Listening'. At the end there's some humorous interaction as the Cutmaster uses his technologic wizardry to sample three members of the audience and scratch their voices to the beat, a process made unintentionally chucklesome by the third guy to be picked and his completely indecipherable country accent. With a modicum of talent and economics, Cut re-jigs his own recorded intro to be his outro without speaking another word. A better formulated and precise set you are not likely to see.

Long as this review is, it only represents my own individual EP experiences - a mere snapshot of the almost innumerable gigs & other activities that were on offer. Kudos and 'who thought that up?' plaudits go to the cinema tent (open 24 hours, showing the epitome of student & stoner favourites), the overall site layout complete with alternative art pieces erected throughout ("Jimi Hendrix is in that tree!! I saw him!! You believe me don't you?!"), the Comedy tent, impromptu performances at the Big Tree, the many varied food and drink stands and countless other things that I sadly did not have the time to visit. This had been more than just a music festival; this had been a gathering of like-minded souls, something that had been ingrained from its very inception, not something that arises merely from paying a lot of top name bands to play while providing minimum facilities, like so many other festivals seem to be doing. Not once during the weekend did I encounter a soul who exuded anything less than total immediate friendship, from the bloke who offered to trade me a cigarette for my sunkissed spot under a central tree, to the kind sound engineer from Galway who called the following Monday to inform me he had found my lost wallet and would post it back to me. No ill will was bared to any person present, save perhaps those who cranked up the volume and partied all night at the expense of those who would rather grab a few hours sleep, but there was even a special quiet campsite outside the main grounds for those parties who desired to be away from the festivities at night.

Festivals of this magnitude are always business endeavours, and sadly it seems that a growing number of them are increasingly sacrificing a quality experience in order to cram in more punters, cut back the facilities and generally gloss over the needs of the attendees in favour of commercialism and maximum cash extraction. The organisers of Electric Picnic, now in its third year, have swore that this will never happen to their festival, and I sincerely want to believe them, for right now it is a shining example of how a festival should be run, and I intend to book my ticket for next year's celebrations at the earliest opportunity.

Richard Brown (View Original Article)

 

Similar Artists

The Arcade Fire Arctic Monkeys Art Brut Babyshambles Blood Red Shoes Bombay Bicycle Club British Sea Power Death From Above 1979 Delphic Editors Foals Franz Ferdinand Friendly Fires Goodbooks Interpol Johnny Foreigner Kaiser Chiefs Kasabian

Klaxons Lightspeed Champion Little Man Tate Look See Proof Los Campesinos! Louis XIV Manchester Orchestra Mystery Jets Nine Black Alps Pete and the Pirates Pin Me Down Reverend and the Makers Snow Patrol Test Icicles TV on the Radio Two Door Cinema Club Vampire Weekend We Are Scientists Yeah Yeah Yeahs