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Culturedeluxe`s Top 50 Albums of 2008
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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) |
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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. | ||
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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) |
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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. | ||
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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) |
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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) |
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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. | ||
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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) |
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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) |
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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. | ||
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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. | ||
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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) |
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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. | ||
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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) |
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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) |
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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. | ||
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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) |
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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. | ||
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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) |
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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) |
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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. | ||
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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) |
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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. | ||
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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. | ||
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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) |
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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. | ||
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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. | ||
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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. | ||
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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. | ||
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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. | ||
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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. | ||
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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. | ||
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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) |
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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)
Welcome To Our Tv Show! No, not our's, Jeremey Warmsley's. The formula is simple - take the cream of the alt.folk scene - Jeremey, Emmy The Great, Laura Marling, Noah & The Whale, Lightspeed Champion, Mystery Jets and Laura Groves - wedge them all into Jeremey's front room, serve tea and hit record on the video. Start with this episode (featuring Laura Marling? Oh, I hadn't noticed...) then check out the rest.
**STOP PRESS** - erm... I'm, err... I can't quite get my head round the this, just watch it and let me know whether mankind is doomed or saved.
Also genius - the video for Utah Saints' Something Good 08 (which I'm sure wasn't being called that when it was around last year).
You know the 3 time China DMC champion is going to have mad skillz - check out his 2007 routine with some nice visuals chucked over and around it.
This might be old news to you but if you've been living in a cave with no YouTube access you won't know that Sarah Silverman is having relations with Matt Damon. (Her fella) Jimmy's response? If you can't be original then at least go waaaaaay over the top.
Kanye's video for Flashing Lights was been done by Spike Jonze and caused some half-hearted controversy.
Staying with Kanye, I can see why he gets on people's nerves but I can also see why he deserves to be as successful as he is. The guy knows how to put on a show, like he did at the Grammys (ft cool Daft Punk cameo, natch) and he works hard. Stronger was a huge hit but still not good enough - he shelled out big money just to get Timbaland to work on the drums for the album version. You don't often get to see two heavyweight producers at work.
And so to a round-up of some recent singles and some other items:
Futureheads - The Beginning Of The Twist
Foals - Cassius
Hercules & Love Affair - Blind
Sons & Daughters - Darling
Misty's Big Adventure - Fashion Parade
Duffy - Mercy (Dunproofin remix)
I should put a nepotism warning on the last one as Dunproofin is sometimes seen stalking the CDX offices. I won't though, because that's the way the music industry works.
Chris Unitt (View Original Article)
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)
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)
`Brand NEU!` is an explosive new compilation released on 11th May by Feraltone compiling fourteen tracks from a wide range of acts who cite German act NEU! as an influence.
Alongside tracks from established acts such as Primal Scream, LCD Soundsystem, Sonic Youth and Oasis (yes, influenced by more than just the Beatles and the sound of a cash register it would seem) are contributions from rising acts Holy Fuck, Fujiya and Miyagi and School of Seven Bells who contibute brand new (or brand neu!) track `Device fuer M`.
Also included are a rare guitar track from NEU!`s Michael Rother and an unreleased track from La Duesseldorf featuring the late NEU! drummer Klaus Dinger, who popularised the Motorik drumming style so irresistably linked to krautrock and passed away just over a year ago.
Various Artists - `Brand NEU!`
1. Ciccone Youth (Sonic Youth) - ‘Two Cool Rock Chicks Listening to Neu!’
2. Primal Scream - ‘Shoot Speed / Kill Light’
3. Pets With Pets - ‘We Only Found This Place’ (unreleased)
4. Oasis - ‘I Can See It Now’
5. Foals - ‘Titan Arum’
6. Cornelius - ‘Wataridori’
7. Holy Fuck - ‘Super Inuit’
8. Kasabian - ‘Stuntman’
9. LCD Soundsystem - ‘Watch The Tapes’
10. School Of Seven Bells - ‘Device fuer M’ (compilation exclusive)
11. Fujiya & Miyagi - ‘Electro Karaoke’
12. Hook & The Twin - They’ll Get Your Head’ (unreleased)
13. La Duesseldorf - ‘Sketch 1_08’ (Klaus Dinger’s last recording)
14. Michael Rother - ‘Neutronics 98’
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
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)
Foals frontman Yannis Philippakis has denounced the group`s highly-rated debut `Antidotes` in an interview with BBC Radio 6. He also said the band will sever their ties with `Antodotes` producer Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio.
"We don`t feel like `Antidotes` was an insurmountable record by any means," said Philippakis. "To us it sounds flawed. We just wanna make a different record."
"I think it will be better because we`re older and we understand a lot more about music," he continued. "I think it`s gonna have bigger contrasts in it than the first record, and we`ve been messing around with a lot of ambience and echoes and I think we wanna make something that`s a bit lusher."
Regarding Dave Sitek Yannis continued, "I don`t think we really want to repeat working procedures, we don`t really feel like we`ve found the one person to work with."
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The Field Day Festival happens this Saturday (9th August) in London`s Victoria Park and there are a handful of tickets left.
With the following line-up playing over various stages, it`s quite surprising it hasn`t sold out.
Converse Century Stage w/ Eat Your Own Ears:-
Eat Your Own Ears djs
Foals
Jon Hopkins (Fence)
The Field
Les Savy Fav
Mystery Jets
Of Montreal
Huw Stephens (DJ set)
Laura Marling
Wild Beasts
Howling Bells
Noah and The Whale
Adventures in The Beetroot Field / NME.com stage:-
Simian Mobile Disco
The Notwist
Dan Deacon
Matt Helders (DJ)
The Mae Shi
Crispin Dior (DJ)
The Emperor Machine
White Lies
Filthy Dukes
Magistrates
Edward J Hicks
Homefires stage:-
Fionn Regan
Rob Da Bank
Lightspeed Champion
King Creosote
Efterklang
Alasdair Roberts
Jeffrey Lewis
Tunng
Emma Pollack
Pictish Trail
One Little Plane
Bugged Out stage:-
Richie Hawtin & Ali Demirel
James Holden
Brodinski
Crookers
Modeselektor
Hannah Holland and Mc Chickaboo
Matt Walsh
Disco Bloodbath DJ’s
Bloggers Delight stage:-
Benga (DJ)
Cormac, Peter Pixel & Jacob Hulsey (Wet Yourself)
Mikki Most & Ian Robinson (Trailer Trash)
Telepathe
Casper C (Bloggers Delight)
Heartbreak
Skull Juice (Bloggers Delight)
Primary 1
Rory Phillips & The Lovely Jonjo (Durrr)
Remaining tickets cost £26.50 from http://www.seetickets.com/
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Bands playing will now include The Maccabees, The Rascals, Four Tet, Care Bears On Fire, Pull In Emergency Gallows, Foals, The Horrors and supporting cast, Bonde De Role,Bombay Bicycle Club ,Cheeky Cheeky and the Nosebleeds ,Count And Sinden , Florence And The Machine, Fryars, Ipso Factor, Operator Please,Poppy And The Jezebels ,Scum, Sons And Daughters, Team Waterpolo, The Rifles, Those Dancing Days, Wild Beasts, XX Teens
Meanwhile, the Young Turks Soundsystem presents DJ sets from Faris Rotter (The Horrors), Lightspeed Champion, Mystery Jets, Good Shoes, Frederick Blood-Royale (Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man), Kid Harpoon and, themselves, Young Turks.
The event is being held at Victoria Park London on the 8th August
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
In order to celebrate, the label takes over Marymoor Park in Redmond, near Seattle, on 12th and 13th July this year with a stellar line-up of popular acts past and present. All proceeds will go to local charities and those nominated by the participants.
Acts confirmed so far are : Beachwood Sparks / Comets on Fire / Fleet Foxes / Flight of the Conchords / The Fluid / Foals / Grand Archives / Green River / The Helio Sequence / Iron & Wine / Kinski / Low / Mudhoney / No Age / Pissed Jeans / Red Red Meat / The Ruby Suns / Seaweed / Wolf Parade.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
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)
In other news, the band are running a remix competition in conjunction with Last.FM where fans could get to see their remix of 'Electric Boom' appear on Foals' next digital release...meaning they save on remix fees too! Hurrah!
The band have also announced a huge UK tour this autumn(!) calling at the following venues:
September 200827 - Aylesbury Civic Centre
28 - Cardiff University
29 - Norwich UEA
30 - Nottingham Rock City
October 2008
2 - Hull University
3 - Liverpool Academy
4 - Aberdeen Music Hall
5 - Glasgow Barrowlands
7 - Newcastle Academy
8 - Manchester University
9 - Leeds Academy
10 - Lincoln Engine Shed
12 - Southampton Guildhall
13 - Bristol Academy
14 - Birmingham Academy
16 - Brixton Academy
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The first headline act to be announced is ethereal shoe gazers My Bloody Valentine and elsewhere on the bill are Aphex Twin, The Breeders, CSS, George Clinton And Funkadelic/Parliament, Gary Numan, The Human League, Pendulum , Jamie Lidell, 808 State , Foals, Lee Scratch Perry, Baaba Mal, Jeffrey Lewis, The Wedding Present, Metronomy, The Cuban Brothers, The Count & Sinden, Sebastien Tellier, Transglobal Underground, Two Gallants, King Creosote, Chas & Dave, Ladyhawke, Ebony Bones, Joe Lean And The Jing Jang Jong, The Duke Spirit, Teenagers, Crystal Castles, Ox Eagle Lion Man, These New Puritans, Tawiah, Red Snapper, Jon Hopkins, Lets Wrestle, Little Dragon, Subway, Imperial Leisure, Gideon Conn, Zombie Zombie, George Pringle, Subgiant, The Restaurant, Cage The Elephant, Vessels, The Ghost, Peter Von Poehl, St Vincent, Fuck Buttons, Drew, Micah P Hinson, Fleet Foxes, FM Belfast, Kitty Daisy & Lewis, Dan le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip, Grand National, Christopher D Ashley, Sportsday Megaphone, Kid Carpet, Bastila plus many more to be announced soon.
And if that's not enough there will be the usual dressing up malarkey as well as a Bollywood cocktail bar, Jestival comedy tent, Farmers market, secret stages and Kids area.
This will be the festival to be at this summer, no doubt about it.
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
Foals - 'Antidotes'
1. 'The French Open'
2. 'Cassius'
3. 'Red Socks Pugie'
4. 'Olympic Airways'
5. 'The Race for Radio Supremacy'
6. 'Balloons'
7. 'Heavy Water'
8. 'Two Steps, Twice'
9. 'Big Big Love (Fig.2)'
10. 'Like Swimming'
11. 'Tron'
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Unfortunately Carlisle have suffered again as the band cancelled their last appearance there in October in order to sort out travel visas (rock n roll or what?) Foals have a handful of dates left this year and a brand new tour in March...with, oh yes, a tentative date in Carlisle.
December 2007
11 - Aberdeen Moshulu
12 - Glasgow SECC (with Bloc Party and The Cribs)
13 - Manchester Central (with Bloc Party and The Cribs)
14 - London Alexandra Palace (with Bloc Party and The Cribs)
15 - London Alexandra Palace (with Bloc Party and The Cribs)
31 - London Westbourne Studios, Blue Flower's New Year's Eve Party with Metronomy
March 2008
8 - The Brickyard, Carlisle
9 - Newcastle Academy
10 - Glasgow King Tut's
11 - Manchester University (Academies 1-4)
12 - Birmingham Academy
14 - Norwich Waterfront
15 - Oxford Academy
16 - Brighton Concorde 2
17 - London Astoria
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Tickets are out now and cost £75 for the two days with camping with discounts if you don't fancy the full experience.
The line-up is as follows:
Saturday 4th August
Supergrass, Calvin Harris, The Pipettes, Kate Nash, Pull Tiger Tail, Blood Red Shoes, Johnny Flynn, Plan B, New Young Pony Club, The Holloways, Lethal Bizzle, Foals, Peggy Sue & the Pirates, Video Nasties, Good Books, Lupen Crook, Beans on Toast, Nic Dawson Kelly, Gillian Edgar, Tom Allalone and the Great Expectations, Thom Stone, Poetry By Dockers MC, Scroobius Pip, The Thirst, Stuart James, Slam, Stanton Warriors, Nic Fanciulli, Meat Katie, Mike Pickering (Hacienda Acid House Set), A Skillz, Mark Fanciulli & Small Fry, Shake DJs, Mezza Breaks.
Sunday 5th August
Happy Mondays, The Rakes, The Young Knives, The Maccabees, The Noisettes, Hot Club De Paris, Patrick Wolf, Jack Penate, Mr Hudson & The Library, Kid Harpoon, The Teenagers, Late of the Pier, Laura Marlin, Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man, Underground Heroes, Devils Guns, Sparrows, Chineapples, Rosemary, Maker, The Long Weekend, Our Name is Legion, Letters from London, Danny Howells, Funk D'Void, Justin Robertson, Damian Lazarus, Desyn Masiello, Micky Slim, Sam Ball & Anil Chawla, Pete Griffiths & George Andrews, Warning: 2 Dirty DJs, Rebel Beat Allies.
To be a part of it get tickets now right here.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Comprising Yannis Philippakis (v/g), Edwin Congreave (k), Walter Gervers (b), Jimmy Smith (g) and Jack Bevan (d), the band met in Oxford, discovered a shared love of dancy 'party' music and humour and moved down to Brighton where they are currently based.
They have debut single 'Hummer / Astronauts and All' out on April 16th, both sides of which can be heard on their MySpace page. However, there's a live, less-polished version of the A side doing the rounds on the Internet in which the in-your-face percussion, and the (intentionally - to sound like insects, would you believe?) high-pitched guitars really gives you an idea of why Foals are such an exciting prospect.
For further proof you can check them out on the following dates:
26 Mar - Manchester Academy 2
27 Mar - Newcastle University
10 Apr - Nottingham Social
11 Apr - Glasgow Admiral
12 Apr - Manchester Roadhouse
13 Apr - Brighton Audio
14 Apr - London Kings College
16 Apr - Bristol Louisiana
18 Apr - Oxford Cellar
19 Apr - London NW1 (Camden Crawl)
20 Apr - London Earl of Camden (Camden Crawl)
21 Apr - Southampton Lennons
1 May - Manchester Ritz
2 May - Preston 53 Degrees
7 May - Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms
17 May - Brighton Great Escape Festival
They have also been confirmed for this year's Bestival (curated by Sunday Best's Rob Da Bank) which runs from 7th-9th September.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Gigs take place on April 19th and 20th in the London borough across fifteen different venues.
Tickets are on sale already.
Full Line Up
Adele
Air Traffic
Akala
Ali Love
Alterkicks
The Barker Band
Blood Red Shoes
Bonde Do Role
Cajun Dance Party
Calvin Harris
Cherry Ghost
Chrome Hoof
Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip
The Dykeenies
Emmy The Great
Example
Fear Of Flying
Fear Of Music
Findlay Brown
Foals
Foreign Beggars
Friendly Fires
Goose
Hadouken!
Hafdis Huld
Eamon Hamilton (Brakes)
Hot Club De Paris
The Hot Puppies
I Am Kloot
I Say Marvin
I Was A Cub Scout
iLikeTrains
Johnossi
Kid Harpoon
Killa Kella
Kitty Daisy & Lewis
Late Of The Pier
Laura Marling
Loney, Dear
Malcom Middleton
Marvin The Martian
Kate Nash
Jack Penate
New Young Pony Club
Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man
Pete And The Pirates
Polytechnic
Popular Workshop
Professor Green
Pull Tiger Tail
Roll Deep
Shakes
Shy Child
Simple Kid
Statik
These New Puritans
Tigerforce
Vincent Vincent And The Villains
The Whip
Xerox Teens
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Natalie Lief (View Original Article)
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Their set included some Money Mark-stle keyboards, the guitarist abandoning his guitar to be a second drummer and an LCD Soundystem-esque finale. A few of the crowd bounced about enthusiastically in thanks. I'd probably not go out of my way to see them again but in terms of a warm-up they hit the spot.
While we waited for Foals to appear the tension ratcheted up notch by notch, with a premature cheer erupting when some stage lights were flicked on. The school party front-right of stage amused themselves chucking glitter in the air. I amused myself by noting that Foals fans have the most incredible array of truly awful haircuts.
When the band did arrive on stage the combustible crowd ignited to first song 'The French Open'. The semi-skanking intro sparking into the song's intricate yet danceable refrain and Lacoste ad-inspired lyrics.
The sounds was a bit muted for my liking and lacked a bit of punch, although whatever was causing that was solved in time for a rapturously received 'Cassius', segueing into a jagged 'Olympic Airways'. 'Balloons' had Birmingham's hipsters shaking their tail feathers so vigorously the floor bowed and shook.
Unfortunately for the crowd surfers, and there were many, the front few rows were too busy dancing to notice anyone coming their way so a fair few dropped like stones just short of the amused security staff.
By the way, having sneered slightly at the kids chucking glitter over each other down the front (don't they know how hard it is to get rid of that stuff?) I have to say it came into it's own - raised arms twinkled and the soles of crowd surfers' shoes sparkled in the lights.
'Hummer' was great, 'Red Socks Pugie' was great. The encore of (I think, embarrassingly my memory's a bit hazy) 'Mathletics' was great too. I admit I was sceptical about Foals initially, writing them off as Bloc Party with tighter jeans, but after ignoring the 'hotly tipped' this and 'one to watch' that I was won over to their take on the formula. After seeing this set I'm now also pretty confident that they'll be the toast of this summer's festival circuit.
Chris Unitt (View Original Article)
Local boys Right Hand Left have been slowly building their profile in their hometown and, since the last time I saw them eighteen months ago, have improved remarkably. An enjoyable set is topped by a final number with considerable bounce and 'radio' written all over it. It could be time for these ambidextrously-titled boys to find fame.
Speaking of finding fame, why it continues to elude fellow locals The Little Kicks is beyond me. Aberdeen's perennial support band, fronted by ever-popular DJ Steven Milne are in fine form tonight despite apparent monitor problems and extra backing from a fire alarm which everyone ignores. Tonight's set brings, amongst others, a song that sounds like Echo and the Bunnymen on sherbet and a fantastic closer based around a warming synth that pits early Pulp against even earlier Marc Bolan. It's surely only a matter of time before someone takes a chance and signs them.
Soundchecking in bizarre fashion over the DJ's choice of Jimi Hendrix's 'Star Spangled Banner', Foals give a sneak preview of what is to come - including the world's loudest snare drum. With the lengthy process of setting up their gear complete we are barely ready for their fiery instrumental introduction - the band headbanging synchronously, my heart literally skipping beats. "This is the furthest North we've ever been." announces frontman Yannis - small wonder, energy like this should be kept in a confined space and not allowed to roam the country - except, of course, it shouldn't.
Known mainly for their singles to date, Foals actually sound better on some of the new, possibly unnamed, songs played tonight. Particularly when an early appearance for new single 'Balloons' illicits a muted response from the crowd, and this is unsurprising as the live version lacks the studio shine we've come to expect from it. Similarly, future favourite 'Cassius' stumbles in very early on and leaves quietly by the back door. No, the audience tonight are largely immobile, save for the still-spritely codgers boogieing at the back while the youngsters at the front steady their mobiles. Of course, there's a certain inevitability about this. Gone are the days of CDX's Uncle Nick Foster where the only memories you had of gigs were the black and white photographs fashioned by your mind's eye where everyone wore Dr Marten's boots and unfeasibly large coats.
Foals are at their best tonight when the band seem to merge as one, where songs take on an extra drive andthe band seem to shout along in some long-forgotten, latin lingo. Its this togetherness which can transform a song that began like incidental music to 'Camberwick Green' and hasten it to a finish of such power, such magnitude that, finally, rapturous applause is not confined to the token fanboy in row one.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
| 1. | Cassius |
| 2. | Balloons |
| 3. | Olympic Airways |
| 4. | The French Open |
| 5. | Electric Bloom |
| 6. | Heavy Water |
| 7. | Big Big Love (Fig. 2) |
| 8. | Hummer |
| 9. | Like Swimming |
| 10. | Tron |