Thursday, February 18, 2010
2009 Music
A bit late to reminicise I suppose but I haven't reviewed the year thus far and thought this would be an opportunity to do so. 2009 probably saw me more current albums than I have done for a long while. Therefore I looked with interest at the press reviews or lists of the great albums released this year. In NMEs top 50, where you would have thought would parallel my own tastes there were just three albums I had bought in the list. Lily Allen, Bat For Lashes and Kasabian. Ok maybe I more in the magazines Mojo remit. No in their top 50 I had two. Bat For Lashes again and AC/DC. The Q magazine list was a similar story. Maybe classic rocks list is more my thing yet only The Answer, Band Of Skulls and Kiss were on their list despite great albums from Magnum, The Quireboys and Paramore that fall within the magazines remit. So none of my top five albums of last year made it into any of the music mags lists. Why? I don't have obscure taste just maybe I find decent artists that don't get the publicity. However, I do remember reading reviews of these in various places some of which were very positive, yet somehow they then disappear when refelcting. However, below are my top five in reverse order.
Five) Luke Haines - 21st Centruy Man. The frontman of the Autuers best solo work to date. The title track is an indie 'We Didn't Start The Fire', 'What A Rotter' is seventies glam, 'Surberban Morning' and 'Love Letter to London' would have made this a britpop classic had it been released fifteen years earlier, which Haines would have hated....
Four) Paramore - Brand New Eyes. Despite a teeny bop audience and being American, probably the best current rock band. The added bonus track of 'Decode', previously a stand alone single makes it even more fantastic.
Three) Jemina Pearl - Break It Up. Ok I've cheated here as it's only availiable on import. However, a more mature approach than her Be Your Own Pet stuff, topped off with a guest appearance by Iggy Pop on 'I Hate People'.
Two) The Lovely Eggs - If You Were Fruit. The most brillant Twee album with songs with titles like 'I Like Birds But I Like Other Animals Too' and 'Have You Ever Heard A Digital Accordian?' which are as fanastic as they sound.
One) Sky Larkin - The Golden Spike. If there were any justice this Leeds trio would be selling out somewhere at least the size of Brixton. Sounding a little like a modern Sleeper, tracks Like Fossil I and Beeline are catchy, bouncy and intelligent.
2010 has already started for me with my purchase of the album by The Murder Of My Sweet. A Scandinavian goth metal band. Good stuff it is too.
Five) Luke Haines - 21st Centruy Man. The frontman of the Autuers best solo work to date. The title track is an indie 'We Didn't Start The Fire', 'What A Rotter' is seventies glam, 'Surberban Morning' and 'Love Letter to London' would have made this a britpop classic had it been released fifteen years earlier, which Haines would have hated....
Four) Paramore - Brand New Eyes. Despite a teeny bop audience and being American, probably the best current rock band. The added bonus track of 'Decode', previously a stand alone single makes it even more fantastic.
Three) Jemina Pearl - Break It Up. Ok I've cheated here as it's only availiable on import. However, a more mature approach than her Be Your Own Pet stuff, topped off with a guest appearance by Iggy Pop on 'I Hate People'.
Two) The Lovely Eggs - If You Were Fruit. The most brillant Twee album with songs with titles like 'I Like Birds But I Like Other Animals Too' and 'Have You Ever Heard A Digital Accordian?' which are as fanastic as they sound.
One) Sky Larkin - The Golden Spike. If there were any justice this Leeds trio would be selling out somewhere at least the size of Brixton. Sounding a little like a modern Sleeper, tracks Like Fossil I and Beeline are catchy, bouncy and intelligent.
2010 has already started for me with my purchase of the album by The Murder Of My Sweet. A Scandinavian goth metal band. Good stuff it is too.
# posted by Rich @ 8:46 PM 
