tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13645189861241526102024-03-12T18:55:15.881-07:00Chewy's Matters of MusicLewis Hingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766204665012108130noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364518986124152610.post-43733340823568069812007-12-07T11:10:00.000-08:002007-12-07T11:15:55.104-08:00The 50 Must Hear Tracks Of 2007Greetings and end of year cheer from the blog that has been taking it easy in 2007. Prior commitments and chronic laziness have limited Chewy’s Matters Of Music significantly in 2007, but between you and me, it’s perfect for indulging in endless, yearly round-up lists that no editor in their right mind would dare to commission to one writer! So without further ado, I bring to you…<br /><br />The 50 Must-Hear Tracks Of 2007 (in no particular order)<br /><br />1. Laura Marling - Night Terror<br />Broody and haunting folk from this remarkably gifted seventeen-year-old. Shepherds Bush Green is referenced in the song and it surely won’t be long before Marling is looking out upon the site from the nearby Empire after a headline gig.<br /><br />2. The Heavy - That Kind Of Man<br />Pure ‘Superfly‘-era Curtis Mayfield from the enormous ‘Freddie’s Dead’-style funk riff to the singer’s measured falsetto. Who says stealing is a bad thing?<br /><br />3. The Hold Steady - Stuck Between Stations<br />Shading the excellent ‘Chips Ahoy!’, this is the best example of The Hold Steady’s inspired collision of big, dumb, crashing guitars and literate sensibilities. Blue collar bar-rock rarely sounded so good.<br /><br />4. Common Ft. D’Angelo - So Far To Go<br />Of the raft of J-Dilla tracks to surface in the aftermath of the producer’s tragic death last year this was one of the finest. D’Angelo’s unmatchable vocals sound as good as ever and promise much for the nu-soul originator’s long-awaited comeback.<br /><br />5. Mr Hudson & The Library - Too Late, Too Late<br />Outsider pop from the man who claims to be equally au-fait with Dr Dre and Dean Martin. Here he takes a roots reggae stance on the finest track from his debut album.<br /><br />6. Leon Jean-Marie - Scratch<br />Hugely promising Londoner who wowed The Roots’ crowd at their Somerset House gig in the summer. ‘Scratch’ adds futuro-dancefloor noise to his classy, funk-heavy R&B.<br /><br />7. The National - Pretty In Pink<br />Newest album ‘Boxer’ had its fair share of great moments but The National’s most affecting achievement in 2007 was this subtle cover, available through the Daytrotter radio sessions website.<br /><br />8. Panacea - The Scenic Route<br />Glorious daisy age hip-hop from the resurgent Rawkus label. An MC/DJ team in the mould of Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Panacea’s smooth style also has echoes of Souls Of Mischief’s classic ‘93 Til Infinity’. High praise indeed.<br /><br />9. Flying Lotus - Tea Leaf Dancers<br />From the Warp beatsmith’s excellent ‘Reset’ EP, ‘Tea Leaf Dancers’ suggested the gothic melancholy of Massive Attack’s ‘Mezzanine’ filtered through the moody dubstep of Burial.<br /><br />10. Architecture In Helsinki - Heart It Races<br />“Kids on skittles” pop from the hyperactive, multi-instrumentalist Aussies. The carnival vibe of ‘Heart It Races’ is compounded by its judicious use of steel drums.<br /><br />11. M.I.A. - Paper Planes<br />Taken from the most adventurous and thrilling pop album of the year, ‘Kala’. Its biggest achievement is this potentially sacrilegious overhaul of The Clash’s ‘Straight To Hell’, the chorus consisting of rhythmic bursts of gunfire and the sound of till drawers popping open.<br /><br />12. El-P - Up All Night<br />Picking highlights from the Def Jux supremo’s tour-de-force ‘I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead’ would be as simple as writing out the track list. That said, ‘Up All Night’ is possibly the best example to date of his vicious intellect and thunderous, dystopian soundscapes.<br /><br />13. Bright Eyes - Four Winds<br />One reviewer noted ‘Four Wind’s similarity to “a honky-tonk version of ‘Santa Claus Is Coming To Town’”. Conor Oberst clearly wasn’t in the Christmas spirit however, decreeing “The Bible’s blind, the Torah’s deaf and the Qu’ran is mute. If you burn them all together you’ll get close to the truth”.<br /><br />14. Los Mozambiques - Viva Tirado<br />Taken from Soundway’s masterful Panama retrospective, ‘Viva Tirado’ is a searing 1970 Latin soul version of El Chicano’s hit.<br /><br />15. Amon Tobin - Esthers<br />‘The Foley Room’ was Ninja Tune mainstay Tobin’s most ambitious work to date, a collage of ’found’ sounds knitted together with unerring vision. ’Esthers’ features a brutal beat which bludgeons its way into the listener’s consciousness.<br /><br />16. Broken Family Band - Leaps<br />New territory for these loyal UK Americana stalwarts. As jaunty as The Magic Numbers, ’Leaps’ is as fine a pop song as any released in 2007.<br /><br />17. Modest Mouse - Dashboard<br />Johnny Marr’s defection to US indie stars Modest Mouse yielded this lithe and funky first single from their excellent full-length. Old dogs can learn new tricks, evidently.<br /><br />18. Dizzee Rascal - Sirens<br />Dizzee’s finest single since ’Fix Up, Look Sharp’ was a staggering evocation of 21st century urban Britain, complete with squealing metal loop and his trademark scattershot vocals.<br /><br />19. Lightspeed Champion - Galaxy Of the Lost<br />Former Test Icicle Dev Hynes moved away from his previous band’s template with this emo-informed slice of acoustic pop with a conscience, book-ended with a dreamy vocal harmony most bands would base a song around, suggesting the man has ideas to burn.<br /><br />20. Devon Sproule - Keep Your Silver Shined<br />Whimsical folk with a delicate jazzy air from this young hopeful, blessed with an excellent turn of phrase and ear for melody.<br /><br />21. Arcade Fire - Antichrist Television Blues<br />The stand-out track from the Canadians’ stellar second album ‘Neon Bible’. Davids Byrne and Bowie were previously their most identifiable influences but this track is pure Springsteen from the building pace of the narrative to the religious reverence of Win Butler’s voice.<br /><br />22. Bruce Springsteen - Radio Nowhere<br />Speaking of The Boss, he returned strongly this year with ‘Magic’, arguably the strongest of his post 2000 albums. Many of the tracks flirted with pop but ‘Radio Nowhere’ saw Springsteen in glorious anthem mode. It’s no ‘Born to Run’ or ‘Promised Land’ but then, what is?<br /><br />23. Willy Mason - We Can Be Strong<br />The best thing KT Tunstall has been involved with since her early days with King Creosote. Anyone who’s been unsure of life’s road will identify with the (still) young prodigy Mason’s lyric of hope and assurance that you are not alone.<br /><br />24. LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends<br />James Murphy’s Nike-commissioned ‘45:33’ can’t really be described as a ‘track’ but this remarkable highlight from ‘Sound Of Silver’ will do nicely. The mesmerising keyboard riff evokes comparison with Steve Reich while the vocals recall ‘70s soft-rock. An unlikely yet winning combination that confounded any one-trick pony accusations that still existed.<br /><br />25. Battles - Leyendecker<br />Just edging out glam-stomper ‘Atlas’ by virtue of a wonderfully tampered-with vocal. Precision and repetition are the qualities which saw Battles tagged as ‘math-rock’, but there’s nothing dreary about their lessons.<br /><br />26. Bamboos - My Baby’s Cheating<br />With label-mate Quantic pursuing a more Latin-orientated sound, it was left to Bamboos to supply the raw funk that Tru Thoughts do best. The Dap Kings may get the plaudits but these guys are the real deal.<br /><br />27. Culture - Two Sevens Clash<br />This Marcus Garvey-inspired, harmony-riddled reggae classic’s apocalyptic prophecy (from the reissued album of the same name) was enough to shut down Kingston, Jamaica for a whole day and inspire arguably Britain’s greatest ever punk band.<br /><br />28. Two Gallants - Linger On<br />Taken from the ’Scenery Of Farewell’ EP which preceded the San Franciscan duo’s self-titled third album this year, ’Linger On’ grabs hold of the heart strings and positively yanks at them. Country-blues never sounded as poetic or stirring.<br /><br />29. Future Of The Left - Small Bones, Small Bodies<br />Ex-McLusky and Jarcrew members conspired to release this snarling, playground bully of a tune. Frontman Andy Malkous describes it as “our ’Eye Of The Tiger’” quite feasibly with tongue-in-cheek.<br /><br />30. Shape Of Broad Minds - Let’s Go<br />Jneiro Jarel’s spacey groove was aided by a typically lyrically-nimble guest turn from hip-hop’s man in the iron mask, MF Doom.<br /><br />31. Murder By Death - Sometimes The Line Walks You<br />Gripping outlaw narratives perpetuated MBD’s sensational ’In Bocca Al Lupo’ album, but ’Sometimes The Line Walks You’ was the best. The story of a murderous man’s prison break played out with gusto and unswerving realism.<br /><br />32. Dan Le Sac Vs. Scroobius Pip - Thou Shalt Always Kill<br />A prime example of the power of Youtube, this track’s video propelled the duo to a Top 40 hit. Le Sac’s elecro-heavy beats and Scroobius’ witty stream-of-consciousness flows would have found success one way or another, regardless.<br /><br />33. Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass<br />Another hyper-intelligent Def Jux rhyme-merchant, benefiting from the production input of long-time collaborator Blockhead. The title track from Aesop’s most recent album has a hypnotic loop and vocoder-led chorus which lend this otherwise resolutely underground specimen notable crossover potential.<br /><br />34. Justice - Phantom Pt. 1<br />Descendants of Daft Punk’s school of mutant disco, this young duo led the resurgence of house hybrids in 2007, this hook-led dance floor monster easily among their best.<br /><br />35. Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid - The Sun Never Sets<br />Jazz drummer Reid hooked up with Kieran Hebden (Four Tet) for the second instalment of their collaboration on Domino in 2007. Skewed electronica with an organic, beating heart.<br /><br />36. Pete & The Pirates - Knots<br />A definite band to look out for in 2008, and possibly the only pirates in Reading. ’Knots’ was their earliest statement of intent, layered vocals meshing with insistent guitar lines to instantly memorable effect.<br /><br />37. Annuals - Brother<br />Pitched somewhere between Arcade Fire and TV On The Radio’s boundary-pushing sound, Annuals used a simple, looped string part to add a quasi-classical edge to this quiet-loud epic of a single which sparks into life very noticeably half way through.<br /><br />38. Young Knives - Terra Firma<br />Irresistible pre-second album single from Ashby-De-La-Zouche’s finest. The idiosyncratic chorus and dancefloor-baiting grooves of ’Terra Firma’ made it almost as essential as ’She’s Attracted To’.<br /><br />39. Lethal Bizzle - Babylon’s Burning The Ghetto (Burn The Gallows Mix)<br />Grime chancer Lethal Bizzle’s smartest move to date has been hooking up with like-minded punks Gallows. Here Bizzle’s simplistic anti-politician rant gets significantly beefed-up by Frank Carter barking out the chorus from The Ruts’ classic, a formula the pair repeated for ’Staring At The Rude Bois’.<br /><br />40. Bjorn - Innocence<br />Bjork’s feted hook-up with Timbaland behind the production boards bore impressive fruit with this sparse, left-field dancefloor triumph. Still setting the standards for innovation in pop.<br /><br />41. Susheela Raman - Yoo Do Right<br />This Anglo-Indian vocalist recorded an album of covers from the obvious (’Like A Rolling Stone’) to the unusual, such as this Can classic and tracks by Joy Division and Throbbing Gristle. Inventive and affecting.<br /><br />42. Bonde Do Role - Office Boy<br />Like CSS’s even naughtier cousins, this Brazilian troupe combine cyclical guitar riffs and electro beats to winning effect. Throw in some Birkin-esque panting at the end and you’ve got a winner.<br /><br />43. Iron & Wine - Flightless Bird, American Mouth<br />Sam Beam’s stripped-down acoustic folk got a slight makeover this year with his ’The Shepherd’s Dog’ album bulking out his arrangements substantially. This beautiful lullaby rounded out the album in epic, moving fashion.<br /><br />44. Radiohead - Bodysnatchers<br />A return to rock-band mode for Radiohead, as all five members play their part here. Amongst ’In Rainbow’s now-familiar electronic diversions the discordant guitar here stood out a mile.<br /><br />45. DJ Kentaro Ft. Spank Rock - Free<br />Their Fabric Live set aside it was quite a quiet year for Baltimore filthsters Spank Rock, save for this scene-stealing guest role on the album by Ninja Tunes’ DJ Kentaro.<br /><br />46. Pendulum - Granite<br />Chuck the first Pendulum album into a blender and serve. ’Granite’ encapsulated all the elements that made these drum ’n bass super-producers such an appealing prospect in the first place - enormous drops, vocal manipulation and crunching beats.<br /><br />47. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife 3<br />Wistful, melancholy Americana with a pop sensibility from these rightly revered new traditionalists.<br /><br />48. Bloc Party - A Song For Clay (Disappear Here)<br />Muscular return from Kele Okereke and co, with a weighty lyrical concept to boot, deriding their shallow, wealthy, thrill-obsessed cotemporaries living “like the ’80s never happened”.<br /><br />49. Goblin - Profundo Rosso<br />Best known for their soundtrack work for the Italian master of stylised horror, Dario Argento, this is the title track from his film, a highlight of Cherry Red’s recent retrospective on the band.<br /><br />50. The Bees - Got To Let Go<br />Hammond and trumpet-bolstered retro pop from these Isle Of Wight ’60s aficionados, who borrow liberally from all sources and gleefully inhabit the good time vibes they create.Lewis Hingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766204665012108130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364518986124152610.post-12511017964022362482007-03-09T09:41:00.000-08:002007-03-09T09:53:21.097-08:00Arcade Fire - Neon Bible<br /><br />Considering its circumstances of conception - death, loss, tragedy, existential woe etc. - Arcade Fire’s slow-burning-to-phenomenally successful debut was a joyous revelation. Far from the mournful, moribund affair it had every right to be, 'Funeral' gleefully danced around the grave in an explosion of instrumentation and ideas. The question which must inevitably act as a prefix to any assessment of their new opus is, without the catalyst of deep suffering, can Montreal’s finest repeat the trick?<br />The quick answer to that is no. 'Funeral' was a true one-off, the sort of beautiful alignment of time, circumstance and inspiration that cannot possibly be repeated. In any case, a cursory listen to 'Neon Bible' reveals a very different beast to its predecessor, marked by subtle yet effective changes in the seven-strong band’s sound and vision.<br />The skulking, pessimistic 'Black Mirror' opens the album, revealing itself to be a mightily impressive piece of (bad) mood music. It’s also an early clue to the lyrical direction adopted by much of the album - namely the dangers posed by the big, bad outside world, characterised here by Orwellian security cameras and falling bombs. While first single 'Keep The Car Running' sees a partial return to the jaunty rhythms and exuberance of 'Funeral', scraping below the perky exterior reveals fear for the onset of some Biblically-proportioned disaster, presumably the car is set for the wilderness of Alaska - with all those band-members and instruments let’s hope it’s one of those roomy station-wagons.<br />So far, so good but the dirge-like title track spoils this early upsurge in momentum, strategically placed as it is between two of the most up-beat tracks on the album. Presumably this is a deliberate ploy to re-assure the listener that this is not going to be an easy ride, although initially it comes across as just plain dull. A brief listen to the crazed fervour of 'Intervention' confirms the dullness of the previous track as a masterstroke. It combines all the elements of a great drama - God, death, love, money and war - complimented brilliantly by the chiming Church organ, backing choir and Win Butler’s impassioned, preachy delivery - in fact it might just as well be delivered from a pulpit as a stage.<br />The gallic flourishes of accordion which peppered 'Funeral' have largely been sidelined, the French-Canadian influence restricted to Regine Chassagne’s occasional forays to the front of the group, particularly in 'Black Wave/Bad Vibrations' which is interrupted halfway through by Butler’s typically grandiose imagery-led style of lyrics such as “Nothing lasts forever that’s the way it’s gotta be, there’s a great black wave in the middle of the sea for me”.<br />One of the most notable examples of musical flair surfaces in the exquisite tempo change and introduction of aching brass towards the climax of 'Ocean Of Noise'. Elsewhere the swooning strings show once again the arch importance of collaborator Owen Pallett of the neo-baroque Final Fantasy.<br />While the influence of David’s Byrne and Bowie were easily recognisable, particularly in the vocal style exhibited throughout 'Funeral', the shadow of Bruce Springsteen lurked in the progressively muscular tempo and reminiscent story-telling of 'Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels)'. This time around Butler takes this notable influence to its logical progression through 'Antichrist Television Blues', in which he apes both the vocal delivery, and mood of the 'Darkness On The Edge Of Town'-era Boss. The closing few tracks see Arcade Fire really hit their stride, with 'Windowsill' serving as the best example of the creeping paranoia which pervades much of the album. It uses the simple image of a recluse holed up inside, viewing the outside as a rising sea of malcontent, its waves lapping against his window. 'No Cars Go', reinvented from the 'Arcade Fire EP' is the penultimate song, and belies its pre-dating of the other tracks with bursts of accordion, and a driving pulse which builds to a climactic ending and would make a perfect conclusion to any other Arcade Fire album but this one. Again taking a musical and thematic u-turn, 'My Body Is A Cage' rounds off the album, its spiritual yearning again abetted by chilling Church organ. It’s a curious ending, but again shows the band grappling with their sound, their direction and their audience. Much like the rest of this brilliantly-realised album it will stand the test of repeated listens, confuse new converts and establish Arcade Fire as contenders for a stage much bigger than the darlings of the thriving Canuck indie scene.<br /><br />9Lewis Hingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766204665012108130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364518986124152610.post-73364058996560527212007-02-27T08:45:00.000-08:002007-02-27T09:49:28.099-08:00The Importance Of DiariesI've never been a great user of my diary. This may explain why I arrived into work today at 8 o'clock, put in a good hour's work and then realised that it was my day off. Sheepishly grabbing my coat to howls of derision from my workmates I headed back, aware that the double shot of coffee an hour earlier would prevent any plan of climbing back into bed. A rather infuriating start to the day perhaps, but the freedom of an unexpected day off in a rather dismal and soggy London town has provided me with the opportunity to work on this online 'diary'. Every cloud etc...<br />Two months into the year, with crisp Spring just days away, it's a good time to reflect on the best (not much worst, it's a grim enough day as it is!) of the year so far in the world of music.<br />Following the post-Christmas music industry hangover, the release of the year's anticipated albums has started to pick up speed. The year's worth of hype surrounding the Klaxons resulted in a number one album, one which toyed with and then completely discarded the scene ('nu-rave') which apparently spawned them. The likes of 'Two Receivers' and the ubiquitous 'Golden Skans' showed that the London tykes are in reality an accomplished pop group in Day-Glo disguise.<br />The Hold Steady's literate Springsteen-esque tales of booze and broken dreams continue to thrill, the dumbed-down Thin Lizzy riffs which roar along underneath 'Boys And Girls In America' making the gutter glamour all the more alluring.<br />Bloc Party's reinvention as the Shoreditch Street Preachers shows all the self-regard and righteous anger required to make 'A Weekend In The City' the alluring pop protest it is.<br />Long term fans have been waiting like rabid wolfhounds for Lucinda Williams' latest, and 'West' the alt-country queen's new album proves her finest work since the Grammy-winning 'Car Wheels On A Gravel Road', released more than a decade ago.<br />Opinions on Patrick Wolf vary from 'new Bowie' (the gist of the NME review of 'The Magic Position') to 'stop mucking about with orchestras and home-made drum machines and write some real songs' (the gist of The Observer's review). The reality is that he's a prodigious home-grown talent (in need of reining in, perhaps) aiming for the stars, and what's wrong with that?<br />Proggy noise-mongers Explosions In The Sky have a newie out, filling that Mogwai/Sigur Ros gap for the time being. For those with slightly shorter attention spans, The Horrors will shortly be releasing 'Strange House', full of scary organ-led garage rock blasts, Screaming Lord Sutch covers and probably some indechipherable ranting (let's face it, he's not gonna be singing Eva Cassidy covers on X-Factor anytime soon) by Faris Rotter.<br /> <br />Now for a few that appeared on my radar too late to make the poll of 2006's best albums, but are well worth checking out (if you like the sound of what's in the brackets).<br /><br />Beirut - Gulag Orkestar (Fragile, lo-fi songs hijacked by mad Eastern-European brass band)<br /><br />The Gossip - Standing In The Way Of Control (Taut, disco-punk hijacked by obese, lesbian diva possessed by Aretha Franklin)<br /><br />Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury (The Neptunes' best productions in years hijacked by maniacal miscreants in a blizzard of cocaine - take that Bloc Party!)<br /><br />Forthcoming albums of note:<br /><br />Arcade Fire - Neon Bible (5th March)<br /><br />Bright Eyes' new one (late April)<br /><br />The National - Boxer (21st May)<br /><br />We end on a positive note for Keanu Reeves, Russell Crowe and any other misguided actors silly enough to launch music careers - Jared Leto has trumped them all with his new project 30 Seconds To Mars. Can emo still be a counter-cultural force when embraced by thirty-something Hollywood actors?<br /><br />Have a great March.Lewis Hingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766204665012108130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364518986124152610.post-71881280098205150082007-02-15T15:03:00.000-08:002007-02-15T15:13:16.372-08:00Acoustic Ladyland/Xerox Teens/Situationists live at White Heat, Madame JoJo's, Tuesday February 6<br /><br />A real scoop this one for the folks down at White Heat and the public squeezed into Soho’s Madame JoJo’s (Radio 1’s uber-muso Steve Lamacq among them) as no-wave jazz-punkers Acoustic Ladyland are making quite a reputation for themselves, two albums since they started out playing jazz covers of Hendrix and Strokes’ songs.<br />Unfortunately, openers The Situationists hadn’t been informed that The Futureheads aren’t due their own tribute act yet. Not that there was anything offensive, or even unaccomplished, in their ragged harmonies and rehashed 1981 guitar lines, they just arrived three years late for their own party. From the three-pronged front-of-stage line-up right down to the quirky cover version (step up Daft Punk’s ‘Digital Love’), when the 'Hounds Of Love’ crew become globe-conquering megastars The Situationists could mount a decent career at weddings and bar mitzvahs. A few fringe music press publications and people in the know have fallen hard for the next act recently. The first thing to notice about Xerox Teens is their unusual stage set-up, focusing all attention to the centre and the relentless drummer.<br />The second is that they make quite a groovy garage rock racket, almost like some sort of mutant genetic splicing between The Fall, Dr Feelgood and The Muppets’ house band. Also, it must be mentioned that the singer has clearly been studying Mark E Smith and Lou Reed a little too hard for his too-cool-for-school exterior to ring true.<br />A discernible buzz of expectation greets the on-stage arrival of Acoustic Ladyland drummer Seb Rochford to set-up, preceded some thirty seconds earlier by his Biblically-proportioned mane of hair. Flanked by two studious-looking Toms (Cawley and Herbert, keyboards and bass respectively) front-man, saxophonist and sometime vocalist Pete Wareham arrives a few minutes later. Perhaps pushing the crossover potential AL possess, he’s decked out in skinny black jeans and studded belt, looking every bit the self-conscious indie teen, until you remember that he’s a jazz musician in his thirties.<br />Sensibly they choose to open with 'Road Of Bones’, the riotous fusion of sleek jazz and filthy riffage that opens their most recent album ‘Skinny Grin’. Much of the set consists of tracks from this new opus, an uncompromising rebuke to their critics within jazz circles which moves them even further away from their contemporaries in the modern British scene. Wareham plays his saxophone with unfettered intensity, at times looking as though every blood vessel in his face is about to explode, particularly noticeable on ‘Last Night’. For those not au-fait with the protocol of the jazz gig, there are welcome forays into vocal tracks, with mic duties handled by Alice Grant, Anne Booty and Wareham himself. ‘Red Sky’ is an early highlight, with the contrast between icy keyboard and melodious sax line broken up by the barely-restrained violence of the bass-playing.<br />The packed crowd nod along in bemused fashion to Rochford’s effortlessly extraordinary drum patterns, while the fluidity between the other members is evident throughout. Towards the end, Coco Electrik’s Anne Booty comes out to add the sultry vocals to ’Cuts And Lies’, the infectious new single, which could propel the group to reach a wider audience than the periphery of scenes they currently occupy. It’s clear from tonight’s performance that when more acclaim is afforded Acoustic Ladyland, they will be more than able to back it up in the live arena.<br /><br />7.5Lewis Hingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766204665012108130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364518986124152610.post-58234217888879837842007-02-11T10:34:00.000-08:002007-02-11T10:34:31.869-08:00Fear And Loathing For The WeekendBloc Party - A Weekend In The City<br /><br />Something is rotten at the heart of the nation’s capital. A thronged mass of automatons swarm to bars and clubs every weekend, hell bent on hedonism and escaping the futile ache of modern life. Their tools are an endless stream of booze, cocaine, “sleeping pills and Marlboro Reds”. Politics are never approached in conversation, for fear of bringing down the uplifting euphoria of the chemical high.<br />Relationships are fleeting and unloving. Monday morning looks bleak, the future’s not even worth thinking about. Bloc Party’s second LP is a state of the nation address, approached via the microcosm of a weekend spent partaking and observing of this madness in East London’s trendy locale Shoreditch.<br />A band as earnest and sometimes self-regarding as Bloc Party are bound to polarise opinion. Many of pop’s best cultural commentators (think Ray Davies or Jarvis Cocker) disguise their intentions with liberal helpings of satire and irony, the first few seconds of ‘A Weekend In The City’ assure that is not be to the case here. ‘Song For Clay (Disappear Here)’ begins with Kele Okereke announcing “I’m trying to be heroic in an age of modernity”, carefully enunciating each syllable. Written in reference to Brett Easton-Ellis’ novel ‘Less Than Zero’, where LA socialite Clay becomes gradually more aware that his life cycle of casual sex and structured drug taking is morally repugnant, the opener is the album’s key track. The drums pound harder and Russell Lissack’s guitar roars louder than on any of debut 'Silent Alarm’, while Okereke lambasts his peers and himself for living “like the ’80’s never happened”.<br />One of the album’s oldest tracks 'Hunting For Witches’ details the climate of fear and anger following the 7/7 attacks on London’s transport system in 2005. Predictably the Daily Mail is held as the paragon of the following moral panic, although the band’s musical progression is perhaps more important to this track than the band‘s stance, which is apparent just from the title. Expanding on 'Silent Alarm’s jerky rhythms and widescreen guitars, ’A Weekend In The City’ shows an appreciation of New Order, electro and first single 'The Prayer’ seems to be taking its inspiration from pounding hip-hop sub-genre crunk.<br />Both 'The Prayer’ and 'On’ deal transparently with cocaine use, which is a key theme and catalyst throughout the set. In Okereke’s defence, he does detail the plus points as well as the face-numbing indifference it permeates, but he also labours the point somewhat.<br />The most impressive issue-based track is ‘Where Is Home?’ which confronts the alienation felt by UK immigrants with an undertow of intellectual violence, while ‘I Still Remember’ with its swirling guitar provides this album’s equivalent to the gorgeous ‘So Here We Are’ from their debut.<br />‘A Weekend In The City’ winds down with the sentimental hangover ode ‘Sunday’ and 'SRXT’s afterthought of poetry before Monday morning’s return to the corporate grind. An accomplished, thought-provoking and expansive work by one of our most talented bands, the bottom line is that this will fail to win over any new converts. Worthy as the points they raise may be, it is unlikely that Bloc Party’s manifesto will convince the nation’s hedonistic armies to change their ways any more than Easton-Ellis’ novel, but this doesn’t lessen the importance of making these observations. Whether you see them as a beacon of truth in an industry which more readily sells tales of ’Living For The Weekend’ or looking good on dance floors, or as po-faced party poopers, ’A Weekend In The City’ confirms that they’re not going away anytime soon.<br /><br />8Lewis Hingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766204665012108130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364518986124152610.post-36147506281849721302007-02-01T16:12:00.000-08:002007-02-01T16:13:32.759-08:00Metric live at Dingwalls, Lock 17, Tuesday January 30<br /><br />Though lacking in the sort of critical salivating which accompanied Arcade Fire’s most recent London shows, fellow flag-bearers of the Canadian invasion Metric warmed up for their upcoming support slots for Bloc Party by packing out this multi-tiered (though admittedly small) venue. The task of wowing the capital was made all the more tricky by the mesmerising support act Fields. Yet to release debut album ‘Everything Last Winter‘, this Anglo-Icelandic five-piece roared through a half-hour set, showcasing their knack for both languid, harmonised melodies and intense, full-throttle freak-outs. Subtle use of slide guitar and continuously ferocious drumming stood out amidst the enveloping, full-bodied sound. The real star, however, was the angelic, honey-voiced Thorunn Antonia, who flitted between keyboards and accordion, effortlessly capturing the audience‘s attention throughout.<br />Metric’s last album ‘Live It Out’ shifted focus from the Ladytron-like electronica that characterised their debut, giving more exposure to Emily Haines’ guileful songwriting - which surfaces early in their set via the melancholy ’Poster Of A Girl’. Haines then assumes centre stage for the more raucous new-wave of ‘Patriarch On A Vesper’, her enigmatic presence reminiscent of Debbie Harry, as her band at times recall early Blondie. After an impressive start, the performance begins to lose momentum in the mid-section and the subtleties of Haines’ songs are often lost in the electro squall surrounding them - her drawn out, cliché-ridden asides also begin to wear the patience of the crowd.<br />The band’s biggest hit to date, ‘Monster Hospital’ - with its huge, Clash-aping chorus (“I fought the war, but the war won”) - should have been Metric‘s saving grace. However, even this fails to provide the requisite momentum to get the set back on track, save for the frantic reaction of a few energetic die-hards pressed up close to the stage.<br />Finishing up with the bass-driven highlight of their first album ’Dead Disco’, Metric regain some of the excitement lacking earlier. Unfortunately it is too little too late for this performance, hopefully their upcoming support slots will lessen the expectation and allow them the opportunity to upstage their illustrious headliners.<br /><br />7Lewis Hingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766204665012108130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364518986124152610.post-85166158140230606932006-12-26T04:29:00.000-08:002006-12-26T04:57:14.283-08:002006: The Year That WasThe festive season might be to good music what John Prescott is to diplomacy, but it serves as the perfect time to look back on all the grand achievements of the past twelve months. 2006 had its low points; we lost Arthur Lee, Syd Barrett, J Dilla and James Brown. It was also the year the world's biggest boy band reformed. Cliff and Tony Bennett grew older disgracefully with Christmas cash-in albums. 2006 may well be remembered as the year of the comeback; it's not every year we see Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Prince, Van Morrison and countless others all supplying new material. After a fairly slow start, it also became a great year for the quality of albums released. Below are this writer's choice of twenty of the very best, in descending order:<br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>20. Ghostface Killah - Fishscale</strong><br /><br />Streets ahead of his once-mighty Wu-Tang cohorts, Ghostface displayed cinematic vision and gripping narratives on his latest solo album. Excursions into straightforward battle rap and wittily candid childhood reminiscences only served to highlight the breadth and intelligence lacking in a relatively poor year for hip-hop.<br /><br /><strong>19. Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly - Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager</strong><br /><br />Southend-reared Sam Duckworth’s debut was an endearing blend of earnest lyrics, acoustic guitar and playful, laptop-spawned electronica. Stand-out 'Call Me Ishmael' came complete with cornet solo and an inspired change of pace, revealing pop nous which will stand Duckworth in good stead for the tricky second album.<br /><br /><strong>18. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere</strong><br /><br />Buoyed by 'Crazy's summer ubiquity, 'St. Elsewhere' was a meeting of (off-kilter) minds between producer de-rigeur Dangermouse and former Goodie Mob rapper and general voice-for-hire Cee-Lo Green. Exploring a loose theme of mental instability, the album mixed dusty psychedelia, stuttering beats and Cee-Lo’s incomparable gospel-reared voice to great effect.<br /><br /><strong>17. Ed Harcourt - The Beautiful Lie</strong><br /><br />With 'The Beautiful Lie', the prolific and prodigiously gifted Ed Harcourt finally shook off the albatross of his Mercury-nominated debut 'Here Be Monsters'. Resolutely romantic and free of fads, Harcourt’s torch songs were a flashlight through the crowded, darkened tunnels of the modern singer-songwriter.<br /><br /><strong>16. Graham Coxon - Love Travels At Illegal Speeds</strong><br /><br />While Damon Albarn spent the year resurrecting the supergroup with Gorillaz and The Good, The Bad & The Queen, former Blur band-mate Graham Coxon simply continued crafting his own inimitable brand of lovelorn punk-pop. Packed full of punchy gems such as 'I Can’t Look At Your Skin', 'Love Travels…' was an assured and excellent performance from an indie institution.<br /><br /><strong>15. Acoustic Ladyland - Skinny Grin</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />Not so much a melting pot, rather a face-melting combination of sludgey metal riffs and cacophonous virtuoso jazz. Traces of Coltrane resonate through Peter Wareham's sax, but the most potent weapon AL possess is Polar Bear's Seb Rochford on drums. Opener 'Road Of Bones' and Scott Walker's nightmarish mix of 'Salt Water' are the best examples of the band's drastic new vision for British jazz.<br /><br /><strong>14. Kasabian - Empire</strong><br /><br />Building on the template of 2004’s self-titled debut, Leicester lads Kasabian beefed up their swaggering dance-rock hybrid with a notable nod to ’70s glam, particularly in stomping single 'Shoot The Runner'. Despite the continuing presence of forefathers Primal Scream and Oasis, Empire stood out as the year’s most irresistible hook-led guitar album (by a band formed outside of Sheffield).<br /><br /><strong>13. Cat Power - The Greatest</strong><br /><br />Chan ‘Cat Power’ Marshall recruited a host of Memphis musicians to flesh out her damaged, lo-fi songwriting for 'The Greatest'. The result was a heady soul brew, the wistful confessionals of 'Where Is My Love' and 'Lived In Bars' made all the more poignant by Marshall’s recent battles with depression and alcoholism.<br /><br /><strong>12. The Beatles - Love</strong><br /><br />Created for Cirque Du Soleil, this trawl through The Beatles’ back catalogue allowed George and Giles Martin to re-imagine some of the Fab Four’s finest moments. The mash-up style popularised by Soulwax’s '2 Many DJ’s album is used to stunning effect as 'Tomorrow Never Knows' is juxtaposed with 'Within You Without You', a highlight of a project handled lovingly and with no little flair by its curators.<br /><br /><strong>11. The Roots - Game Theory</strong><br /><br />Taking a step back from previous album 'The Tipping Point's overt commerciality, 'Game Theory' was a dark and claustrophobic affair, the Philadelphia hip-hop veterans preoccupied with war zones at home and abroad. Dynamic, unhinged contributions from former members Dice Raw and Malik B offered a counterpoint to lead emcee Black Thought’s technical flow, while ringleader ?uestlove’s musical vision remained undimmed fifteen years since the band’s formation.<br /><br /><strong>10. Rodrigo Y Gabriela - Rodrigo Y Gabriela</strong><br /><br />Renowned for their astounding live performances, Mexican duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela translated their on-stage energy onto record with a little help from production maestro John Leckie. Indebted to flamenco masters such as Paco De Lucia, but equally the fervent, devotional energy of hard rock, it was telling that they chose to cover Led Zeppelin and Metallica on this outstanding set.<br /><br /><strong>9. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not</strong><br /><br />While debates still rage about whether they are the greatest band since The Smiths, (or perhaps more realistically, the best band from Sheffield since Pulp) the Arctic Monkeys debut album stands as a timely and timeless continuation of the British art of storytelling. Whether berating ‘Fake Tales Of San Francisco’ or extolling the joys of late night cabs, Alex Turner’s wit and the Monkeys’ winning tunes struck a chord with the nation.<br /><br /><strong>8. Neil Young - Living With War</strong><br /><br />Initially available as an internet-only download, Neil Young’s rush-recorded 'Living With War' was a timely example of the emotive power music can have in the political arena. Backed by rugged guitars and a 100-strong choir, Young tears into the Bush administration furiously and unreservedly on 'Lookin’ For A Leader' and 'Let’s Impeach The President'. 'Living With War' struck a victory for both its venerable creator and the unabated spirit of protest writing.<br /><br /><strong>7. Old Crow Medicine Show - Big Iron World</strong><br /><br />Championed by Americana icon Gillian Welch - who appeared here on drum duties - this five piece channelled youthful vigour and age-old songs into a vibrant and remarkably cohesive album. Rollicking fiddle-led standards such as 'Cocaine Habit' rubbed shoulders with the boys’ own accomplished compositions such as 'James River Blues' and 'My Good Girl'. Country album of the year by a country mile.<br /><br /><strong>6. Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics</strong><br /><br />Proving the commercial breakthrough of 2002’s 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots' was no fluke, Wayne Coyne’s enigmatic Oklahomans resurfaced stronger than ever in 2006. Dalliances with funk ('Free Radicals') and prog-rock ('Pompeii Am Gotterdammerung') broadened the group’s creative palette, while naysayers and warmongers bore the brunt of Coyne’s lyrical broadsides.<br /><br /><strong>5. Bob Dylan - Modern Times</strong><br /><br />Completing a trio of late-career triumphs, the ironically-titled 'Modern Times' shunned contemporary techniques in favour of old-time blues, ballads and boogie-woogie. Dylan’s unmatchable lyrics provided ammunition for accusers of literary plagiarism, hours of fun for train-spotters and his first US number one since 1976’s 'Desire'.<br /><br /><strong>4. Guillemots - Through The Windowpane</strong><br /><br />This oddly-named troupe of eccentric popsters provided two of 2006’s most inventive pop singles in 'Trains To Brazil' and 'Made Up Love Song #43'. The accompanying full-length lived up to the promise of these earlier offerings, equally showcasing leader Fyfe Dangerfield’s penchant for tender love songs and kitchen-sink approach to arrangements.<br /><br /><strong>3. Amy Winehouse - Back To Black</strong><br /><br />Moving even further from the jazzy lounge of Melua and Jones, in 2006 London chanteuse Amy Winehouse created that rarest of artefacts, a top-notch UK soul album. Helped by producers Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson, 'Back To Black's searing songs were honest and heartfelt odes to love, loss, addiction and “fuckery”.<br /><br /><strong>2. Spank Rock - YoYoYoYoYo</strong><br /><br />Thrillingly futuristic dance floor action abounded on this debut by filthy, electro-informed hip-hoppers Spank Rock. Traces of Timbaland’s sonic invention and swathes of 2 Live Crew’s misogyny perpetuated 'YoYoYoYoYo', but it was naïve electronics and mind-boggling lyrical verve which carried the likes of 'Top Billin’ From Far Left' and 'Tell Me What It Look Like' from the Baltimore underground to the critical consciousness.<br /><br /><strong>And finally...</strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>1. TV On The Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain</strong><br /><br />For all the experimental gusto of Brooklyn art-rockers TV On The Radio’s follow-up to 2004’s 'Desperate Youth Blood-Thirsty Babes', there was a definite pop heart behind the enveloping soundscapes. Opener 'I Was A Lover' mixed looped strings and a stuttering hip-hop beat with inflective lyricism, while the majestic 'A Method' cranked up the barbershop harmonies behind front-man Tunde Adebimpe’s lead. Celebrity support came in the guise of David Bowie’s guest vocals on 'Province', although true to form they were hidden within the foggy midst of the track. While they stopped short of repeating the snowballing success of fellow Bowie faves Arcade Fire’s 'Funeral', this was an equally moving, memorable and masterful set of songs.<br /><br /><br />R.I.P. James Brown<br />Happy birthday Shane MacGowan (for yesterday)Lewis Hingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766204665012108130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364518986124152610.post-54129775178979537262006-12-13T10:24:00.000-08:002006-12-13T10:27:11.076-08:00Flaming Lips live reviewFlaming Lips live, Hammersmith Apollo, 14 November<br /><br />You have to hand it to the Flaming Lips, they sure know how to throw a party. No specific occasion this one - they bypassed the twentieth anniversary of their formation some three years ago - but for the most relentlessly joyous band around, every day is one to celebrate. The buzz of pre-performance anticipation is discernible, those who’ve previously witnessed a gig by the Oklahoma trio (along with live drummer Kliph Scurlock tonight) have clearly built up the expectation levels of the Lips virgins present. They’ve all come expecting dancing Santas and aliens, confetti explosions and the most uplifting live experience around. They are not to be disappointed.<br />The 5,000 green and yellow balloons handed out quickly begin to soar around the converted theatre, adding to the childlike qualities of chief Super Furry Animal Gruff Rhys’ warm-up show. Performing an array of solo songs in English and Welsh, he sits at a table surrounded by a multitude of toys, instruments and combinations of the two. Some of these he plays, others such as a large red crash helmet similar to the one worn by Jack Nicholson in 'Easy Rider', appear to be there for feng shui purposes. Rhys’ quirky acid-folk and good-natured buffoonery prove a winning combination, it’s telling of the headliners’ approach that they selected such a genial character to open.<br />Famously debuted at the Grammies and unveiled in the UK via the Lips’ performances at the Leeds and London Wireless festival this summer, Wayne Coyne’s giant hamster ball has become the stuff of legend. To the delight of the crowd, he emerges from backstage climbing into the transparent sphere and launches himself onto the swathes of arms waiting. Following a full lap of the Apollo’s standing area, he is joined by his fellow band-mates and they launch into ‘Race For The Prize’, taken from astonishing breakthrough album 'The Soft Bulletin'.<br />Yet more balloons, on-stage explosions and a dancing cast of superheroes form the backdrop for one of the most intensely euphoric live experiences imaginable. The crowd are ecstatic, bouncing throughout and beaming back at Coyne as he stands, palm stretched out, ushering in the pounding drums of the chorus with the refrain, “They’re just humans with wives and children!”.<br />He ends the song dancing like a snappily-dressed, excitable Pied Piper, twirling a dazzling cord of light around until the mania dies down. It’s an unbelievable opening, and while the rest of the show cannot possibly live up to the bottled essence of those amazing four minutes, there are plentiful highlights to come.<br />'Free Radicals' and recent single 'The W.A.N.D.' trade funk-rock riffs, while crowd favourite 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Pt.1' ends in a massive communal sing-a-long - one of many tonight. Once again expressing his disgust for George Bush’s administration, Coyne subverts any negative energy into a gloriously confrontational and exhilarating ‘Yeah Yeah Yeah Song’. While there are none of the Lips’ famously eclectic cover versions tonight, they do trawl into their back catalogue to play the zany psych-pop of 1994’s 'She Don’t Use Jelly', although die-hards in the crowd shouting for 1989’s 'Unconsciously Screamin' are sadly out of luck.<br />Steven Drozd and Michael Ivins are quiet and professional throughout, content to let Coyne run the show, but aware of their huge contribution. As Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers once retorted, “Wayne’s biggest asset? Steven!” The skeleton outfit-wearing Ivins cannot be underestimated either, his presence since the outset of the band shows how integral he has been to their success. The set is rounded off by 'Do You Realise', its ubiquity matters little, it is clearly a special song that inspires open sobbing, air-punching delight and embraces all round. <br />Frequently when introducing the songs, Coyne explains at some length the intentions behind them in passionate, humble terms. If music can’t change the world he concludes, then joy, positivity and love might - feelings the Flaming Lips and their wonderful music inspire in all tonight.<br /><br />10Lewis Hingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766204665012108130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364518986124152610.post-43368585833322965162006-12-01T05:11:00.001-08:002006-12-01T05:12:47.719-08:00The Rapture - Pieces Of The People We Love<br /><br />One of the hyped pace-setters in the early ’80s revivalist movement of the past few years, The Rapture have perhaps wisely bided their time before following up 2003’s stellar debut ‘Echoes‘. In the three years leading up to ‘Pieces Of The People We Love‘, the four New Yorkers have seen their thunder stolen by a new wave of new-wavers, headed up by the likes of Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand.<br />While they have clearly employed subtle changes in their sound, there is no attempt made to cast off the dance-punk/indie-disco/punk-funk (delete as appropriate) framework within which they operate.<br />Replacing the DFA with Paul Epworth and Ewan Pearson behind the boards, the result is a punchier sound, with the disco percussion to the fore and warring bass and lead guitars reduced to a supporting role. Lead single ‘Get Myself Into It’, in particular, suggests their well-worn copies of ‘Entertainment’ have been replaced by a healthy fascination with ‘Remain In Light’-era Talking Heads.<br />Klaxons fans will be blown away by the stunning new-raver ‘The Sound’, while super producer Dangermouse (of Gnarls Barkley and Gorillaz fame) pops up on two tracks; adding jittery lo-fi beats to ‘Calling Me’ and the skippable title track.<br />The foursome come into their own in the album’s middle section, where the grooves are truly irresistible. ‘The Devil’ and ‘Whoo! Alright - Yeah… Uh Huh’ show the band at their best; the tight, propulsive bass and resolute disco drums serving as the grounding for explosions of Afro-funk guitar and proclamations such as “I say the lineage runs Morrison, Patti Smith then me”. It’s clear The Rapture aren’t taking anything too seriously besides the music - while they may have initiated a stylistic revolution three years ago, they now seem content to let the pretenders wear their crown while they strut off to the next party.<br /><br />8Lewis Hingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766204665012108130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364518986124152610.post-89369450751935699052006-11-22T14:14:00.000-08:002006-11-22T14:59:30.718-08:00Let Me Make You A Tape: The Thirty Best Tracks Of 2006You gotta love a list!<br />These are in no particular order (but TV On The Radio is my favourite!)<br /><br />What no Girls Aloud or Tom Waits? - Let me know your thoughts at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/chewmusic">http://www.myspace.com/chewmusic</a> or <a href="mailto:lphingston@hotmail.co.uk">lphingston@hotmail.co.uk</a><br /><br />1. 'Whirlwind In D Minor' - Ed Harcourt (available on 'The Beautiful Lie')<br />2. 'Trains To Brazil' - Guillemots ('Through The Windowpane')<br />3. '5/4' - Clogs ('Lantern')<br />4. 'Mardy Bum' - Arctic Monkeys ('Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not')<br />5. 'What It Look Like' - Spank Rock ('YoYoYoYoYo')<br />6. 'Cocaine Habit' - Old Crow Medicine Show ('Big Iron World')<br />7. 'My Cosmic Autumn Rebellion' - Flaming Lips ('At War With The Mystics')<br />8. 'I Was A Lover' - TV On The Radio ('Return To Cookie Mountain')<br />9. 'Workingman's Blues #2' - Bob Dylan ('Modern Times')<br />10. 'The Devil' - The Rapture ('Pieces Of The People We Love')<br />11. 'The Champ' - Ghostface Killah ('Fishscale')<br />12. 'Lived In Bars' - Cat Power ('The Greatest')<br />13. 'Amsterdam' - Peter, Bjorn & John ('Writer's Block')<br />14. 'Kindness For Weakness' - Dilated Peoples ('20/20')<br />15. 'Roscoe' - Midlake ('The Trials Of Van Occupanther')<br />16. 'Tamacun' - Rodrigo Y Gabriela ('Rodrigo Y Gabriela')<br />17. 'The Ride' - Joan As Policewoman ('Real Life')<br />18. 'My Favourite Mutiny' - The Coup ('Pick A Bigger Weapon')<br />19. '7/4 (Shoreline)' - Broken Social Scene ('Broken Social Scene')<br />20. 'Blue Honey' - Pop Levi ('Blue Honey EP')<br />21. 'Shoot The Runner' - Kasabian ('Empire')<br />22. 'Call Me Ishmael' - Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly ('Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager')<br />23. 'Nag Nag Nag Nag' - Art Brut ('Nag Nag Nag Nag' single)<br />24. 'Workinonit' - J Dilla aka Jay Dee ('Donuts')<br />25. 'Yr Mangled Heart' - The Gossip ('Standing In The Way Of Control')<br />26. 'Rally' - Phoenix ('It's Never Been Like That')<br />27. 'Gone Daddy Gone' - Gnarls Barkley ('St. Elsewhere')<br />28. 'Over And Over (Lost And Found)' - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah ('Clap Your Hands Say Yeah')<br />29. 'Black Sweat' - Prince ('3121')<br />30. 'Lookin' For A Leader' - Neil Young ('Living With War')Lewis Hingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766204665012108130noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364518986124152610.post-77934602895004566412006-11-21T09:38:00.000-08:002006-11-22T13:51:28.556-08:00The National - Alligator<br /><br />For any music lover, one of the joys of life is the feeling that you’ve discovered something. There’s nothing like the adrenaline rush of excitement, first hearing a song or band that you know will impact your life, and dropping everything to focus all your attentions on the wondrous racket emanating from a nearby speaker. You pass along the discovery to a select band of friends, confident that they will most likely share your passion, and come back to thank you in days to come. You look with a keen sense of pride as their reviews just start to perforate the outer reaches of the mainstream press, then wince at the feeling that they might not be ‘your band’ for much longer. John Peel had this very feeling hearing 'Teenage Kicks' by The Undertones, for the first time. I am delighted to share that my own personal musical highlight of 2005 was first 'discovering' 'Mr. November' by The National.<br />It is a melancholy yet rousing mix. An ambiguous, repetitive lyric delivered by an instantly unique voice, possessed of the same unmistakeably personal style of an Ian Curtis, Nick Cave or Leonard Cohen. A raw, yet polished sound, moving from lulling to frantic, particularly in the machine-gun drumming of the song’s last bridge. The brilliant use of the sound of silence following the chorus, leading to the song’s best line; “I wish I believed in fate, wish I didn’t sleep so late”.<br />Given that this was my first encounter with The National, their Beggar’s Banquet-released third album, had a lot to live up to. Formed in Brooklyn, and hailing from Cincinnati, this five-piece have been around longer than it would seem, as they have remained just below the mainstream radar up until now. Preceded by 2001’s self-titled debut (showing potential without finesse), 2003’s brilliantly-titled 'Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers' and the EP 'Cherry Tree', they aren’t the newcomers any more, and Alligator has a tender confidence to prove that.<br />Opening track 'Secret Meeting' is a revelation, once again, sounding absolutely nothing like 'Mr. November', and all the better in its own right, for that. Centred around the baritone of Matt Berninger, it saunters rather than explodes from the speakers. A bundle of alluring poetics, backed by wonderfully-noodly guitar lines, it is a great track to begin the album, and correctly bodes well for what is to follow. 'Secret Meeting' is also one of the album’s most quotable songs with its central line “I had a secret meeting in the basement of my brain”, and “Didn’t anybody tell you how to gracefully disappear in a room?” among the eloquent highlights.<br />Lyrically, the darkly humorous 'Karen' is a tale of those aforementioned dirty lovers, evoking scenarios such as: “It’s a common fetish for a doting man, to ballerina on the coffee table, cock in hand”.<br />Listening to this new set, The National have grown into a great band, who are intriguingly impossible to pin down. Sparsely sprinkled through the album are raucous New York stormers such as 'Lit Up' and the single 'Abel', alive with electric drumming and insistent, powerful choruses. For the main part, though, they retreat to down-home American tales over sorrowful, melodic arrangements. Soul-searching, wistful and touching; 'Looking for Astronauts' and 'Daughters of the Soho Riots' are among the best Americana you are likely to hear. The latter rotates around simple guitar, comparable to the best of Richmond Fontaine or Bright Eyes’ less complex arrangements, and reveals another of the album’s most memorable aural images- “Break my arms around the one I love, and be forgiven by the time my lover comes.”<br />The mood of the album is also difficult to easily pinpoint- whereas before they nailed their ‘sad songs’ colours to the mast- 'Alligator' is a trickier, less-navigated emotional journey. While the majority of the tracks are downbeat and introspective, there is seemingly always a pervading sense of hope. Likewise, the more upbeat sentiments expressed cannot shake their composers’ keen sense of irony, particularly noticeable in the likes of 'All The Wine'. In Berninger’s own words he has given “a permanent piece of my medium-sized American heart”.There are no weak links in the album’s song list, as each track is a revelation; and it’s all rounded off with 'Mr. November', which provides a feeling of the experience coming full circle for this writer. Whereas the group’s earlier releases could be seen as somewhat two-dimensional sad songs, they are showcased in glorious 3D Technicolor here.<br /><br />9Lewis Hingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766204665012108130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364518986124152610.post-57263512353717549792006-11-21T09:35:00.000-08:002006-11-22T13:54:56.331-08:00Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly - Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager<br /><br />The voice behind the beguiling moniker Get Cape… actually belongs to 20 year-old Southend native Sam Duckworth, who has built a growing reputation over the past year armed with just an acoustic guitar, laptop and a diary full of impassioned lyrics.<br />Delivering his first full length, Duckworth has drawn a few comparisons, particularly with fellow Essex lad Billy Bragg, who is a definite precursor to Get Cape… in the lineage of the protest song. While also making use of up-tempo laptop beats, he doesn’t fit into the homegrown folktronica niche devised by taste-makers over recent years - while 'Chronicles…' has its antecedents, Duckworth is his own man.<br />Four of the final cut of songs appeared on last year’s limited self-titled mini-album, although the finished versions are suitably fleshed out for this Atlantic release.<br />'Once More With Feeling' is a misleadingly understated introduction to the album - not an accusation which will often be levelled at Duckworth. Things get going with 'An Oak Tree', with jazzy touches and a breakneck rhythm which suggests a copy of Roni Size’s 'New Forms' has perhaps sat next to the assorted troubadours and guitar bands in Duckworth’s record collection. The vocal styling gives away a history fronting several hardcore/emo bands - the raw chorus of 'I-Spy' in particular suggests having been road-tested in this guise. The album settles upon a formulaic song structure of acoustic intro/verse followed by beats kicking in before the first chorus, perhaps gleaned from the Postal Service album of a few years ago.<br />Duckworth’s earnest and well intentioned lyrics fall short of exerting too much political leaning or malice, perhaps unlike US contemporaries such as Bright Eyes, although clumsy couplets perpetuate the likes of 'Whitewash Is Brainwash' and certain sections of the writing are unneccessarily wordy (“You don’t need a degree to de-construct this melody” - 'Chronicles… Part Two'). Having said that, the importance here is of a young spokesperson eager to speak for and to his generation about issues affecting their lives - be it capitalism, reality TV, addiction or war, all of which are dealt with here.<br />Where 'Chronicles…' excels is in the obvious pop nous of its creator; stand-out 'Call Me Ishmael' would have been just fine on its own, but an inspired change of pace for the end third and a wonderful cornet solo lift it up above the rest of the tracks here. The other previous single, 'Chronicles… Part One' is a similar grower, progressing from bedroom lament into super-charged sing-a-long. Occasionally the arrangements can seem overcooked, the beauty of these songs is in their simplicity and some of the assorted beeps and bleeps seem superfluous.<br />While not a perfect debut by some stretch, Duckworth’s talent for pop songwriting should not be underestimated and his intentions are admirable. As he himself opines on theme song 'Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly', “Open your eyes. You don’t need to buy.” Apart from this album, surely?<br /><br />7Lewis Hingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766204665012108130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364518986124152610.post-9845407389844425152006-11-21T09:33:00.000-08:002006-11-22T13:56:43.005-08:00Bloc Party Live, Portsmouth Guildhall Monday 10 October 2005<br /><br />“Today is a very important day, in the days of the Bloc!” exclaims singer Kele Okereke, introducing Bloc Party’s understated yet majestic new single 'Two More Years', released earlier in the day. There is something knowingly triumphant about his tone, well-deserved after a remarkable year for the four-piece who Liam Gallagher famously dismissed as looking like “a band off University Challenge”. Widespread praise garnered on debut LP 'Silent Alarm' led to a Mercury nomination, and recent performances have showcased a band coming into their own in the live arena.<br />Portsmouth’s student hordes seemed far more intent on loading up at the bar than offering much appreciation to the support act, whose already rather thankless task was not helped by the female singer’s one-syllable shrieking, and half-hearted attempts at crowd participation.<br />The crowd began to swell as the lights dimmed and Bloc Party took to the stage. Drummer Matt Tong’s cascading drum intro to 'Like Eating Glass' kicked in and the crowd were on-side immediately, familiar with all of 'Silent Alarm's plentiful highlights and erupting with contagious energy at regular intervals. A cleverly disguised opening to 'Banquet' kept fans on their toes, before the band gave in and unleashed the song‘s muscular guitar line.<br />The hot, stuffy atmosphere led Okereke to note that they were being made to “work for the money tonight“. Tong flung off his shirt, while guitarists Russell Lissack and Gordon Moakes quietly smouldered, perhaps literally given the venue’s stifling heat. Slow burning highlight 'This Modern Love' received a rapturous response, before 'Little Thoughts' and 'Helicopter' whipped the crowd into a frenzy of manic energy.<br />The band also plugged the remixed version of their debut by playing an extended version of 'So Here We Are', before 'Tulips' was introduced as “the one we played really badly last time we were here.” Such a happening was very unlikely tonight in what was a very polished and assured performance, but there was to be one spoke in the wheel as the band played out with 'Pioneers'.<br />Moakes and Lissack looked daggers at the few crowd surfers who made it to the stage, and the sound was cut momentarily by one such offender, and they had to start from scratch. In response Okereke called him a “nincompoop”, which is quite possibly the first time the word has ever been used by a rock star. It was a strangely comical ending to an accomplished set by a thrilling, though rarely humorous band.<br /><br />8Lewis Hingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766204665012108130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364518986124152610.post-30968226731047222222006-11-15T13:59:00.000-08:002006-11-22T13:57:34.457-08:00The Roots - Game Theory<br /><br />Given that Philadelphia’s arty hip-hop crew The Roots have always had an ear for a catchy melody, fans could have been forgiven for fearing the worst from their recent label defection to Jay-Z’s new look Def Jam. Previous effort 'The Tipping Point' was undoubtedly the most overtly commercial of their career, while the dutifully-selected roster suggests Jigga is intent on securing as many sales as possible to resurrect the once-mighty label to their former glory, in financial terms at least. Thankfully, the free-spirited ?uestlove and his cohorts have thrown a curveball with 'Game Theory', as it proves to be their least compromising work to date. Beyonce or Rhianna cameos seem decidedly unlikely as dark, claustrophobic opener 'False Media' arrives equipped with Public Enemy quotes and edgy drums. The storming title track hijacks Sly And The Family Stone’s 'Life Of Fortune And Fame', while lead emcee Black Thought attacks the beat with a vigour he clearly keeps in reserve for times of need. Old friends Malik B (axed from the band six years ago for drug abuse) and Dice Raw turn in thrilling guest spots, countering Thought’s steady flow with unpredictable lyricism, the tag-team particularly effective on the pounding 'Here I Come'.<br />The impending sense of doom caused by war zones at home and abroad constantly informs the chilly, unwelcoming production and foreboding lyrics on display - the gritty 'In The Music' being a fine example, “I‘m from the illest part of the Western hemisphere, so if you into sight-seeing don‘t visit there“.<br />The versatility of the band’s musicianship always elevates The Roots above their peers, and the work displayed here is no exception, eerie strings complementing the relentless rhythm section.<br />While there are some alluring hooks hidden beneath the murk, there‘s nothing here to rival their previous pop moments such as 'You Got Me' or 'The Seed (2.0)' - even lead single 'Don‘t Feel Right' balances its infectious melody with paranoid writing. As with the last few Roots albums, the latter stages see more introspective tracks easing out the previous braggadocio and street-level observations, although the likes of 'Livin’ In A New World' and the Radiohead-sampling 'Atonement' are not on a par with previous such ruminations.<br />J Dilla tribute 'Can’t Stop This' concludes the album, fittingly promising to continue the work of their late, great collaborator. Fifteen years into their career, The Roots are handling their business as usual.<br /><br />8Lewis Hingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766204665012108130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364518986124152610.post-1211310338263524782006-11-15T13:50:00.000-08:002006-11-22T13:59:13.255-08:00Medium Is The MinefieldTV On The Radio live, Koko, Friday November 10<br /><br />If this year’s excellent 'Return To Cookie Mountain' full-length is any indication of their intentions, Brooklynites TV On The Radio are choosing to correlate their growing audience with ever-increasing layers of sound - creating a dense fog of recorded instrumentation and samples that rewards repeated listening. Even keen admirer David Bowie’s guest vocals on 'Province' are left to fight it out in the swampy midst of the song. Sonic mavericks they most certainly are, however the real challenge for a band of TVOTR’s ambition is making these vast songs and soundscapes work in the live arena. Fortunately, front-man Tunde Adebimpe’s vocal abilities manage to maintain the same presence on stage at Koko as they do in the recording studio. Few modern bands are blessed with a singer capable of shifting from doo-wop harmonies to wildly impassioned, yet note-perfect, howling with such apparent ease.<br />Adebimpe begins by encouraging a little creative visualisation from the throngs packed into the venue - the ambient sea voyage conjured up is swiftly attacked by wave after wave of 'Dirty Whirl's stormy onslaught. Guitarist David Sitek attaches wind-chimes to his guitar for the opening of 'Dreams' from 2004’s 'Desparate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes', further stretching the influence of the elements upon tonight’s performance.<br />The first problem in the set arrives during 'Province' when the sheer density of the sound produced causes a few seconds of eardrum-splitting interference. Either that or it was the former Ziggy Stardust himself trying to influence proceedings from afar by phoning in a vocal. To the band’s credit, they quickly get back to their best - recent single 'Wolf Like Me' sees Jaleel Bunton’s explosive drumming prompting a raucous reaction from the front rows. One of their most traditionally rock compositions, the band’s vibrant on-stage energy ensures that it sounds even better than the album version. The same unfortunately, cannot be said of '…Cookie Mountain's sublime opener 'I Was A Lover'. Although Adebimpe’s vocal performance carries the song’s lyrical imagery, the deft multi-layered intricacies that encircle the staccato hip-hop beat are lost in the acoustics of the arena, the resulting wall of noise doesn’t do the exceptional recorded version justice.<br />Once again, however, TV On The Radio recover their stride - the usually stoic guitarist Kyp Malone coming more to the fore as the set progresses. Leaving the crowd with what has become the band’s signature track 'Staring At The Sun', the vocal interplay between Malone and Adebimpe is measured to perfection, going to show what a couple of year’s practice on the road will do to polish an already exceptional song.<br /><br />7Lewis Hingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766204665012108130noreply@blogger.com0