ALBUM RELEASES FOR WEEK 01.11.2010
231 DAYS TO GO
Nothing to get me going at this stage from this week’s new releases, I have purchased The Foals first album, Antidotes and will be reviewing in the next week or 2.
Todays’s photo is of Frightened Rabbit, who are the next band up for review
Albums released today:
Cheryl Cole – ‘Messy Little Raindrops’
Elliott Smith – ‘An Introduction To… Elliott Smith’
Good Charlotte – ‘Cardiology’
Monster Magnet – ‘Mastermind’
Neil Diamond – ‘Dreams’
NERD – ‘Nothing’
Ne-Yo – ‘Libra Scale’
Ray Davies – ‘See My Friends’
Rumer – ‘Seasons Of My Soul’
Suede – ‘The Best Of’
Sunday – the start of another day
239 DAYS TO GO
Now that I have got through to the Sunday at Glastonbury 2010, I am going to change the style of the blog. I am going to use the photo’s I took on the Sunday in a chronological order. Sometimes this may not exactly reflect what I am writing about but it will make my life easier as I will know what photos I have used.
So unless I have photos of a band I am reviewing for album of the week, it will just be the next photo in my list.
Hope that all makes sense and that you don’t get to bored.
So my first Sunday photo is of bearded Canadian singer/songwriter Dan Margan, who I will not officially review, as I only really caught a couple of songs, whilst wandering around trying to find Nicky and Andrew.
What I did hear didn’t exactly grab me so I don’t think I really missed much.
ALBUM OF THE WEEK – KINGS OF LEON – COME AROUND SUNDOWN
Image via Wikipedia
240 DAYS TO GO
Most reviews of Come Around Sundown have been pretty negative and this review will start that way. On a couple of occasions whilst listening to the album I have felt physically sick. I am not sure why as it’s not a bad album.
Is it that I get the feeling I am listening to the next Bon Jovi. They are certainly heading that way, their music is much tamer now than in the past , I don’t personally own any Bon Jovi but I am sure that if you have your parents over for dinner you can play it as background music. I have the feeling that KOL are becoming that sort of band. They may already be that band.
I remember playing Milk for some friends once back in 2004 and they said that not only could you not understand a word they were singing but that it was probably only gibberish. I got them to listen on headphones and they couldn’t believe that not only was every lyric understandable but that it was even quite brilliant you don’t get that from come around sundown.
As I said before its not a bad album but I feel as though I have wasted a week of my life listening to mediocrity when I could have been discovering a new band with new ideas and thoughts.
Been a big stadium band does not mean you have to resort to mediocrity, REM produced Automatic for the people when they went huge, U2 Joshua Tree.
It can be done, KOL need to go away and think about what they want to do next. Do they really want to become Bon Jovi or do they want to be the real KOL.
Related Articles
ALBUM RELEASES FOR THE WEEK 18TH OF OCTOBER
Image via Wikipedia
246 DAYS TO GO
This weeks major release is from The Kings of Leon, a band who have defied the odds to step up into the major leagues.
Related Articles
- On The Download: Kings Of Leon’s ‘Come Around Sundown’ (omg.yahoo.com)
This was partly due to great albums and great fans but also Glastonbury picking them as a headlining act in 2008.
Before this they were hardly known in their own country. This is now their 2nd Major league album so it will be interesting to see how they have coped and survived. I will review the Kings of Leon on Sunday.
The rest of this weeks albums are
The Beatles – ‘1962-1966’ (The Red Album)
The Beatles – ‘1967-1970’ (The Blue Album)
Kings Of Leon – ‘Come Around Sundown’
Lil Wayne – ‘I Am Not A Human Being’
The Phantom Band – ‘The Wants’
Red Hot Chilli Pipers – ‘Music For The Kilted Generation’
Shontelle – ‘No Gravity’
Squarepusher: ‘Shobaleader One: d’Demonstrator’
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – ‘The Social Network’ (OST)
ALBUM OF THE WEEK – THE NATIONAL – BOXER
Cover of Boxer
248 DAYS TO GO
The question foremost in everyone’s mind is, is the Boxer as good as High Violet, and the answer to most extents is yes.
The National are without doubt the break out band of the year for me, I know they have been going for years, but this is the first time I have heard of them.
The Boxer was released in 2007, and shows a band comfortable in their own skin and producing fine music already, some of the songs show what they are heading towards in 2010 but are in their own right excellent.
Fake Empire the opening track could easily sit in High Violet and Apartment Story is also awesome. As a whole the album is probably a rung or two below High Violets lofty heights but this is more a tribute to the brilliance of their latest album rather than to say the Boxer is not excellent.
Go out and buy this if you enjoyed High Violet if you don’t have both albums already go get them now.
Also Photo is of my dog watching telly, just thought it was cute.
Related Articles
ALBUM RELEASES FOR WEEK 11TH OF OCTOBER
253 DAYS TO GO
Loads of Variety out this week, but nothing that really gets me going. As I have just got tickets to see The National in January, my album of the week , which I will review on Sunday is their 2007 release Boxer.
Antony & The Johnsons – ‘Swanlights’
Ash – ‘A-Z Vol. 2’
The Bees – ‘Every Step’s A Yes’
Belle & Sebastian – ‘Write About Love’
Chiddy Bang – ‘The Preview’
Gold Panda – ‘Lucky Shiner’
Magnetic Man – ‘Magnetic Man’
Ocean Colour Scene – ’21’
Paul Smith – ‘Margins’
Squeeze – ‘Spot The Difference’
Sufjan Stevens – ‘The Age Of Adz’
Syd Barrett – ‘An Introduction To’
The Walkmen – ‘Lisbon’
ALBUM OF THE WEEK – FRIGHTENED RABBIT – THE WINTER OF MIXED DRINKS
A busy week in my life and one where listening to music took a back seat, so for these reasons , I finally took the opportunity of getting the latest offering from Frightened Rabbit.
I spent a lot of time listening to the record on the long trip to Glastonbury. This was because we only had about 4 cd’s and the IPod fm receiver lived up to its reputation and was crap.
So after 2 further run throughs I can confirm my original observations that this is a superb album from a confident band on the rise.
Obviously the swim song is a standout but by no means the last and as a complete whole matches the Arcade Fire record for power and honesty.
I look forward to many more listens and will be buying their next record the day it comes out, not waiting 6 months, and that is as high a compliment you can pay a band.
Well it’s pretty high.
Album Releases for the week 13th September 2010
A massive amount of Albums released this week, with Indie loves from New York Interpol heading the list. Also out this week is Robert Plants latest and Lloyd Cole, blasts from the past there. Will Led Zep ever reform for Glastonbury, my money is on No.
Linkin Park are back for the teenagers who love Metal/Rap and Nick Cave‘s latest incarnation Grinderman release their second well received album. Nick is a Legend, I saw him once at the Mean Fiddler in Harlesden, him and a piano and it was amazing.
New band wise Summer Camp seem to be the darlings of the late festival scene and they release an EP more than an album, I think, as it is only 6 tracks long.
But after all that I am going to go back earlier in the year for The Foals second album as my album of the week. I will post my review at the weekend.
Albums released today:
The Brute Chorus – ‘How The Caged Bird Sings’
Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly – ‘Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly’
Grinderman – ‘Grinderman 2’
Interpol – ‘Interpol’
Les Savy Fav – ‘Root For Ruin’
Linkin Park – ‘A Thousand Suns’
Lloyd Cole – ‘Broken Record’
Of Montreal – ‘False Priest’
The Pipettes – ‘Earth Vs The Pipettes’
Robert Plant – ‘Band Of Joy’
Robyn – ‘Body Talk Pt 2’
Royksopp – ‘Senior’
Summer Camp – ‘Young’
Underworld – ‘Barking’
Unkle – ‘The Answer’
The Vaselines – ‘Sex With An X’
Weezer – ‘Hurley’
Ping
Apple through the medium of iTunes has bought out a new service called Ping.
Supposedly it is going to kill off My Space as bands will be able to plug and sell their music throughout it.
It will also mean people can add friends and see what they are buying and what they like.
I have no idea how successful it will be but I have set up my account and if you want to add me as a friend just search for Greg McLaren.
Related Articles
- Apple Pings Your Music Tastes (blogherald.com)
- Ping Users Top One Million in First 48 Hours (apple.com)
- Facebook Puts Apple in a Pinch Over Ping (dailyfinance.com)
Album Releases for the Week 01 September 2010
Image via Wikipedia
I suppose the big new release from an indie standpoint is Everything Everything. However nothing I have heard from them yet has me out running to get this, certainly not this week anyway. I will be reviewing Best Coast this week. So come back on sunday if you have any interest on my thoughts of their album. Winners of the NME new band to watch competition. A band worth keeping your ear out for.
Of course the big record of the week is from Katy Perry and although I quite like her music I wouldn’t go out and buy an album of hers. One other album of interest is from Phil Selway who is the drummer from Radiohead. Drummers seem to love putting out their own albums these days.
Albums released today:
Everything Everything – ‘Man Alive’
Kano – ‘Method To The madness’
Katy Perry – ‘Teenage Dream’
Papa Roach – ‘Time For Annihilation: On The Record & On The Road’
Phil Selway – ‘Familial’
The Pretty Reckless – ‘Light Me Up’
Rose Elinor Dougall – ‘Without Why
Related Articles
- Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream Ends Eminem’s Chart Run (mtv.com)
- Philip Selway – Familial (musicbyday.com)
ALBUM OF THE WEEK – THE KLAXONS – SURFING THE VOID
Is it me or do The Klaxons sound alarmingly like Duran Duran. This their second album Is getting some very mixed reviews. The NME gave it an 8 out of 10, high praise indeed.
On early listenings opening track Echoes is without doubt the highlight of the album alongside the awesome album cover of a cat in a spacesuit. Again is it just me or if you say an album is a sleeper or a grower that it is just downright shit.
The Klaxons take on Dance indie seems to have moved into a more glam punk 80’s take on their original album which is not a compliment.
After a few more listens, the album is definitely not a grower it’s just patchy there are some fine songs and then there are some that could be on a Andrew Lloyd Webber musical soundtrack.
At this stage if you are in two minds about whether to purchase said album, I would not recommend it.
On the other hand if you don’t yet have The National, why not, last weeks album if the week is this years must own and The National the band I most want to catch up with when they are playing.
Related Articles
- The Word On… Surfing The Void, Klaxons (independent.co.uk)
- Klaxons Start Over on New Album ‘Surfing the Void’ (spinner.com)
Album Releases for the week 23rd August 2010
The big new release this week is the Klaxons Surfing The Void, it has been a 3 year wait and everyone has been waiting with bated breath to see what they would do next. I have got a copy and will give you my synopsis later in the week.
Other interesting releases are from those Perth boys Tame Impala and The Eels.
I just happened to be walking past the Enmore theater 2 weeks ago and they were playing. Their was a big crowd queuing as well. I haven’t really got in to them since their early days and probably Won’t aging but who knows.on the why have they bothered front John Mellancamp who used to be a cougar releases a new album
This weeks album releases are
Klaxons – ‘Surfing The Void’
Eels – ‘Tomorrow Morning’
One Night Only – ‘One Night Only’
William Orbit – ‘Pieces In A Modern Style 2’
!!! – ‘Strange Weather Isn’t It’
Tame Impala – ‘Innerspeaker’
Various Artists – ‘Scott Pilgrim Vs The World OST’
Zola Jesus – ‘Stridulum II’
The Count & Sinden – ‘Mega Mega Mega’
The Union – ‘The Union’
John Mellencamp – ‘No Better Than This’
Related Articles
- Tame Impala: Innerspeaker | CD review (guardian.co.uk)
ALBUM OF THE WEEK – THE NATIONAL – HIGH VIOLET
This is the National’s fifth album and the first that I have listened to. formed in 1999 they are a 5 piece with a lead singer Matt Beringer and two sets of brothers.
So I would like to say is how fucking good are The National.
Starting with Terrible love a rock n roll tribute similar in scope to Bittersweet Symphony.
After that they change the form of the album completely.
What is in the water in the Americas that they can produce Arcade Fire and The National, I can’t remember loving the US so much since the days of Rem and Nirvana .
This is 51 minutes of unbridled unexpected joy. Why didn’t anyone tell me about them before the Glasto trip .
Afraid of everyone continues for me the Verve type of intensity without resorting to Richard Ashcroft hysterics. This is a band who knows what they want to say and how they want to see it.
High Violet is a unique record.
I suggest anyone who has read this blog and said hey I agree with that guy and doesnt yet own the Nationals latest album goes to their local our price or wollies and buy it. If you can’t find one of those spotify it or download it from iTunes even at the outrageous price of 7.99.
Listen to lemonworld it’s awesome I’m not sure what the fuck it’s about but what a great song. Every track is a beauty and I would say this record will be contesting a lot of critics top of the year charts later this year.
Related Articles
- The National: High Violet, CD review (telegraph.co.uk)
ALBUM OF THE WEEK – JAMIE T – KINGS AND QUEENS
My album of the week is the 2009 Jamie T release Kings and Queens. I think Jamie has gone from Strength to strength and has produced a finer second album than his first. This is a fine achievement and certainly musically it us a step up from his first album. You can currently get the download for £4.99 on iTunes at the moment which is a veritable bargain.
ALBUM OF THE WEEK – FIRE LIKE THIS – BLOOD RED SHOES
Released 28 Feb 2010
This week album of the week, is Blood Red Shoes. if you haven’t heard of them they are a minimalist band along the lines of the White Stripes. With a boy drummer and a girl guitarist. They hail from Brighton and have been around for years although they look as if they are in their teens.
This is their second album released in Feb this year. They sound like early 90’s indie before Oasis arrived on the scene, think Elastica meets Smashing Pumpkins.
Although the album is good it’s not amazing. Live they rock . Well worth checking out of they aren’t yet on your radar.
Also on the turntable are Bombay Bicycle Clubs Flaws which is a grower, but weird, as I don’t really associate them with that type of music.
Also still listening to Frank Turner and a dash of Florence and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
ALBUM OF THE WEEK – THE DRUMS – THE DRUMS
12 DAYS TO GO
Is there any originality left in music. Is there anything that can be considered original anymore. Certainly nothing I have listened to lately jumps out at me and says, hey I have never heard anything like this before.
Another question is should it. Rock and roll as we know it has been around for 60 odd years now so most variations on the 4 chord theme have been tried truly tested and done by now.
This leads me on to The Drums. From Brooklyn in New York and looking like school boys one of the many observations I have read about them is that they are not very original. However I take you back to my original question, does it really matter. I believe not, Rock and roll is about the moment about the feeling and it is those 2 criteria that should be applied when assessing most music rather than whether it is original or not.
The Drums are not original nearly every second of their album can be likened to another band so I will dispense with that straight away.
So are the in the moment, do they offer a listening treat that will keep you returning back to the music they make. Unfortunately I don’t think they do. The record sounds like it was recorded in a school hall and without spending to much time gooogling The Drums I guess this is the sound they are after.
I must say thought that its not for me, the overall production lets them down but saying that the whole album is more than the sum of the parts if that makes sense. No song stands out but it can be enjoyed as a whole sitting.
I wanted to love this record because the way things are falling I will be seeing The Drums at Glastonbury maybe live they can overcome the faults in the record and breathe life into the songs. I hope so.
ALBUM OF THE WEEK – THE BLACK KEYS – BROTHERS
32 DAYS TO GO
The Black Keys are a duo from Akron Ohio who formed in 2001. This is their sixth album, but the first I have listened to as I had not heard of them before. I mustn’t be keeping up with indie blues coming out of the states anyway, I don’t reckon I have much in common with people from Akron Ohio
When I think of people from Akron Ohio I think of big beards flared jeans and blokes who sleep with their sister. So I googled the Black Keys, hey I wasn’t disappointed.
Anyway onto The Album itself.
Some of the album is very 60’s orientated with hints of Motown.
Never gonna give you up could be lifted straight from a Dusty Springfield record.
Ten cent pistol has the singer sounding a lot like early Them Van the Man and much of the album owes more to early 60’s British blues than the White stripes who they are often compared to.
The album is also littered with jimi Hendrix sounds and although you can rattle off about another 20 bands they sound like, what blues can’t you, this isn’t such a bad thing. This is an enjoyable run through the a to z of blues, I imagine that at a late night venue with a smoky ambience and a whisky or 2 they would be amazing. Maybe the Bourbon bar can get a special guest set sorted out.
I have been enjoying the album but I am not going to trawl through there back catalogue and become a creepy fan. They are playing on Friday night on the John Peel and if fortune strikes I might see them and I think thoroughly enjoy them.
Glasto Blogger 