Category Archives: 2012 resolution

2 albums a week – weeks 5 & 6

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And the latest…

Kaiser Chiefs – the future is medieval: smart distribution system aside, this is 20 album tracks. I’d have loved quite a lot of it 15 years ago. If you want the big singalongs, go have another listen to an earlier album.

Lana Del Rey – Born to Die: Apparently you have to either love or hate her, there is no room for inbetween… Which is difficult cos it’s a pretty inconsistent album – opening with the title track made me realise how I’d quite liked it at first these radio, but now was BORED to die a death (see what I did there?) by it, it’s a bit up and down. Shades of the pretentious warbly indulgence of the latest Florence and the Machine album give way to some pregood decent electro tracks. A good 9 track album squeezed into a 15 track album. This years Jem. Remember her? Welsh girl. Was everywhere. For a while.

Django django – django django: NOW you’re talking. Excellent album, should be listened to in a dark crowded sweaty room filled with smoke before a set by Mothers of God.

Metronomy – the English Riviera: achingly cool electronic surf that bears relistening. Let it get under your skin. This will probably be everywhere this summer, and I’m Ok with that.

2 albums a week – weeks 3 and 4

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The latest reviews of my two-album-a-week new years resolution!

The Maccabees – Given to the Wild: excellent album, much darker than the brilliantly catchy lead single Pelican, which itself takes on a darker feel in the context of the songs. One that will be listened to again!

Florence + the machine – Ceremonials: warble warble, getting a bit interesting BIG NOTE, warbles, bit more of an interesting bit, going on a bit isn’t it? Oh we’re only half way through (repeat). Perhaps slightly over estimated the appetite for such a high number of tracks.

Howling bells – Radio wars: after stumbling on Golden Web on shuffle, I was looking forward to this, and it almost delivers eventually. Despite a pretty slow start, it does pick up towards the end. I reckon if I give it a couple more listens I’ll enjoy it more.

Mi MyeMi mye – the time and the loneliness: as unassuming as he is talented, Jaime Mi Mye has crafted another wonderfully musical, witty, gorgeous album that you just want to give a big old hug to. There seems to be a pretty good rule of thumb at the moment – Scotsman in Yorkshire releases album = that’s an album you really should get.

 

Album roundup – weeks 1 & 2

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So I’m 2 weeks into my new years resolution to listen to 2 albums a week I’ve never listened to before… I’m going to give a 2 line review on each one I listen to… Just to keep things on track and so I can remember what they’re like!

Bon Iver – Bon Iver – a lovely gentle reintroduction to the daily commute, warming my cockles on a cold train platform. That last track weirded me out though, it’s like an 80′s soft rock tune tried to muscle its way in…

SBTRKTSBTRKT – SBTRKT – corking album, great blend of chilled out beats with some silky voices, without drifting into the cheese. Achingly cool nephew of the artful dodger.

 

 

Coldplay – MYLO XYLTO – what’s up with the capital letters, and general disregard for vowels? Never mind, this is a standard release with no huge surprises from the chaps with the moisturised faces and healthy tour schedule. A good reference for the singalongs in huge arenas.

Foster the PeopleFoster the People – Torches – Loved it. That “pumped up kicks” tune is bloody everywhere, being played to death, however the rest of album sounds like they’re putting in just enough effort to take it from standard drumsguitarsbasskeyboards into something a bit cleverer, without Trying Too Hard. Nice songmanship too. Perhaps I just expected them to be a bit dull, so they seem better because of it? Regardless, I’ll be giving this one a relisten for certain.

New years resolutions

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Happy new year!

I hope you all had a magnificent night and are still hurting a bit from it. I stayed up far too late watching fireworks and forgetting I had a baby that would be awake 4 hours later. OUCH.

So. Resolutions! I usually make the same old ones that get screwed up within 48hrs of the year starting (no drinking, chocolate, winding up people on the Internet, yadda yadda yadda) but this year I fancied doing something a bit different, a bit more productive, and one I had half a chance of doing for the whole year.

This year, I am going to listen to 104 albums that I have not listened to before.

Me, not listening to any of these albums

Me, not listening to any of these albums

That’s 2 a week. All year. Most of them aren’t out yet. Quite a few of them probably haven’t been writtenyet. But that excites me. I don’t have a favourite album from last year because I just didn’t hear whole albums… Which is a pretty big thing for me, I’ve had a favourite album of the year for every year since I was 14. Now a lot of that is the general life disruption of parenthood, and a bit of it is listening to a few songs and jumping off to something else like a musical hummingbird with ADHD. But no more. Concentrate Sean, concentrate!

I’m sure some of it will be rubbish, but some might be better than I expect. I’m trying to do this without any pre-judgements, in the same way Mark Kermode can go into a “big mommas house” movie to judge it a standalone piece…

I’ll keep a tally of what I’ve got planned to listen to and what I have listened to on this post… And if you have any recommendations, do tell me in the comments below!

To listen to:

SBTRKT – SBTRKT
Foster the people – torches
Laura Marling – a creature I don’t know*
Coldplay – Mylo xyloto*
Florence and the machine – ceremonials
The villagers – becoming a jackal
The decemberists – the king is dead
The black keys – el camino
Wild beasts – smother
King creosote & Jon Hopkins – Diamond mine
Lisa Hannigan – passenger
My morning jacket – Circuital

And what else am I missing…?

*yes, I KNOW I should have gotten round to these already. Sorry. That’s why I’m doing this.