1. Lightspeed Champion - Falling Off Lavender Bridge
Three years ago, Devonte Hynes was the third member of ultra-scene dance-metal gods Test Icicles. Six months later a young Merriman trawled MySpace, seeking the fruits of their demise and discovering Hynes' new project, Lightspeed Champion. Merriman then recoiled in horror. Not only was the quality of his demos exceptionally poor, it was folk music. Yes folk music. The young man only wanted more jagged, fast-paced dance music. Was that really so much to ask? Despairing, he turned away from the screen, lamenting the death of such a unique group, preferring for them to be a happy memory rather than have their legacy tarnished by Hynes' newfound 'lameness'.
Lightspeed Champion had been long-abandoned, only being brought out upon meeting another former TI fan. And then there was Galaxy Of The Lost. This single changed everything. It was something truly special. Hynes' soft voice, backed by Emmy the Great, set a strange new angle to the graphic lyrics. The imperfect harmonies perfectly demonstrating their fragility, a misplaced man dissatisfied with how his life is playing-out.
Then I just wanted more. The Renton in me crawled out of the toilet, clutching second single Midnight Surprise and thanking elbo.ws for this much needed musical suppository, hoping it would keep me sane until February, when the album was due for release.
I should probably say something about the album now. It's good. Very good. My favourite of the year in fact. Twelve (0r fourteen if you bought the iTunes version) mature commentaries written by a young man, disillusioned with with life and love (an erstwhile Merriman empathised here). It feels so contemporary compared to a great deal of folk music- there's no references to woodland here. "delivery reports have ruined my life" from Devil Tricks for a Bitch is a reminder that even semi-famous people can be ignored by girls they like.
An unexpected highlight is Dry Lips, a song about a hangover which builds to a fantastic shouted climax about his loss of hope, the neverending day of headaches and guilt. It's at least as good as Midnight Surprise, Dev's undeniable opus. An epic ten minute ballad, set into several parts. It's a modern day Bohemian Rhapsody, but not at all overblown. It's subtle, sad and beautiful. Emmy's vocals are particularly special here, her 'wake up princesses' during the breakdown are simply haunting. Sadly the album, like this review, loses a bit of steam towards the end and the two bonus tracks do not add anything other than extra minutes to the play time. Perhaps not the masterpiece I had hoped for all of last winter, it still stands high above all the rest in terms of fantastic production, talented guests and originality. Brilliant live too.
2. M83 - Saturdays = Youth
Shoegazey soundscapes give way to 80's synthpop on Anthony Gonzalez's fifth album. Just by flicking through the liner notes you can see that M83 have become cool. Skinny French fashionistas pasted across every page aren't the best advert for accessibility, but neither is the dreadful first track. It's confident, cohesive songwriting with a bold poppy finish.
Kim & Jessie is an obvious stand out, but spare a moment to be struck by Skin of the Night's power ballad drumming. The best thing and also the biggest surprise is how well it works live. The Scala in October was the best gig I'd been to in a long time, my only hope is that that encore will represent another change of direction for Gonzalez. Soon afterwards I coined the genre 'dancegaze' because nothing describes it better. I think it would be wise decision, should he make it, because this current sound may not be welcome for long to the older fans among us.
3. The Kills - Midnight Boom
I hate the Kills because they are such insufferable tryhards. They twat about, all measured poses and studied stumbling, exhibiting the worst among scene photographic and fashion tendencies. Despite this they can be quite inspirational, demonstrating to young men such as myself that no matter how many times you fuck up a promising career, you can always reinvent yourself, have terrible hair and grow older disgracefully. Certain people will still think you're cool. This, their third album, reeks of effort, but that's not what they'd want you to believe. Their punk conditioning would not allow it. It's clearly a labour of love by VV and Hotel. It's not as lo-fi as the previous records, with something sounding suspiciously like a pop hook on one or two of the tracks. last days of magic is the best song on the album, the slight change of pace and nonsense lovelorn lyrics in the prechorus working perfectly. Sour Cherry and Cheap and Cheerful are fantastic too. The only thing that really lets the album down are the slower numbers which can drag. A sterling effort, but don't tell them that.
4. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
I first heard about this band from my friend Joe, standing about halfway back at a My Bloody Valentine gig. Not knowing what to expect (I couldn't hear for about two days after Kevin Shields destroyed my eardrums) I downloaded it immediately. It's another folk album, but a more traditional record than Lavender Bridge. I'm not sure who foresaw that ambient, vocally driven folk would be one of the sounds of 2008, but whoever they are, they're a genius. The first-listen difficulty of the first track is compensated for by track two-cum-brilliant single White Winter Hymnal. A fantastically uplifting piece of music about, well, I'm not sure what it's about beyond the season of winter and all its imagery. This album doesn't take itself too seriously, the importance of which cannot be understated because this could so easily have been boring. Robin Pecknold's soaring vocals are gorgeous and really hit home on the slower numbers like Meadowlarks (this reporter's personal favourite) and Oliver James. The album feels like a balmy summer's evening spent sat in a meadow or on a trampoline (an Ashford staple) and that's no bad thing - no rain forecast here. Pure, uplifting and in danger of being overplayed.
5. Mystery Jets - Twenty One
Mystery Jets were the heroes of my sixth form years, their brilliant live performances and proggy pop combined to forge Making Dens as a classic album from a vintage year (2006). Last year's effort was much less interesting than their debut, but possibly more endearing and infinitely more enduring. A lot of the prog influences seem to have departed with Henry, but by God the boys can write a pop song. Brilliant singles Young Love and Two Doors Down stand only a little higher than the rest of the songs, with strong album tracks like Hand Me Down and my personal fave Twenty-one (the hidden track) make this a thoroughly enjoyable listen.
Honourable Mentions:
Johnny Flynn - A Larum
Despite all of my friends going completley mad for him, I was a teeny bit underwhelmed. Yes he's a good singer and yes he's pretty, but the album is a bit too long and repetitive. His lyrical themes are at times uninteresting and fall a bit flat.Sallyand The Box are instant classics though.
No Age - Nouns
A late inductee to my library, artful noise-punk for the 21st century whilst meeting shoegaze somewhere in between. Very raw and with scintillatingly ugly vocals.
Three years ago, Devonte Hynes was the third member of ultra-scene dance-metal gods Test Icicles. Six months later a young Merriman trawled MySpace, seeking the fruits of their demise and discovering Hynes' new project, Lightspeed Champion. Merriman then recoiled in horror. Not only was the quality of his demos exceptionally poor, it was folk music. Yes folk music. The young man only wanted more jagged, fast-paced dance music. Was that really so much to ask? Despairing, he turned away from the screen, lamenting the death of such a unique group, preferring for them to be a happy memory rather than have their legacy tarnished by Hynes' newfound 'lameness'.
Lightspeed Champion had been long-abandoned, only being brought out upon meeting another former TI fan. And then there was Galaxy Of The Lost. This single changed everything. It was something truly special. Hynes' soft voice, backed by Emmy the Great, set a strange new angle to the graphic lyrics. The imperfect harmonies perfectly demonstrating their fragility, a misplaced man dissatisfied with how his life is playing-out.
Then I just wanted more. The Renton in me crawled out of the toilet, clutching second single Midnight Surprise and thanking elbo.ws for this much needed musical suppository, hoping it would keep me sane until February, when the album was due for release.
I should probably say something about the album now. It's good. Very good. My favourite of the year in fact. Twelve (0r fourteen if you bought the iTunes version) mature commentaries written by a young man, disillusioned with with life and love (an erstwhile Merriman empathised here). It feels so contemporary compared to a great deal of folk music- there's no references to woodland here. "delivery reports have ruined my life" from Devil Tricks for a Bitch is a reminder that even semi-famous people can be ignored by girls they like.
An unexpected highlight is Dry Lips, a song about a hangover which builds to a fantastic shouted climax about his loss of hope, the neverending day of headaches and guilt. It's at least as good as Midnight Surprise, Dev's undeniable opus. An epic ten minute ballad, set into several parts. It's a modern day Bohemian Rhapsody, but not at all overblown. It's subtle, sad and beautiful. Emmy's vocals are particularly special here, her 'wake up princesses' during the breakdown are simply haunting. Sadly the album, like this review, loses a bit of steam towards the end and the two bonus tracks do not add anything other than extra minutes to the play time. Perhaps not the masterpiece I had hoped for all of last winter, it still stands high above all the rest in terms of fantastic production, talented guests and originality. Brilliant live too.
2. M83 - Saturdays = Youth
Shoegazey soundscapes give way to 80's synthpop on Anthony Gonzalez's fifth album. Just by flicking through the liner notes you can see that M83 have become cool. Skinny French fashionistas pasted across every page aren't the best advert for accessibility, but neither is the dreadful first track. It's confident, cohesive songwriting with a bold poppy finish.
Kim & Jessie is an obvious stand out, but spare a moment to be struck by Skin of the Night's power ballad drumming. The best thing and also the biggest surprise is how well it works live. The Scala in October was the best gig I'd been to in a long time, my only hope is that that encore will represent another change of direction for Gonzalez. Soon afterwards I coined the genre 'dancegaze' because nothing describes it better. I think it would be wise decision, should he make it, because this current sound may not be welcome for long to the older fans among us.3. The Kills - Midnight Boom
I hate the Kills because they are such insufferable tryhards. They twat about, all measured poses and studied stumbling, exhibiting the worst among scene photographic and fashion tendencies. Despite this they can be quite inspirational, demonstrating to young men such as myself that no matter how many times you fuck up a promising career, you can always reinvent yourself, have terrible hair and grow older disgracefully. Certain people will still think you're cool. This, their third album, reeks of effort, but that's not what they'd want you to believe. Their punk conditioning would not allow it. It's clearly a labour of love by VV and Hotel. It's not as lo-fi as the previous records, with something sounding suspiciously like a pop hook on one or two of the tracks. last days of magic is the best song on the album, the slight change of pace and nonsense lovelorn lyrics in the prechorus working perfectly. Sour Cherry and Cheap and Cheerful are fantastic too. The only thing that really lets the album down are the slower numbers which can drag. A sterling effort, but don't tell them that.
4. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
I first heard about this band from my friend Joe, standing about halfway back at a My Bloody Valentine gig. Not knowing what to expect (I couldn't hear for about two days after Kevin Shields destroyed my eardrums) I downloaded it immediately. It's another folk album, but a more traditional record than Lavender Bridge. I'm not sure who foresaw that ambient, vocally driven folk would be one of the sounds of 2008, but whoever they are, they're a genius. The first-listen difficulty of the first track is compensated for by track two-cum-brilliant single White Winter Hymnal. A fantastically uplifting piece of music about, well, I'm not sure what it's about beyond the season of winter and all its imagery. This album doesn't take itself too seriously, the importance of which cannot be understated because this could so easily have been boring. Robin Pecknold's soaring vocals are gorgeous and really hit home on the slower numbers like Meadowlarks (this reporter's personal favourite) and Oliver James. The album feels like a balmy summer's evening spent sat in a meadow or on a trampoline (an Ashford staple) and that's no bad thing - no rain forecast here. Pure, uplifting and in danger of being overplayed.
5. Mystery Jets - Twenty One
Mystery Jets were the heroes of my sixth form years, their brilliant live performances and proggy pop combined to forge Making Dens as a classic album from a vintage year (2006). Last year's effort was much less interesting than their debut, but possibly more endearing and infinitely more enduring. A lot of the prog influences seem to have departed with Henry, but by God the boys can write a pop song. Brilliant singles Young Love and Two Doors Down stand only a little higher than the rest of the songs, with strong album tracks like Hand Me Down and my personal fave Twenty-one (the hidden track) make this a thoroughly enjoyable listen.
Honourable Mentions:
Johnny Flynn - A Larum
Despite all of my friends going completley mad for him, I was a teeny bit underwhelmed. Yes he's a good singer and yes he's pretty, but the album is a bit too long and repetitive. His lyrical themes are at times uninteresting and fall a bit flat.
Sallyand The Box are instant classics though.No Age - Nouns
A late inductee to my library, artful noise-punk for the 21st century whilst meeting shoegaze somewhere in between. Very raw and with scintillatingly ugly vocals.
