日志

Under the Radar review: CMJ 2011

Zambri
Wise Blood
Adventure
Chad Valley
Casiokids
Porcelain Raft
Eleanor Friedberger
Still Corners
The Stepkids
Dum Dum Girls
Forest Fire
Ill Fits
Caveman
Electric Guest
Teen
We Barbarians
Purity Ring
Small Black
Friends
Radiation City
Kid Savant
EMA
Mykki Blanco
Joker
Gang Gang Dance

Under the radar photo gallery: CMJ Day One

Zambri
Wise Blood
Adventure

Got to say I really regret using a line from the Pet Shop Boys' Please as the title for last month's blog, as it would fit perfectly to this month's. First up is the mighty Midnight City by M83, one of those killer tracks that clicks right away and still sounds great after far too many listens in a row. Catchier than a rash in a brothel, it even reclaims the sax solo and makes it sound a-maz-ing. More 80s that 80 Jan Hammer soundtracks to 80 episodes of Miami Vice, and brilliant for it.

Lesser Known by Adventure might have been out for a while, but I only found it last month in my promo pile. If M83 is inspired by the cheesier side of mid 80s MOR pop, this is coming more from the Pet Shop Boys/early Depeche Mode camp.Open Door is a corker of an opener (ahem), and overall it sounds a bit like Les Rythmes Digitales but with more tunes. Alas Rio is not a cover of the Duran Duran hit, but you can't help thinking that with a name like that…

When rating prog albums I try to do so in a historical context, that is how an album compares against the entire body of Prog. This means that the best album for any given year, which most people would rate with top marks may not receive the same rating in my charts as only the best albums of all time should get the highest ratings... This chart does not include compilations or live albums.

My Ratings:
Note: I vote on a bell curve, anything above 6 is really good, anything much below 4 really isn't :D
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7082504/bellcurve.jpg
1. (=) Naikaku - Shell (2006) - 7.85
2. (=) Frost* - Milliontown (2006) - 7.79
3. (=) Wobbler - Hinterland (2005) - 7.69
4. (=) Areknamés - Love Hate Round Trip (2006) - 7.68
5. (=) Gargamel - Descending (2009) - 7.67
6. (=) Simon Says - Tardigrade (2008) - 7.62
7. (=) Magenta - Metamorphosis (2008) - 7.43
8. (=) Matthew Parmenter - Horror Express (2008) - 7.41
9. (=) Gargamel - Watch for the Umbles (2005) - 7.39
…

I always forget which bands I went to see so I'm going to keep a list.


16-JAN - Skream / Benga / Plastician / Youngsta / Zinc / EZ / Slimzee @ FWD. The End.
17-JAN - Justice / Erol Alkan @ Bugged Out. The End
30-JAN - Kode 9 @ Night Slugs. The Egg.

12-FEB - Buraka Som Sistema @ Scala
14-FEB - Post War Years / Plug @ Club Motherfucker. Bardens Boudoir.

06-MAR - Digitalism / Filthy Dukes @ Fabric.
12-MAR - Temper Trap / It Hugs Back @ Rockfeedback. The Lexington.
19-MAR - The Long Lost / Speech Debelle / Ken Kobayashi / To Arms @ Broken Yolk. Bardens Boudoir.
26-MAR - 29 Steps / Mr Beasely @ Bad Sneakers. Bardens Boudoir.
28-MAR - Selfish Cunt / An Experiment On A Bird In The Air Pump @ Worship. Shoreditch Church.
29-MAR - Drum Eyes / apatt / Chops / Peepholes / PENS / Hands On Heads @ YES WAY ALLDAYER. Auto Italia


02-APR - Dananananaykroyd / Favours For Sailors / Dutch Uncles @ Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
03-APR - The Field & Luke Abbot @ Cargo.
…

This year, I was lucky enough to see a trove of live acts that were all some variation of awesome. The selection of my favorite albums was driven largely by great concert experiences.

(Best onward)
1. TV on the Radio - Dear Science
The first single “Golden Age” filled me with doubt, even disappointment. I mean, it sounded like (immaculately produced) Michael Jackson, not TV on the Radio. But then I gave all of Dear Science my first listen. The opening track, “Halfway Home” buried my preconceptions and made certain they would not rise again like friggin' zombies. The album’s cohesiveness is what eventually forgave tracks like “Golden Age”, “Dancing Choose”, and “Family Tree” for me. Once I saw each song’s intended niche in the whole record, I was right at home. I really really like "Stork and Owl", "Crying, "Shout Me Out", "DLZ", "Lover's Day", and pretty much everything else on it. And they rawk in concert!?!

2. Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing
…