Albums of the year - The early contenders

As ever this is my fave albums of the year list. I will just explain the rules again, these are albums that are NEW TO ME. Some of them may even be albums that I already own but have found renewed favour in the last year.

1. Battles - Mirrored


2. Radiohead - In Rainbows


3. Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea


4. Scars - Author, Author


5. Floratone - Floratone


6. J Dilla - The Shining Instrumentals


7. Tinariwen - Aman Iman: Water Is Life


8. Various Artists - Larry Banks' Soul Family Album


9. Matt Schofield Trio - The Trio, Live

Anyway the year is still young, so I reserve my write to change this list a few times yet before the end of the year.

Guilty Pleasures - Rock the bus

I often listen to my mp3 player on the bus in the morning and it struck me how often I use my rock playlists compared to any other. Maybe it is some sort of midlife crisis; these are my favourites at the moment:

1. Metallica - Master of Puppets
2. Focus - Hocus Pocus
3. Slayer - Reign n Blood
4. Thin Lizzy - Angel from the Coast
5. Motorhead - Iron Horse

It isn't really even nostalgia as none of these tracks really featured much when I was growing up, and I have only recently found delight in Metallica and Slayer, I just find Master of Puppets incredibly funny ... I don't know why I think it is because they take themselves so seriously.

Battles/Prefuse 73 - Manchester Academy

Before the gig even started Prefuse 73 sent out a "test beep" just to make sure all their kit was working correctly I guess. "...oh fuck" muttered the guy standing next to me as the nosebleed inducing pulse of sound hit us. Realising this could mean the kind of sonic trouble not seen since the vomit inducing volume created by The Swans in the mid-eighties. I tried edge my way back through the crowd but was wedged solid. Thankfully their set didn't make me nauseous, quite the reverse, I really enjoyed the mix of heady post-Endtroducing abstract beats - although the set didn't have enough light and shade to really make the most of the crescendos.

Battles didn't disappoint. For those that haven't heard them they are pretty hard to pin down, and are actually one of the few bands out their really doing something a bit different. Their music combines elements of prog, hardcore and hiphop beats. Here is what Wikipedia has to say about them.

"The group's line-up is composed of well-known musicians, including ex-Helmet drummer John Stanier, ex-Don Caballero guitarist Ian Williams, ex-Lynx guitarist Dave Konopka, and Tyondai Braxton (son of avant-garde jazz musician Anthony Braxton), who also plays guitar and keyboard and creates live voice samples."

If you get the chance, check these guys out ... infact do it now on YouTube

The vinyl countdown

My very generous wife bought me a new turntable for my birthday this year - it has been a couple of years since my vinyl has been given a good spin. Here are the first ten LPs that I have played.

1. Sonny Boy Williamson - Potraits in Blues
2. Piano Blues Masters - VA
3. Tangerine Dream - Force Majure
4. Blaze - 25 Years Later
5. Pillows and Prayers - VA
6. Television - Marquee Moon
7. Mark Eitzel - Songs of love live
8. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin 3
9. Van Morrison - Moondance
10. Latin Soul - VA

Guilty posting

Haven't posted for ages, here are a few links of stuff I'm into at the moment.

Dandelion Radio
Internet radio station dedicated to keeping the spirit of Peel alive and now officially home to the festive fifty - get voting...
http://www.dandelionradio.com/ (especially Brian and Steve's radiodubster show)
http://www.myspace.com/dandelionradio

Edwyn Collins
Have recently got the new Edwyn album "Home Again" and very good it is too. Glad to see he is continuing to make a good recovery after his cerebral hemorrhage of 2005. There is even talk of him working towards a tour.
http://www.edwyncollins.com/

Guitars
"The more guitars I have, the better I will play" as Nickie points out regularly this not in fact true, it must be worth a try ...
Yamaha SA2200

Tall Pony
"You will not eat crisps or chocolate ... I'm your boyfriend now"
Tall Pony on MySpace

Gig round up

Feeling a bit guilty as I have neglected the blog for a while. But I have moved house and job, so perhaps I have an excuse.A couple of gigs that I went to ages ago that I should record before I forget:

Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid - Manchester Academy
Kieran and Steve played an (semi) improvised set to an enthralled uni crowd. Sold out on the night, those expecting to see a Fourtet gig would have been a little disappointed as most of the set was fairly free form he did bung in a few old school breaks and beats into the mix to keep the youngsters happy.

With support from sort of a Fence Records supergroup The Pictish Trail featuring Johnny Lynch (the label's boss) with James Yorkston and King Creosote and others. They played a very enjoyable set which to to use the old music journo standby sounded like a mash up of New Order and the Corries.

Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Manchester Bidgewater Hall
Will Oldham in full-on band mode, lacked a bit in both light and shade and material selection. He picked material mainly from his last couple of records and delivered each in similar fashion, this seemed a bit of a waste considering the bredth and scope his back catalogue.

The best various artist compilations ... ever

These will have to do until I think of some others, I have avoided including DJ mix CDs in this list and "Metal for Muthas", although I did notice the vinyl on eBay recently with the buy it now price of US $24.99 - maybe I should have hung on to it! Not in any particular order.

1. Folk is not a four letter word
2. Nuggets
3. Urban Classics - Urban URBLP4
4. Urban Classics Vol 2 - Urban URBLP5
5. Country got Soul vol 2
6. Brazil Classics, Vol. 1: Beleza Tropical - Luaka Bop
7. Pure Soul - Kent 019
8. Country got Soul Vol 1
9. Footstompers - Kent 017
10. Pillows and Prayers - Cherry Red
11. Sun Harmonica Classics - Rounder
12. Folk is not a four letter word 2

Artists/bands by number of gigs attended

• The Fall - 6 times
• Hawkwind - 5 times
• Jonathan Richman (solo and Modern Lovers) - 5 times
• Teenage Fanclub (once with Jad Fair) - 4 times
• Mark Eitzel (solo and American Music Club) - 3 times
• Van Morrison - 3 times

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