Sunday, December 31, 2006

To The Future

So, Dear Readers, that was 2006. Was it fun? Did you have a good time? I sincerely hope so. I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for the forthcoming twelve months anyways. I would insert something slightly profound here but a) I can't really think of anything and b) inserting an inspirational quote is something of a cliche in all honesty.

Anyways, to 2007! I've a good feeling about this...

Friday, December 22, 2006

The Singles of the Year 2006

Or perhaps that should be subtitled 'What? No 'Jump in my Car'?'. For somehow David Hasselhoff managed to almost score a number one single this year with a dreadfully cheesy song, and a hilarious video. And purely for that reason he almost warranted a position on the following rundown. As did current novelty pop track 'Chacaron' by El Chombo which seems to border that fine line between madness and genius by having someone mumble over a basic backing track whilst someone else talks about Macaroons. Utterly bizzare. However, as will become evident, there is only space for one genius/terrible borderline track as it has been a great twelve months for individual singles. What other songs narrowly missed out? Well Snow Patrol's 'Chasing Cars' was, and still is, a beautiful love song that came close, as did both of the slightly bonkers yet immensely funky singles from CSS, and The Zutons' brilliant 'Why Won't You Give Me You're Love?'. Also, in the name of avoiding overtly favouring my fave bands ,The Bluetones' 'My Neighbour's House' was denied a place on this list despite being a brilliantly bouncy indie track. So, what songs defined and summarised the year musically? Not flaming 'Atlantis to Interzone' by The Klaxons to start with. Read on...

10. The Strokes - Heart in a Cage

From the second that Nick Valenti's lead guitar screams and screeches in to life, sounding as though he's trying to out do Guns and Roses' 'Sweet Child of Mine', this track immediately grabs your attention and inspires air guitar riffing. Whilst Jules croons about feeling out of place and missing chances with a girl, the musical accompaniment seems to veer between heavy metal and Iggy Pop-style punk, to make a track that rocks, swirls and broods in equal measures. What's more, the line "See I'm stuck in a city/but I belong in a field" seems strangely touching from a band so defined by their relationship to New York. The best thing they've ever recorded? Quite possibly, yes.

9. Boy Kill Boy - Suzie

Back in January, the music press was buzzing about this London-based band being the next big thing. However, when their debut single, 'Back Again', sounded like a rejected Editors track, people were right to be sceptical. However, that couldn't hide the fact that the follow up was a glorious three minutes of glam-indie-pop. With it's stacatto guitars, jerky synthesisers and downtrodden lyrics, culminating in the anthemic chorus hook of "count down to the disappointment/I'm your's tonight', it was a very special track. Perhaps if it had been their debut it would have better justified the hype.

8. Robbie Williams - Rudebox

Upon release of this track The Sun proclaimed it "the worst song ever recorded". The first time you heard it you had to check yourself that you'd heard it right. For why on Earth would an alleged 'global superstar' release a song with such quintessentially British lyrics as 'TK Maxx costs less"? However, that wasn't the real lyrical gem of the track, that was reserved for "the R-U-D-E-B-O-X/Goes up your jacksy and splits your kecks". Whilst the track proved once more that white, British men are not in anyway 'gangstas', you were never fully convinced that Mr. Williams also in on the joke, gleefully aware that what he was performing a pile of complete nonsense. Did he trick the world in to thinking this was serious? Is it really a subtle parody of hip-hop culture? Or is it just a really dreadful song? It's that pause that the track inspires that makes it fantastic. Go on, shake your rudebox. Whatever the hell that means.

7. The Holloways - Generator

"I can get a record player/and a generator/to generate the music that makes you feel better". What a fantastic statement against middle class angst this track was. Complete with indie-folk guitar parts that recall The Levellers in more ways than one, this track came along towards the end of the summer and shone brighter than a lot of the sunshine we experienced this year. Whilst some may say it was a little preachy, or a bit too much like The Levellers in fact, there's no doubting that it's a frank, joyous and bouncy reminder to be grateful for what you've got.

6. The Fratellis - Creepin' Up The Backstairs

Perhaps there should be a law that the track that announces your presence to the world should be as chaotic as this is, as it's breakneck chord sequence and quickly-delivered lyrics seem perfectly suited to inspire mass hysteria when played live. However, unlike The Libertines, who seemed to revel in being a total shambles on record, there's something quite ordered about this track that only adds to the energy of it. Whilst they went on to become absolutely huge towards the end of this year, this tale of youthful defiance of your parents and your siblings only underlines what I mean when I say that if I was ten years younger they'd probably be my favourite band, since this would be the reason why.

5. Keane - Crystal Ball

It begins with a wave of feedback and some glimmering, crystaline piano sounds that suggests something fragile and mysterious. From the second Tom Chaplin's vocals enter, proclaiming "Who is the man I see/where I'm supposed to be", it's obvious that the opening music is a good indicator of the rest of the song. What follows is four minutes of astonishing honesty, documenting what it really feels like to look at your reflection and not recognise the person you see. Depending on the mood you're in it makes for either comforting listening that someone else has experienced the same feelings, or a quite harrowing admission of helplessness. A strange, angry and bold choice for a single that seems to cry for help and then turn it away at the same moment. Truly fascinating.

4. The Rapture - Get Myself Into It

When The Rapture appeared a couple of years ago with their 'House of Jealous Lovers' track, I literally ran a mile. It sounded like a dog whelping the same four words over a backing track best described as consisting of an atonal guitar riff and some cow bells. It was only after the constant badgering from a good friend that I grew to appreciate said song. However, when I first heard this track I struggled to believe it was the same band. Slick, funky and intensely groovy, it was both a throwback to the late 1970s and completely of it's time, and flowed with the attitude and style you come to expect of a band originating from New York.

3. The Killers - When You Were Young

Whoever thought that the lyric "He doesn't look a thing like Jesus" would wind up being one of the lines of the year? However, when it's delivered in Brandon Flowers' unimitable hollering wail it just somehow works. The whole song works as a bridge between the downtrodden, slightly sleazy sound of 'Hot Fuss' and the more widescreen Americana of 'Sam's Town', where there's uncertainty about climbing mountains and people riding swirling hurricanes. U2's (ironically titled) guitarist The Edge must also be kicking himself that he's been outdone by the guitar work on this track. It's just a shame they followed it up with the dreadful 'Bones': the most generic indie track in a long time.

2. Muse - Supermassive Black Hole

Muse comebacks are always notoriously impressive. I mean who could forget them announcing their second album, 'Origin of Symmetry', with the massive slap-in-the-face wall-of-sound that was 'Plug In Baby', or the way in which 2003's 'Absolution' was introduced by the brooding, menacing 'Time is Running Out'. Yet, really and honestly, was anybody expecting this as the comeback single for their new album? Gone were those walls of feedback and over the top riffs, and in came angular guitar and bass parts that more recalled the current Indie/art school movement rather than the heavy rock they're associated with. What exactly has it got to do with black holes? I haven't a clue. But it's a phenomenally adventurous and unexpected piece of music. It's place in this list was rivalled by the equally mad riffing of 'Knights of Cydonia', but just for having the sheer balls to produce this type of song warrants it's recognition over the other track. Sci-fi twinged, truly marvellous and featuring some of the best distorted, repressed screaming I've ever heard.

1. Kasabian - Empire

In a year that saw many bands suddenly a go a little bit bonkers (for example, see Muse), Kasabian raised the bar to ten, cleared that bar, and then raised it again with this storming, baffling lead track from their second album. What makes it such a great track though? Well, for starters it begins in a completely boring manner by coming across as a bog-standard indie stomp-fest. Then, all of a sudden and for no apparent reason, singer Tom shouts "Stop!" and it sounds as though you're suddenly listening to a rock cover of the Doctor Who theme (a feeling that only increases as the chorus finishes and the middle eight plays out). Complete madness. Add in the over-the-top video and it only adds to the appeal of the song. Quite what the lyrics have got to do with empires is beyond me (if anyone can explain then I'd be most appreciative), but this is a truly wonderful, mad, piece of music that is perfect for a bit of a pogo when played live or for a bit of a dance at a disco. Either way, it's guaranteed to get you on your feet.

Sunday, December 17, 2006

The Albums of the Year 2006

So, Ladies and Gentlemen the time has come for the first part of this most anticipated list. OK, so that might be a lofty claim but a couple of people have enquired as to when The Bronze Medal would impart its suggestions as to what can be considered the albums and singles of the year. And so we come to the first, and more predictable, part which considers what really were The Albums of The Year.

It's necessary however to note the limitations of this list, as these are only the Albums of the Year according to Yours Truly, and naturally can only cover records which I have heard. It would be pointless to proclaim something as worthy of inclusion on this list because a couple of friends say a record is very good (i.e. Thom Yorke's The Eraser, Guillemots' Through the Windowpane) nor because I've been very impressed with the singles a band has released and feel that the album would be great (Muse's Black Holes and Revelations and CSS' eponymous debut fit this idea). Moreover, this list can only apply to records released this year as I've picked up some fantastic old records (i.e. Interpol's Turn on the Bright Lights) this year, but it would just be a little silly to include them here. So, whilst a brief mention must go to Snow Patrol's Eyes Open and The Zutons' darkly humorous Tired of Hanging Around as they both narrowly missed out on a place on what follows, let's get started.

5. The Strokes - First Impressions of Earth

Arguably this was the most important album so far of The Strokes' career. Whilst the humongous amount of hype generated around Is This It more or less guaranteed the success of its successor, Room on Fire, there was a general sense that maybe the bubble had burst and people had replaced their love of the original art school renaissancers with many of the other bands that have emerged over the past two years. Not the case at all, as from the storming comeback single of 'Juicebox' last year it was evident that The Strokes had grown in confidence, taken their time and expanded their sound. This runs throughout the whole of this record since it sees the band experimenting with synthesisers ('Ask Me Anything'), heavier rock sounds ('Vision of Division') and even nodding towards The Pogues ('15 Minutes') and Franz Ferdinand ('On the Other Side'). However, it still retains those elements that have made The Strokes over the past two albums, such as the simple chord progression played with typical NY attitude on album opener 'You Only Live Once', the 80s synth-sounding guitar noise and Jules' trademark hurls. If anything, First Impressions is two tracks too long, with the band's trademark thirty minutes of music pushed towards three quarters of an hour, and resulting in a couple of tracks that could have been ommitted. Still, it proved why everyone went nuts about them in 2001 all over again.

High Points: 'Heart in a Cage' sounding like a cross between prog rock and Guns & Roses whilst rocking like a demon; Jules' drunken slurs on 'On the Other Side'; 'Electricityscape'.

4. The Bluetones - The Bluetones

A lot of people would probably be unaware that The Bluetones released an album this year, the lack of press attention they seem to attract these days. Some people may even be suprised to learn that they're still together. What this overlooks is that ten years after making, in my opinion, one of the greatest records ever recorded, they made its brother: an unashamedly British, jangly and harmonious guitar-pop record. It's a record that showcases the band at the best of their abilities, from their poetically polite, glass-gazing lyrics ('I had a purpose but I can't remember what' from 'Surrendered' exemplifying this well), to the usual high standard guitar riffing ('My Neighbour's House'), to the glorious vocal harmonies between the Brothers Morriss that exchange throughout, everything is literally in it's right place. What's more, despite the band's tendency for being slightly defeatest this is a wonderfully optimistic record, with tracks such as 'Hope and Jump' and 'The Last Song But One' offering positive outlooks and hope to either friends in need or the world is general. They even manage to take what could be deemed a bog-standard Indie strumalong and turn it in to something that builds to a triumphant climax on the ode-to-David Walliams' Channel Swimming that is 'Fade In/Fade Out'. If anything, this record suffers from the opposite of The Strokes, as you wish it was a couple of songs longer. Oh, and the Hammer Horror-esque keyboard on 'Head on a Spike' is pure Bluetones...

High Points - the polite submissiveness of 'Surrendered'; the mournful chello that sees out 'Thank You, Not Today'; the last minute and a half of 'Fade In/Fade Out'.

3. The Grates - Gravity Won't Get You High

Some music affects you. It can get under your skin, reflect the way you feel about somebody or the world in general and emotionally move you. Is this the sign of great music? Well, sometimes yes it is. However, sometimes you want to listen to something that rocks with a simplicity and innocence that makes you forget about the world. Sometimes, music should just be pure fun, and something that you just enjoy for the simplicity of what it is. Although there's much more to them, this is the core appeal of The Grates: a band that seem to have created and gleefully exist in this almost cartoon-esque world (for further evidence of this look no further than the huge cartoon giraffe that graces the album cover). It's impossible not to listen to a track like 'Trampoline', 'Science is Golden' or 'Inside Outside' and want to bounce around the room like a child high on fizzy drinks at a wedding. Similarly, it's hard not to taken in by the child-like charm of 'Lies Are Much More Fun' (with it's 'I'm gonna go like this to you' bridge) or the school music lesson delivery and use of instruments on 'Nothing Sir' and 'Little People'. However, what's fascinating about The Grates is the way this simplicity and innocence is contrasted with the darkness of the lyrics, which cover rejection ('19-20-20'), one night stands ('Howl', 'Trampoline', 'Seek Me') and even suicide ('Sukkafish'). Throw in to the mix the part-sulky, part-childlike, yet always engaging attitude of singer Patience's lyrical delivery and the heavy dose of knowing irony the band exhuberates, and you're left with a record that seems to baffle you as to what to make of it. And that's just them on record. The live experience works to perfectly underscore what's so fantastic, enjoyable and engaging about this band.

High Points: 'Science is Golden' - the best guitar punk-pop song ever written'; 'Inside Outside' and its coarse nursery rhyme style; the darkness of 'I am Siam' that closes the record, both baffling and exciting as to where they may be headed.

2. Roddy Woomble - My Secret is My Silence

It has been posed to me that Idlewild could record an album of avant-garde bleeps and noises, with no sense of melody, harmony or tone whatsoever and I would still proclaim it the record of the year. This is a somewhat harsh criticism I would say, countering such accusations with the idea that at the end of the day your favourite bands are your favourite bands for a reason: they write fantastic records. Anyways, when one of your favourite bands announces that they're going to take some time off whilst the singer releases a solo album of folk songs, many people may run away scared. When you see the sleeve of that album features every cliche you expect of folk music (beards, rural landscapes, excessive amounts of woollen clothing) then it may well set a few more alarm bells ringing. However, if you'd heard Idlewild's stupendous 2005 album Warnings/Promises and it's wondeful R.E.M. similarities you should well have been excited. Moreover, what this record did was confirm what I'd been trying to say for the past few years, that whilst Woomble remains the most enigmatic lyricist in Britain today, his songwriting partnership with Rod Jones is the most underrated currently in existence.

But what makes My Secret is My Silence so good? The answer to that has to be the sheer feeling it expresses, of growing up and living in a small, rural community where people's faces and expressions say more than the words they say. A place where the wind rustles through with a biting chill and the warmth you feel comes from being around the people around you. It is, in places, a terribly remote record, but it is also in many places a fantastically uplifting record because of the atmosphere it constructs and the feelings that arise out of it. Although written about rural places in Scotland, it's easy to relate to if you've come from somewhere small, or remote, or where life was once more rural and traditional.

High Points: 'As Still As I Watch Your Grave' - the song Idlewild never wrote; the title track and the beautifully haunting 'Act IV' coming one after the other to encapsulate the spirit of the album; 'Waverley Steps' and 'Play Me Something' epitomising the understated positivity of the record.

1. Keane - Under the Iron Sea

It's well documented that when bands come close to falling apart they make the best music. An immediate frame of reference for this would be R.E.M.'s 1998 masterpiece Up, which was made as the band tried to adjust to being a trio and almost went under because of it. However, what they ended up producing was an album that more than stands out from their exceptional back catalogue. When Keane emerged from the studio midway through the year with talks about infighting and arguments, my immediate reaction was 'Yeah, right'. 2004's Hopes and Fears was a good record, but 'Bedshaped' aside it seemed to lack that extra kick that would really make you sit up and take notice. If anything they seemed in danger of becoming 'another Travis', by which I mean a band that were radio-friendly but seemed just too darn 'nice'.

How wrong was I, for Under the Iron Sea is a phenomenal piece of work unequaled by anything I've heard either this year or, in all honesty, I've heard for a good few years. What makes it so good? Well partly it's the way in which it all coheres as a record, creating a fairytale-esque atmosphere that runs through it and identifiable in the artwork and the strange piano sounds that appear throughout. It's an album of mystical and mythical tones, of aquatic subterranean angels, towering cathedrals, crystal balls and frog princes. It's also an album of great longing and hurt that manages somehow to get through it all and end in a truly joyous, uplifting manner.

Thus, Under the Iron Sea represents something of a journey for the listener and this travelogue notion, and atmosphere, is evident from the opening line of 'Atlantic' which, after some eerie, floating piano and swirling synth sounds, begins by proclaiming "I hope all my days will be lit by your face" (probably the best opening line to an album since The Bluetones opened with "I don't have to be feeling down to speak with you" a decade ago) and is supported by the equally eerie 'The Iron Sea' at the album's midpoint. 'Is It Any Wonder?' is something of a bitter tirade about losing a sense of who you are, and this train of thought recurs regularly such as 'A Bad Dream' proclaiming that "I don't even know my strange old face", "Leaving So Soon?" identifying that "I can't turn it on and turn it off like you now as I'm not like you now" and brought to a peak with 'Crystal Ball' and it's bitingly honest middle section.

It's hard, and slightly unfair, to drag one track out as the key song on this record, but it's equally hard to simply overlook 'Hamburg Song' in the middle of all of this despair, since from the initial lonely organ accompaniment onwards it's something of a masterpiece. It's a little ray of light and hope amongst waves of confusion and loss that is hard to express in words. After 'Try Again' has literally ached with loss for an ex-lover (I don't know if it's possible for a piece of music to ache, but if it could it would sound like this), the ray of light identifiable in 'Hamburg Song' finally finds itself realised in the most triumphant, euphoric manner with album closer 'The Frog Prince'. This closing track, drawing its imagery directly from fairytales, leaves you with the impression that after this emotional journey, it's the simple things in life that should be treasured and that through simplicity one achieves beauty, that we should strip away the context that we as individuals inevitably feed into our lives, and celebrate and view things at a simpler level by appreciating things for what they are. Rarely has sorrow ever sounded so beautiful, and rarely has getting out of it sounded so euphoric.

In a year of great music, this record was head and shoulders above the competition.

Saturday, December 09, 2006

"The Great Journey of Life continues"

Hello, Dear Reader. How are you? So it's been a while since our paths crossed and I hope that all is well in your field. The reasons for our avoidance? Well, that can be boiled down to the fact that I'm trying to do three things at once presently (PhD, seminar teaching, work for Disney) I have very little free time. I've not even had the chance to begin to appreciate the wealth of Cult TV I received for my birthday. Ah, I look forward to a few days engaging with these programmes over a whiskey and lime. Nice.

Anyways, below are some photos of my travels and escapades over the last few months. I hope you enjoy them. If not then that's fair enough. There were supposed to be a couple of Kieran included here, but due to her request they have been excluded. Instead you get the usual photo of Newton Abbot clock tower, just without the tale concerning the Portreath of Newton Abbot, as I'm sure you've heard that enough times by now. Ages ago, I was going to heavily criticise the NME's 'Cool List' for the forthcoming year, but as I could only think of about five people I'd put on such a list I didn't bother. If anyone is really that interested, I can impart that information, but it's not that important in the grand scale of space and time.



The Grates playing live @ Cardiff Barfly. Needless to say, they were fantastic.


Patience from The Grates. The coolest woman in rock.


Meeting Alana and Patience from The Grates after they'd played in the Barfly, and looking rather pleased about it.


Ed attempts to impersonate Kenneth Williams. It's still not as good as my Don Corleone. Or Sean Connery. Or Ali Campbell. However, I now get violently attacked for doing these impressions when in the company of this man.


C-Rod after one too many Magners. I think by this point the conversation had passed on to some rather coarse subject matters.


Newton Abbot Clocktower. I expect they've closed that branch of the Alliance and Leicester by now, and don't ask what's probably become of that woman...


Tom, Laura and Kaz.


Enjoying a night out with Kaz and Tom. I honestly can't remember how long it'd been since I saw them both but it was, as usual, a pleasure.


Darren does his best impression of Elvis.


A manly hug from The D.A.Z. on my birthday. We went to an Italian restaurant that was run by a stereotypical Italian chap. I think he thought we were famous for some reason.