You should have realised by now that I would get the last word on this one. We’ve had some varied and interesting selections from our regular team and from several guest contributors. Many thanks for that to Billy Ray Martin, Dean Owens, Lilygun, Skye Edwards and Steve Jenner. As well as all of the great music we’ve highlighted on MusicRiot, we’ve also seen a great selection of books about music and music-related subjects so, in no particular order, here are my favourites from 2012.
“Going to Sea in a Sieve” – Danny Baker
I realise that Danny Baker is a bit like Marmite: he tends to provoke strong reactions. If you already like Danny Baker, this is a must; his writing style is very conversational and he has some wonderful stories to tell from a career stretching over 40 years in the music and media industries. The real beauty of the book is that none of the anecdotes seem to be overplayed; if anything, he seems to play down stories of meetings with Elton John, pre-success Queen (which is hilarious) and Michael Jackson. I’m already looking forward to the next volume.
“Mind the Bollocks” – Johnny Sharp
There’s a link to the previous book here; both were written by ex-NME writers, but that’s where the similarity ends. Here, Johnny Sharp (who wrote for the NME as Johnny Cigarettes) skewers pretension, hype and plain drug-induced nonsense in a book that’s absolutely overflowing with schadenfreude. As a counterbalance to stabbing his former colleagues in the back, he’s not afraid of exposing himself to ridicule where it’s deserved, which adds to the overall credibility of the book. Interestingly, one of the so-called facts torn apart by Sharp was the article from “The Word” in 2010 claiming that the charts were now dominated by stars who had been privately educated. It’s ironic that Billy Bragg used this so-called fact in his John Peel lecture for 6 Music recently.
“Pulphead: Dispatches from the Other Side of America” – John Jeremiah Sullivan
This is a fascinating series of essays which are mainly, but not exclusively, observations on some of the more interesting nooks and crannies of popular music including perceptive pieces on Christian Rock festivals, Michael Jackson and Axl Rose. Moving away from music, Sullivan discourses on reality TV, how he dealt with his brother almost dying of an electric shock, smoking weed in Disneyland and rogue palaeontologists and anthropologists. His point of view is always more or less skewed and always entertaining.
“Unknown Pleasures:Inside Joy Division” – Peter Hook
Having read Hooky’s first volume of memoirs “The Haçienda: How Not to Run a Club”, this was always one to add to the library. Hooky, like Danny Baker, writes in a very conversational style and is incredibly honest about his own mistakes, particularly in the events leading up to the suicide of Ian Curtis. When he isn’t dealing with tragedy, however, he’s hilarious in a very readable, self-deprecatory style. I’m already looking forward to the next instalment dealing with New Order.
“Waging Heavy Peace: A Hippy Dream” – Neil Young
OK, I admit it; I’m a Neil Young fan. I read the Jimmy McDonough biography, “Shakey”, which Young didn’t authorise but didn’t actively obstruct but left it feeling slightly let down, so the idea of an autobiography grabbed my interest from the start. The experience of reading the book is a bit like a Neil Young guitar solo; you never know where it’s going next, but you know it’s going to be interesting. He intersperses autobiographical material with enthusiastic promotion of the various technology projects which he’s developing, including the Lionel model railway, the environmentally friendly Lincvolt car and the Pono high quality music player. In an age of jaded superstars, it’s great to hear someone being enthusiastic about his projects and constantly reiterating his love for family and friends. You finish this book feeling that you actually know something about Neil Young and that’s the mark of a good biography for me.
All of these books are worth reading if you want to know a little more about what lies behind the music and the headlines from the viewpoint of people who were actually involved. You might also want to have a look at Carole King’s “Natural Born Woman” and Pat Long’s “The History of The NME”.
Have a great New Year.
Well, we’re coming towards the end of the first MusicRiot High Fives season and we’ve got one last guest contribution. If you’ve visited MusicRiot at all in the last 6 months, then you might have noticed a few pieces featuring Lilygun; ok, I admit it, you couldn’t miss them if you tried. The reason why we’ve featured Lilygun so much is really simple; we think they’re a great band. The album’s great (it’s in my High Five), they’re stunning live and they are a great bunch of people to have a beer with. And they were happy to share their favourite five albums of the year with us; so here they are, in no particular order.
“MMXII” – Killing Joke
“MMXII” is Killing Joke’s fifteenth studio album since the band’s formation in the late 70s, following on from their 2010 release “Absolute Dissent” and sees the original line-up back in action again. The album is characterised by end-of-days and environmental themes and has been positively reviewed across a wide spectrum of the music press. “Rapture”, a song about the Killing Joke live experience was available earlier this year as a free download and “In Cythera “ was released as the lead single from the album.
“Choice of Weapon” – The Cult
The Cult haven’t been around quite as long as Killing Joke, although both bands are usually labelled as post-punk, although they moved in different directions after breaking through with The Cult filling a more mainstream niche. After claiming in July 2009 that The Cult would never make another album, founder member Ian Astbury announced in January 2011 that the band would be recording a new album. The lead single from the album “For the Animals” was released in March 2012 via a stream on the Rolling Stone website.
“Lonerism” – Tame Impala
If you’ve been on another planet for the last six months you might not have heard of Tame Impala; we won’t accept any other excuses. There’s a very good reason why this album has been all over the NME and 6 Music and everywhere else that celebrates contemporary music; it’s very, very good. This is the second album (following “Innerspeaker” in 2010) from the Australian group led by Kevin Parker. The track “Apocalypse Dreams” was the first single from the album and is the first song to be co-written with band member Jay Watson.
“Bag of Bones” – Europe
I suppose it’s appropriate that in this supposedly apocalyptic year we should have an album released by band responsible for “The Final Countdown”. This is another band which originated in the late 70s and “Bag of Bones” is the ninth album in a career which began with “Europe” in 1983. It’s great to see that the album is available in CD and vinyl formats as well as the obligatory download. If you have any doubts about the credibility of the album, you might be interested to know that there’s a guest appearance from the legendary Joe Bonamassa on the title track.
“Born Villain” – Marilyn Manson
This is the first album since Manson ended his deal with Interscope and is released on his own Hell,etc. label. As always, the album polarises critical opinion but if you’re already a fan, you’ll love it. If not, then there’s still a chance; it’s an interesting concept (whether villains are born or created by society and whether villains are more interesting than heroes) which is worth exploring. The singles released so far are “No Reflection” and “Slo-Mo-Tion”.
Thanks to Belle and Anna-Christina for your sharing your choices with us and many thanks to all of our contributors for helping to put this piece together. Have a great Christmas everyone.
During a rare break from the monotonous grind of putting together a website, I was talking to John Preston (JP to his friends) as we sipped Pina Coladas around the indoor pool at Riot Towers the other day. It came as quite a surprise to discover that we were both fans of Billie Ray Martin. John reviewed her recent Opiates album here on Musicriot and I loved Electribe 101 way back in the days when I spent my evenings behind the wheels of steel. So why not ask her to contribute to our High Fives feature? I’m pleased to say she was happy to get involved and these are Billie Ray Martin’s Top 5 tracks of 2012.
“Ed-Ged-Osis”(Todd Terje edit) – Lindstrom
Lindstrom (Hans-Peter Lindstrom) is a Norwegian composer and producer who established his Feedelity label in 2002. This track is from the album “Smalhans” released in November 2012 and is a collaboration with fellow-Norwegian Todd Terje. The track is built around a long sinuous bass riff and melodies built around synth arpeggios which always seem to be trying to get back to starting point but never quite making it.
Torgny is Norwegian and very enigmatic. Even the website and Facebook page tell you very little about Torgny; I’m guessing the implication is that we should concentrate on the music, which is fine by me. “I Came Here” is a fascinating blend of Nordic indie with dance elements creeping in as the song develops whilst retaining a glacial feel from start to finish. It’s faintly disturbing, particularly when it’s tied in to the images in the video, but it’s absolutely fascinating.
Originally released in 2010, this has been reactivated with a number of mixes this year. Model 500 is a pseudonym of the Detroit techno pioneer Juan Atkins, making a comeback over 20 years after his early, and incredibly influential, work. Of the 2012 mixes, the Debukas remix is attracting most of the attention and is certainly the most dancefloor-friendly. Great return to form from a genuine innovator.
Terranova has been musically active since 1996 and has been involved in collaborations with Cath Coffey, Nicolette Krebitz, Tricky, Ari Up and, not unsurprisingly Billie Ray Martin and has also done a huge amount of remixes. This track is from the album “Hotel Amour” on Kompakt Records and features Nicolette Krevitz.
You just can’t get away from Lana del Rey this year. She’s everywhere and it’s not difficult to see why. The songs are great and the David Lynch feel of the music and visuals make this a very special package. This song is from the “Paradise Edition” of one of this year’s classic albums, “Born to Die” and has classic stamped all the way through it.
Many thanks to Billie Ray Martin for this eclectic and beautiful selection of songs; keep an eye out for the next contribution tomorrow. Who will it be this time?
I’ve been asked by some idiot at MusicRiot to contribute to a ridiculous feature about the best 5 albums of 2012; what a stupid idea. 5 good albums this year; I haven’t heard 5 good albums in the last 40 years. Is anyone actually making albums these days? It’s all very well being able to download any track you want from Mr Apple (and don’t even get me started on MP3 sound quality, I make Neil Young sound like the voice of reason), but what happened to sleeve notes and artwork and all the other vital information. And don’t tell me you don’t want to know who plays the flugel horn solo on track 4; are you interested in music or not?
Come on though, seriously, what happened after the Beatles, the Stones, the Who, Motown and Stax/Atlantic? Prog rock in the 70s; leave it out, that was for grammar school boys who wanted to appear more intelligent than their mates by listening to challenging (or completely unlistenable) music. Did punk change anything? Well, the Sex Pistols were put together to sell clothes for a boutique owner and the Clash should have decided whether to do great music or great politics; you can’t do both. Disco; well, there were shedloads of brilliant singles but can you name a great disco album?
The 80s then? Dodgy clothes, dodgy haircuts, dodgy make-up (and that’s just the men); was anyone actually paying any attention to the music at all? What about the late 80s then? Oh yeah, house music; drum machines and samples of cats from public service information films. At least nobody released a track with a sample of a hoover on it, did they? Apart from Joey Beltram and Westbam; ecstasy has a lot to answer for. And then, despite Paul Oakenfold’s apocalyptic proclamations, guitars made a comeback. So, what was that Britpop malarkey all about then?
Bunches of yobs with bad clothes and worse haircuts. That was what killed off Top of the Pops; there was nothing wrong with it when it had a dress code and groups had to wear suits before they got past the door of Broadcasting House. More ex-army commissionaires, that’s what we need today; that and proper haircuts. And as for the Battle of Britpop, what a scam that was; Beatles and Small Faces copyists without any decent songs and not a suit or tie between them. And it hasn’t got any better with whingeing fops like Keane, Coldplay, Travis and Snow Patrol, although those Muse boys have got some good tunes; shame they’re mad as fish and they probably got all the best tunes from Matt’s old man, who nicked them from Joe Meek.
As for those rappers, what’s that all about with their bitches and hos and motherthingers and suck my thing? Whatever happened to “I Want to Hold your Hand”, or that nice song about going for a stroll in “Itchycoo Park”? And the bestselling album of 2011 was made by a pub singer from Croydon; you surely can’t expect me to pick out five great albums from 2012, can you? And don’t even think about suggesting greatest hits packages.
Merry flaming Christmas.
And the next one please. Steve Jenner is Managing Director and weekday drivetime presenter on Ashbourne Radio in Derbyshire (one of a handful of genuinely independent commercial stations left in the UK). Steve has been a broadcaster for over 20 years and a DJ for much (much) longer and he knows a good tune when he hears one. He’s also a bloody good bloke who doesn’t mind getting his round in. As a man who knows about Phonographic Performance Licensing, he’s helpfully added the label information for each of the albums; and he’s ranked them 1 to 5 which none of the rest of us dared to do.
The Beach Boys – “That’s Why God Made the Radio” (Capitol)
This is either one of two things. A cynical last go at topping up the retirement fund by a bunch of coffin dodgers who ought to know better, or a hauntingly nostalgic and melancholy – soaked slice of harmony magic. Ok I’ve put it as my number 1 of the year so it’s pretty clear what I think and you can think what you like but if the title track doesn’t have you referencing back to summers long past and cars long gone to the breaker’s yard, you have no right to have been given ears. From the achingly beautiful opening sequence to the final track’s ode to transience, it is enchanting.
Paul Carrack – “Good Feeling” (Carrack UK)
This is either one of two things. A perfunctory and never less than professional run through of a handful of songs of varying quality, or a varied, extremely well performed set of well written and well chosen songs performed with love for the material, respect for the intended audience and a sure – footedness and confidence which only comes from year upon year of recording and touring with the very best. Ok I’ve put it as my number 2 album so it’s pretty clear what I think and you can think what you like but from the second the searingly optimistic title track folds into the live tour de force “Marmalade Moon” to the point when it finally puts you down, you’re travelling alongside one of the best popular musicians this country has produced. And that’s ever. It’s an album that smiles at you – and means it.
Sandi Thom – “Flesh and Blood” (Guardian Angels)
This is either one of two things. An Americanised watering – down of a once feisty and original Scottish songwriter and performer and her work, or a compelling and never less than sumptuous piece of work which has moments of incredible tenderness and beauty. Ok, I’ve put it as my number 3 album so it’s pretty clear what I think and you can think what you like but if you come across a more moving and despairing rendition of a song than the towering “Big Ones Get Away” (Featuring Buffy Saint – Marie on spooky vocal enhancement) or the swaggering Rickenbacker of “Sun Comes Crashing Down”, buy me a copy of whatever it is and I’ll call you a Big Fat Fibber. Gorgeous.
Deacon Blue – “The Hipsters”
This is either one of two things. A gauche attempt by a bunch of 90’s burnt – outs to recapture the glory days and trying hard but not quite making which is worse than not bothering at all or an out – of – nowhere, died – in – the – wool, very pleasant surprise. Ok, I’ve put it as my number 4 album so it’s pretty clear what I think and you can think what you like but if there was a better summer FM choon than the title track this year outside of the Beach Boys album I’m afraid it passed me right on by. “The Outsiders” is pretty damn tidy too. As is the first track….oh, just stick the whole thing on. It’s real Deacon Blue. Says so on the tin.
Seal – “Soul 2”
This is either one of two things. Yet another of those awful rob – a – genre albums artists who are struggling a bit due to reasons personal or professional insist on releasing (or their record company shamefully leans on them to do so) when they run out of ideas or it is a masterclass in how it should be done by an expert practitioner at the top of his game. Ok, I’ve put it as my number 5 album so it’s pretty clear what I think and you can think what you like but if you hear a better version of “Wishing On A Star” – and I include Rose Royce in this – or the criminally underplayed Smokey and the Miracles “Ooh Baby Baby”, (which isn’t quite as good as the original but hey, we’re tickling the toes of the angels here) I’ll refuse to buy you a copy of the new Rod Stewart Christmas Album. You have to be an exceptional talent to carry this sort of thing off. Well done, Mr Seal.
Many thanks to Steve for that great selection. There’s another selection coming tomorrow; I wonder who that could be?
The second of our guest High Five contributions comes from Skye Edwards. Most of you probably know Skye best from her work with Morcheeba but she has also released three excellent solo albums since 2006 (“Mind How You Go”, “Keeping Secrets” and this year’s “Back to Now”). Skye went one better than the Riot Squad by selecting her favourite 5 albums of all-time and it’s fair to say that they are a cracking collection. For what it’s worth, I’ve added some observations and background.
“Exodus” – Bob Marley & the Wailers
Although Bob Marley had attracted some attention with “Live!” in 1975, it was “Exodus” that catapulted him to international fame in 1977. The album demonstrates every aspect of Bob Marley’s appeal, from the mysticism of “Exodus” and “Natural Mystic” through the yearning of “Waiting in Vain” to the outrageously catchy “Three Little Birds”. I’ll say something here which refers to every album in Skye’s selection; if you’re even slightly interested in music, you should have all of these albums in your collection.
“Hats” – The Blue Nile
Although this was released at a time when anyone in Glasgow who looked good in 24” waist jeans and shades could get a record deal, The Blue Nile’s second album was a very special and highly influential album. When everyone else in Scotland played guitar-oriented pop, The Blue Nile concentrated on keyboards and samples to produce some ethereal innovative, and evocative music which still sounds great today. They weren’t a prolific band (4 albums in 21 years), but do you want quality or quantity?
“Solid Air” – John Martyn
John Martyn was a true innovator and hugely gifted songwriter who really did do it his way. He developed a drawling, laconic vocal delivery and pioneered the use of effects pedals to thicken up his guitar sound (including building up layers of sound using analogue echo units). “Solid Air” was his sixth album and the point where everything came together to create a classic. It’s a tribute to John Martyn’s songwriting that, from this album, “May You Never” was covered by Eric Clapton (on “Slowhand”), “Man in the Station” was covered by Ian Matthews (on “Stealing Home”) and “Solid Air” has been covered by Skye (on the tribute album “Johnny Boy Would Love This”).
“Stronger Than Pride” – Sade
Sade Adu had one of the voices which defined the 80s; a great soul voice which seemed at times to be produced with absolutely no effort. The smoothness of the voice and the arrangements could distract from the genuine quality of the songs at times, but they were great songs. This album came towards the end of Sade’s time in the limelight but was undoubtedly the work of an artist at the top of her game and it’s worth having if only for “Love is Stronger than Pride”.
“The Singles” – Shirley Bassey
It’s fitting that a singer would choose a Shirley Bassey album as one of their top 5; this is a great collection of songs which includes 2 Bond themes (“Diamonds are Forever” and “Goldfinger”), 2 Beatles covers (“The Fool on the Hill” and “Something”) and the wonderful “Big Spender”. And that’s less than a third of the album. This is a great example of an artist with a fabulous voice working with strong songs and great arrangements to produce truly memorable performances.
Many thanks to Skye Edwards for sharing her all-time favourites with us; tomorrow we have the selection of Steve Jenner, drive-time presenter on Ashbourne Radio in Derbyshire and a man with an ear for a great tune.
Here’s the first of our High Fives from friends of MusicRiot. Dean Owens has released 2 albums this year (“New York Hummingbird” and “Cash Back”) and both earned four-star reviews here. Dean’s Top 5 albums for the year are:
Calexico are from Tuscon, Arizona and released their seventh album “Algiers” in September 2012. The band moved away from their Tex-Mex roots to incorporate some New Orleans influences for this album which has been described as their most accessible and exciting record so far.
“Bloom”, the fourth album from Baltimore-based Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand (who formed Beach House in 2004) was released in May 2012 on Sub Pop. 2 songs from the album, “Myth” and “Lazuli” were also released as singles.
“Fear Fun” – Father John Misty
Released in May 2012, “Fear Fun” is the first album Joshua Tillman (former drummer with several indie bands, including Fleet Foxes) has released under the name of Father John Misty. Interesting fact for you; most of the development of the songs was done in Laurel Canyon, which was the home of the early 70s California singer-songwriter scene which launched the careers of Neil Young, The Eagles, Jackson Browne and many others.
“Life is People” was released almost 50 years after Bill Fay’s first 2 albums in the early 70s. At that time he attracted comparisons with Ray Davies, John Lennon and Gary Brooker but lost his contract after 2 albums. He has been name-checked as an influence by many performers, including Nick Cave and this album has been acclaimed as his masterpiece by many critics.
“Scrimshaw” is Nels Andrews’ third album. He’s attracted loads of praise and songwriting awards and is based in Brooklyn. His first album reached No. 1 on the US Americana chart in 2005 and he’s now starting to attract attention in Europe as well.
Dean also gave honourable mentions to John Hiatt, Richard Hawley and Jack White. He’ll be touring in Spring 2013 and you can get the dates here on MusicRiot. Thanks very much Dean for sharing your choices with us.
And last but not least from the Riot Squad, we have John Preston’s Top 5 albums from 2012. Starting tomorrow, you can find out what some of the artists we’ve reviewed this year have been listening to. Of course, I’m not going to tell you who’s contributing yet; you’ll have to visit the website over the next couple of weeks for that.
Fiona Apple – “The Idler Wheel…”
Her best album of 4, Fiona Apple is a true original; a breath taking talent and completely, criminally overlooked in the UK. You can change this; buy this outstanding albeit challenging (worth it though, believe me) CD and show her the respect and love she deserves for continuing to make songs as brave, bare and uncompromising as she has here. You’re not worthy of course and she’d rather spend a weekend with her piano and dog than share a beer with a hipster like you but you won’t find a better singer songwriter to fall head over heels with. Listen to ‘Regret’ and be quietly, hopelessly terrified and then just surrender.
Amanda Palmer and The Grand Theft Orchestra – “Theatre is Evil”
Charismatic, tireless, controversial and forever ‘on’; Amanda Palmer’s fan-funded, 16 track opus is a thumping and relentless feel good(ish) blast. The chamber pop strings and piano of “Who Killed Amanda Palmer” has, on the whole, been traded in for massive 80’s synths, rock guitars, thuggish pop choruses and has an energy and vitality that nothing else I’ve listened to this year comes close to matching. This is probably best demonstrated in the garish, hysterical and euphoric “Do It with A Rockstar” video where all of these elements collide beautifully. My go to choice to blow the morning blues away when you’re still half asleep and making your way into work on a rainy Thursday morning; it may be a cliché but play this one LOUD!
Brandy – “Two Eleven”
In 2004 Brandy released what was probably her most consistent and cohesive album, “Afrodisiac”. Crucially it was also one of the last top notch productions that RnB superstar Timbaland (and Missy Elliott’s musical soul mate) was responsible for before his, and also RnB’s, decline. He went on to produce Miley Cyrus and New Kids on The Block and Mary J Blige was produced by Eurotrance cheese maker RedOne and autotune replaced real vocals. Brandy resisted jumping on this ill-conceived bandwagon and has now returned with a heartfelt, beautifully sung, sleek and modern RnB album. Timbaland isn’t around this time but Frank Ocean and Bangladesh are and they really do provide Brandy with a sound-scape that enables her to fly. Check out the Lykke Li-sampled, dancehall-incorporating and completely bonkers “Let Me Go” if any further proof is needed. So along with new comers such as Dawn Richard and Solange, things are thankfully moving forward again in a very positive, new direction within the RnB genre.
Lana Del Rey – “Born To Die Paradise Edition”
When one of the most intriguing and original pop stars of the last ten years debut album didn’t quite deliver the goods as expected in the wake of her destined to become classic single “Video Games”, the disappointment was palpable. Lana Del Rey has more than redeemed herself however on this re-release featuring 9 (on the ITunes version) new, very high quality songs which ditches some of the kitchen sink production mistakes of the original album and replaces them with a warmer but, importantly, even more desolate sound. “Ride” demonstrates that vocally and songwise Del Rey is no one-trick pony and possesses enough personality and pathos to carry a big song in a way that her contemporaries may struggle with. America’s new sweet heart.
Rachel Zeffira – “The Deserters”
Released at the beginning of this month, this is a late comer but without doubt an essential release which you will thank me for tracking down. This is beautiful, ornate and soothing music of the most other-worldly kind and also the most seasonal (as in winter not Christmas) of my picks. Last year I included Cat’s Eyes on my Top 5 and Rachel Zeffira is one half of that duo so it’s nice that this album, which has the DNA of that debut but mixed with something altogether more spectral, has proved that she can stand alone and make an album which sounds unlike anything else I’ve heard this year.
We’ve heard and read a lot this year about the death of the album as a format. Well, we’re having none of that at Riot Towers; as far as we’re concerned the album is still alive and kicking (and none of your download nonsense either). The site contributors have all put together their favourite fives of the year and we’re sharing our choices with you as a little festive thank you. As the most senior (oldest) contributor, I get to open the batting for the Riot Squad 2012 favourites. I can’t even attempt to rank these so here we go, in alphabetical order by title. You can find reviews of all of these albums on the site.
“Devil in Me” – Natalie Duncan
This is one of two debut albums in my Top Five for 2012. Natalie’s a superb singer and a great piano player but the songs are something else. Some are observational such as the superb “Old Rock” while others appear to be very personal (“Uncomfortable Silence”); what they have in common is that they are all superbly-crafted songs which work equally well when orchestrated on the album or played live with a smaller drums/bass/guitar/piano set-up. You should really make the effort to see Natalie Duncan live in 2013.
“Good Feeling” – Paul Carrack
Paul Carrack has been one of my favourite singers for longer than I care to admit so I approached this with a bit of caution; there’s always a chance that an album like this can disappoint. I didn’t need to worry because this blend of originals, songwriting collaborations and covers is absolutely superb. His voice is as stunning as it was 40 years ago and he’s great keyboard player and good guitar player; it’s sickening really. It’s worth buying for the voice alone, but there’s so much more to admire here, particularly the Nick Lowe song “From Now On” and Springsteen’s “If I Fall Behind”.
“Lilygun” – Lilygun
Another debut album, this time from a band that defies classification. I still don’t know whether this is indie, goth, rock, emo or any combination of the above. What I do know is that it’s melodic, inventive, dynamic and original and the band is great live as well. My first contact with Lilygun was a review of the single “Moonlight” and I’ve seen quite a lot of the band since. This is an album where you don’t shuffle the tracks; it’s programmed to tell a story from the first to the final track and that’s how you need to listen to it. Also featured on the album is the live favourite “Scum”.
“The Hipsters” – Deacon Blue
This seemed to come out of nowhere in the autumn of this year. All of the band members have been doing their own thing for years and the only motivation for this project was love of the music. Ricky Ross provided the strongest set of songs he’s written in years and they were recorded live in the studio; the result was an album which was fresh, immediate and memorable. I know you can’t rewrite history, but I wish this had been the second Deacon Blue album rather than the slightly bombastic “When the World Knows your Name” (and I’m not saying that’s a bad album). The songs here are much more personal; “Is There No Way Back to You?” and “Laura From Memory” are written in the first person and the ironically- titled “The Hipsters” (the best summer song of 2012) is neatly counterbalanced with the more accurate description of “The Outsiders”. However you look at it, it’s a great album.
“Words and Music” – Saint Etienne
This was the soundtrack to my summer this year. I’ve always loved Saint Etienne but I hadn’t really expected to hear any significant new material from them; This was quite a surprise. It’s the perfect package; great songs which are nostalgic but never mawkish with enough references to satisfy any pop trainspotter and the best artwork of the year. From the scene-setting opener “Over the Border”, the album explores the soul of the music obsessive through the great settings of Wiggs and Stanley and Sarah Cracknell’s perfect voice. As with every other album on this list, there isn’t any filler here but, if I have to pick a few standout tracks then “Tonight”, “Answer Song” and “Popular” should do nicely.
Ok I said Top 5, but I also need to give a mention to Dean Owens who released 2 great albums this year (“New York Hummingbird” and Cash Back”) which were both reviewed as 4-star albums. Nobody else managed that particular feat. So, does anyone still want to tell me that the album’s a dead format?
This time last year, when I was considering my top 5 albums of 2011, I had no hesitation in including the sublime eponymous debut album from the Horrors front man Faris Badwan and classically trained, both musically and vocally, Rachel Zeffira duo; Cat’s Eyes. On the tracks where she took lead vocal, Rachel created images of sad, 1950’s high school girls lost in the alienating fog of a very David Lynch, night-time world; it was heartbreaking. There are in fact many similarities to Zeffira’s style and that of Julee Cruise; Lynch and composer Angelo Badalementi’s definitive nightclub chanteuse, and her (surely?) classic album ‘Floating Into the Night’ released at the tail end of the nineties and during Lynch’s successful ‘Twin Peaks’ period; but more on that later.
Whilst there were some industrial sounds and more explicit 1960’s surf pop influences played out on the Cat’s Eyes album, Zeffira has really homed in on the baroque, classical elements that always sonically threatened to take over their debut and, understandably, seem to be where she excels and feels most comfortable. And where that album cast her as a schoolgirl steeped in adolescent angst, albeit in a very adult sounding setting (“The Best Person I Know”, “I’m Not Stupid”), this is told from a far more adult perspective where decisions have been considered and consequences accepted and reflected upon. The sadness and beauty is striking and “The Deserters” captures the sense of loss, or change, at least, in almost every song. 7 out of the 10 songs here (which include a lush version of the My Bloody Valentine song “To Here Knows Where”) feature either the words ‘go’, ‘gone’ or goodbye’; the title track doesn’t but then it doesn’t need to.
Rachel Zeffira’s angelic, soprano vocals (Canadian born, but now living in London, she shockingly references Brixton in one song) are sometimes multi-tracked and often have a slight reverb which in no way detracts from the emotional strength delivered and along with the pop song sensibility and the subtleness of the orchestra used in many of the tracks this is not, maybe surprisingly, a depressing album. “Break the Spell” swirls and beats strongly enough for you to dance to it (listen to those plush harps!) whilst “Goodbye Divine” with its blaring cathedral organ is a winter hymn. “Letters from Tokyo (Sayonara)” begins with a carousel effect, a piano with the lyrics confessing ‘You won’t hear from me anymore, I told many lies and hid many more; nothing can make me change my mind’ and it’s on this track, an obvious highlight, that the resemblance to Julee Cruise gave me goose bumps. It’s striking just how much the song’s structure and content and the actual performance from Zeffira calls to mind Cruise at her most devastating and this is a positive thing. No-one has filled the gap left by Cruise (Lana Del Rey is the most obvious candidate but hers is a more self-conscious, much more explicit variation) but where she often sounded like she was at the point of disintegrating, Zeffira has a strength and independence that Lynch would never have allowed his one-time musical muse.
Like “Cat’s Eyes” before it, “The Deserters” is a cruelly short album (not quite 37 minutes!) but I guarantee you that some of the year’s most beguiling and surprisingly warming music is contained within it. The really magical thing is that Zeffira also recognises and understands how to displace the listener, transport them to somewhere not at all familiar and then close the door behind them for an all too brief trip to an alternate hinterland. Some incredible music on offer here then but will it make this year’s top 5?
