Lindsay Lohan - A Little More Personal (Raw)

Well if I'm correct the, pretty abysmal, Herbie:Fully Loaded marked the end of Miss Lohan's tenure as Disney's leading lady. And let's face it, even if it didn't, the drugs and bulemia confessions may well have taken care of that.

It's immediately noticeable upon the start of this album that Lohan, or someone behind the project, wants to make it totally clear that this isn't the Disney version of Lohan presented to us on her last (rather surprisingly good all things considered) album. Indeed "Confessions Of A Broken Heart (Daughter To Father)" makes a pretty brave stab at a confessional torch song with just one problem...it's ever so slightly dull. This is the kind of song that Evanessence could do and sell millions, but whatever the real sentiments behind the song, this listener was never totally convinced. And co-icidentally, or maybe not, Ben Moody is one of the pro's roped in to bring this whole album together

The trick is repeated to similar effect elswhere. "My Innocence", for instance, is in some ways a stirring piano-driven ballad with a rousing chorus, but again in the final analysis it fails to convince.

Much like many a band with serious pretensions, Lohan is actually better suited to the tracks where she bypasses her angst and troubles and just concentrates on belting out a great pop-rock tune. "A Little More Personal" cranks up the fun and is the kind of song that deserves to be a huge hit. The likes of "Fastlane" (which reminds me of the fantastic and much over-looked Katy Rose) and "Who Loves You" (which somehow manages like Goldfrapp producing the Nine Inch Nails) have their angst-driven lyrics, but these are somewhat hidden by their catchy pop tunes.

There is also the surprise of two rather good covers. The Cheap Tricks "I Want You To Want Me" literally had me dancing around my room when I heard it and even a stab at Stevie Nicks' "Edge Of Seventeen" isn't the unmitigated disaster you might fear and is probably the higlight of the album as far as I am concerned.

The problem is of course is that Lohan's previous audience may well have matured in the past few years, but will they appreciate the change of direction? There is also the slight problem that Kelly Clarkson may well have cornered the market already for this kind of thing (although a Billboard Top 20 entry for the album suggests that Lohan may carry it off).

Much like "Speak" this is a surprisingly good album, although how much input Lohan had into it in terms of everything but singing in open to question. And of course, because it's Lindsay Lohan, it won't get the accolades that it deserves. This is a brave stab at a "proper" music career, and I for one hope it pays off.

Ashlee Simpson

Not a review, no doubt that will come, but this is just to inform you that I think I love Ashlee Simpson.

So bear in mind when I get around to reviewing her album you'll probably find that I review the album in a disproportionate level to her actual talent but don't worry. It's because I love her, not because I've suddenly lost all musical taste.

Cat Power - The Greatest

Ok, so I've already imparted to you the fact that the single The Greatest was, well, great, but now I'm here to tell you just how great the album is. It takes a certain amount of nerve to call an album "The Greatest" but in terms of Chan Marshall's fantastic catalogue, she's just about got it right with the title.

"The Greatest" is every bit as good as I said it was but it's by no means the only highlight on this brilliant album. "Could We" sparkles and shimmies, whilst "Willie" starts off sounding like a Ben Folds song but transforms itself into something else entirely over the course of a listen. "Hate" is earthy and raw and whilst somewhat out of place in some senses on this album, does hark back to some of her previous work.

My personal pick of the bunch is "Love And Communication." Right at the end of the album (ignoring the bonus 'unadvertised' track) I was already enthralled by the album, but this track quickly was stuck on repeat play with its blaze of guitars and strings.

You don't look to a Cat Power album for a cheery, laugh a minute, session and whist on the surface the tunes, such as "After It All" may make this seem like some kind of departure, but before you get too carried away lyrics such as "I hate myself and I want to die" remind you just who you are listening to.

It's perhaps not the leap that Marshall may have made, but this is still a fantastic collection of songs, which certainly does live up their with her greatest work and certainly defies any easy catergorisation. It's a liitle bit country, it's a little bit soul, but it's a whole lot Cat Power. She's pulled it off again.

Single Releases - 23/01/06

Analogue (A-Ha) - Just what you needed huh? Another return from A-Ha...well fear not, this actually isn't too bad at all. The chorus lets it down, the moody verses stealing the show, but it's not a bad effort by any stretch of the imagination.

Boys Will Be Boys (Ordinary Boys) - So if you needed any clue as to why young Preston would want to go on Celebrity Big Brother, then you will get your answer here. I am reliably informed that this is their "hit"...well if that is the case, I don't want to hear their lesser tracks. Ok, so to be fair its not bad, but it's not very good either. To put it into context, Madness were doing this kind of thing, but better, 25 years ago.

Honesty (Alex Parks) - Well at least she's lasted longer than David Sneddon and One True Voice. I have to say though that this is a cracking slice of up-tempo pop to an extent, albeit one that really doesn't stand out from the crowd. Put it this way...I'd listen to it but I wouldn't buy it.

Angel (Pharrell) - She's got an ass like a loaf of bread you want to slice! Excuse me? See I really don't know how Pharrell keeps getting away with it. Yes, he's done some cracking tunes under various guises, but then it's always sandwiched between stuff like this, which is a good idea gone wrong. Still, the ladies will go wild over it.

Where's The Pleasure (Protocol) - Despite what you think from the first 10 seconds, this is NOT Blondie. I do like this one though. It's got a kind of 80's pop rock feel to it, which results in a much better song than you might think. It's the sort of song that the Bravery would do if the Bravery had more than one half decent song.

Going Nowhere (Cut Copy) - This also sounds like Blondie. And it's very good. So, two of this week's best singles sound like Blondie...go figure. But get this, this track is also very Pet Shop Boys-esque in my warped little mind, so this is quite literally bloody brilliant.

This Time (Starsailor) - Good god, these guys don't cheer up much do they? If you like them, you like this. If you don't, then don't bother.

Ramblin' Man (Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan)- Sometimes something completely unexpected that should be completly rubbish actually turns out to be bloody good indeed. So it is with this. You can almost see the wizened old man picking on his guitar in the corner of the saloon when you listen to this one. Will it sell many copies? No. But it's a quality tune.

Slipping Away (Moby) - Oh if only you were slipping away instead of torturing us with this rubbish.

Just Like The Rain (Richard Hawley) - There has been ungodly blanket praise for his latest album, from which this is taken, but really I just don't get it. I'm sorry, but to me he's just a gravelly version of the Beautiful South. I'm sure my dad would love this, but for me its just a nothing tune.

Far Away (Nickleback) - Well finally the 'Back lads have astounded us with their Russian Folk comeback album. Ok, so they haven't. And yes, this sounds exactly like every other song you've ever heard by them ever. Avoid like the plague.

Dance Me In/La Lune (Sons & Daughters) - Ok so Dance Me In was released last year, and this release is only 1 12" vinyl, but it's a bloody fantastic record. So if you haven't heard it, GO AND CHECK IT OUT!

I Love Your Smile (Javine) - Sorry...i'm losing the will to live.

Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Well if one thing is certain, this should win the award for the most hyped album of 2006 by quite some way. You can criticise your Mariah's and your Justin's all you want, but when it comes to over-blown hype, the indie crowd can ruckus with the best of them.

Indeed the barrage of "the future of British music" hype that has surrounded the Monkeys in a way kept me away from them for quite some time. In fact, I'd completely ignored "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor" apart from the occasional MTV video watching spree, and it was only upon hearing latest single "When The Sun Goes Down", on Soccer AM of all places, that I really started to think that there may be something to them after all.

The pleasing news is that this indeed is a corking debut album, if not quite the corking debut album the "10 out of 10" NME review made it out to be. (Don't worry, I haven't resorted to buying the NME, my "hip" mate had a copy). The two singles are quality indeed, and are only amongst the highlights on the album. "Mardy Bum" lives up to the promise of it's classic title, and the album kicks off on a stormer with "The View From The Afternoon". The pleasant surprise on the album is the slow-burning "Riot Van" which suggests there might be even better things to come from the band.

Lyrically the album is up there with Pulp for its quirky and unique look at British life (there must be something in the water in Sheffield) but the tunes don't always quite manage to live up to the words. Still it's an instant crowd-pleasing album and whilst it never quite totally lives up to the hype, there is enough here for you to see why the hype was forthcoming from certain circles.

And let's face it, anything which shows up the Kaiser Cheifs for the posturing show-ponies they undoubtedly are is worth a recommendation in my book!

We Are Scentists - With Love & Squalor

Ok so when I saw WAS support Editors my thoughts were along the lines of "perfectly plesant but unlikley to buy one of their records." Which may well have remained my thoughts for ever if I hadn't seen the video to "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt" on MTV2. And to be quite frank, that video is awesome.

And the more you watch the video, the more the catchy tune sticks in your brain...until you are walking down a busy street and find yourself humming it, to very bemused looks from passers by.

The rest of the album isn't half bad either. Clocking in at 3 minutes shy of the magic 40 (40 minutes is the optimum length of an album for me) there isn't much of it that you would want to skip. Neither however is there the out and out standout track that would set them off to the big time. The afforementioned Nobody Move gets close, and other tracks such as "In Action" are bang up there, but their "Take Me Out" remains tantilisingly out of reach.

Speaking of the Franz, there is definately an element of the Franz Ferdinand sound to this, but they also reminded me of the much under-valued XTC with their wit and quirky style.

If you've heard the singles and liked them, then buy this album, you won't be disappointed. But if the singles left you cold then don't come looking here for a good time. If they sound your kind of thing then you'll probably love them, but they won't convert any doubters.

2006 Concert List

11th Feburary - Jenny Lewis - Manchester Academy 3
27th February - Editors - Manchester Academy
1st March - Fun Lovin' Criminals - Liverpool Academy
2nd March - Gemma Hayes - Liverpool Academy 3
9th March - The Like - Manchester Academy 3
18th March - Sugababes - Liverpool Philarmonic Hall
30th March - Depeche Mode - MEN Areaa, Manchester
25th April - Flaming Lips - Apollo, Manchester
27th May - Girls Aloud - MEN Arena, Manchester
30th May - Nerina Pallot - The Lowry, Salford

Jenny Lewis - Rabbit Fur Coat

Jenny Lewis is a fox. There, I've got that out of the way from the start. Also, I love Rilo Kiley. So as you can see, I'm not exactly approaching this from a neutral standpoint. Prior to listening to it, I want to love it. In fact, even if I didn't I'd be tempted to lie on here anyway and say it was brilliant safe in the knowledge that most people in the world will never listen to it anyway. But thankfully I don't have to lie, because the album is bloody fantastic.

For want of a better term, this could almost be described as Jenny's "country" album, although its completely unlike any country album you might have ever heard in quite a long while. Whilst the music may have headed to Nashville country, the lyrics, often a strong point of Rilo Kiley's albums, remain as thoughtful, acerbic and whilstful as ever. Connor Oberst (who's record label released this effort and who guests on a couple of tracks) is often lauded as the preminent songwriter in Modern America (the new Bob Dylan if you will), but for my money he's not a patch on Lewis, as evidenced on the likes of "Rise Up With Fists", "You Are What You Love" and the title track.

At times it gets a little too miserable for its own good, and is hardly a mainstream album (and as such won't represent something of a break-through that certain critics have suggested) but that doesn't change the fact that it is a bloody good album and certainly one that deserves the almost unanimous praise that its been getting.

Hell, even the Travelling Wilbury's cover, which could have been awful, is good. All in all this is a triumph. And who cares if it won't sell in it's millions, because at the end of the day, it's the millions who will be missing out.

Single Releases 16/01/06

A new development this is, but I've decided that once a week, time permitting of course, I will cast my eye over the big (and sometimes not so big) single releases of the week and pass my judgement. And also bear in mind that sometimes I'm crap, so may actually review singles that aren't out on that particular week :D

Anyways, on with the show.

All Time Love (Will Young) - Ok, look past the unremittingly dull and boring video (yes there is a lot going on, but it's all bloody miserable) and this isn't actually that bad a tune. It's certainly better than Will trying to be funky, which is just a route that he is so totally not suited to at all. The sooner he forgets about trying to be a pop star and sticks to what he's good at, the better off we'll all be.

Check On It (Beyonce) - Ah yes. The curse of an R'n'B artist. Look love, its not big and its certainly not clever to release singles without any discernable tune for us mere mortals to sing along to. If this is the kind of stuff we can expect from the next phase of her solo career, I don't think Beyonce can conut on Destiny's Child level of success. It'll chart well I'm sure, but it doesn't deserve to.

Nasty Girl (Notorious BIG and every other rapper, EVER) - If there is one thing worse than a "live" album, its a "dead" one. The modus operandi in this one seems to have been to round up every rapper who's still alive to sing a line or two. Thus the only fun in this one is watching the video (in a "Perfect Day" style) and seeing how many rappers you can spot. And on the plus side, there is the off-chance that you'll be concentrating so hard on the quest that you'll forget to listen to the abysmal song.

The Greatest (Cat Power) - Mournful, sorrowful and absolutely brilliant. Which of course means it will fail to chart in the top 500 or so, but still, who cares? A great prelude to what will hopefully be a great album.

Sawy (Little Derek) - Against all the odds I can say that this isn't too bad. Sonically from the R-Kelly range of R'n'B slowies, but lyrically nothing to do with pissing on 13 year old girls. Tell your friends about it now, just in case he happens to make it big in 2006.

Changes (Chris Lake)- A dance tune, but one that has been described as a "piano monster" (well, ok it was his own website that described it as such). It's a million miles away from the crap likes of that recent dance version of "You Only Get What You Give" which is a good thing, believe me! It makes me want to dance, and these days very little makes me want to dance. So check it out.

Warm Sand (Tina Deco) - This starts off with Piano as well, but don't worry I'm not going off on a dance trip here, this is a Delta Goodrem/Lucie Silvas style ballad, without ever threatening to be as good as anything they could do. This is bound to get lost in the shuffle.

Twelve (Forward, Russia) - This is the kind of thing which sends all the trendies wild, but leaves me utterly cold. It's not bad, but there are a hundred and one better songs released that never get anywhere near the hype that this gets.

Funny Little Frog (Belle And Sebastian) - Thankfully this is not one of their miserable efforts and is actually is wonderfully poppy tune which doesn't take long to lodge in your brain.

Eddie's Song (Son Of Dork) - Yes its rubbish...but it's better than Fightstar, which has to count for something does it not? Having said that, if they were American this would no doubt be at number one for weeks or something.

When The Sun Goes Down (Arctic Monkeys) - Ok, so the whole Arctic Monkey's thing is getting terribly over-hyped but this song proves that they are, to some extent, the real thing. Still don't get me started on the Love Machine cover... Still, for once a song that deserves to get to number one probably will :D.

Haley Hutchinson - Independantly Blue

Oh, all hail Terry Wogan, he who loves Nerina Pallot's "All Good People." Well actually he might have been told to play Hayley's "Deadman" single on his radio show for all I know, and he most certainly didn't make me change my CD's over in my car at the very moment the song came on his show, but that my friends is fate at work.

At first I was convinced I was hearing either A) A new Liz Phair single I hadn't known of of B) A Sheryl Crow single that I'd missed of Wildflower on account of that being a pretty rubbish album. Actually it was neither, and as it goes, the above descriptions won't really give you much of a clue as to the overall impression of the album.

Whilst "Deadman" can be described in such terms, the rest of the album is a much more mellow affair and is akin to what Katie Melua might come up with if she wasn't ever so slightly piss poor. "Here's The Love" is a wonderful opener and the title track is a wonderful slice of folk-esqe pop which, if there is any luck, will send the Radio 2 pop lovers into a frenzy when they hear it.

The album is mixed between acoustic, stripped down songs and those with a bit more of an electric, and dare I say it, lively feel. For my money, the latter tracks work better as some of the more basic tracks have little to distinguish themselves from any other similar tracks you might hear anywhere else. Still this is a great little discovery and I certainly would reccommend it and I look forward to hearing more from Haley in the future.

I'm Broke

Dudes, at the moment I am broke, so January became a "don't buy any CD's" month. But fear not, new reviews are on their way, including a couple that I got at the back end of last year but didn't get aroudn to reviewing.

Top 20 Concerts 2005

20. Franz Ferdinand (26th November) – Ok so perhaps the hype has gone a little out of control, but there is no denying that an evening with Franz Ferdinand promises style and swagger, and this delivered plenty of both. They also had the absolute BEST video screens I’ve ever seen at a concert and they paced the show very well (meaning that they spread out their best songs). HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Take Me Out (much like it was last year).

19. Natasha Bedingfield (1st March) – Oh no, we don’t want to see her supporting Sheryl Crow. Erm, wait a minute, she’s not that bad, lets go and watch her. Yes, and that was ALL my fault I would admit. She is very underrated for sure, and this was a good night of sing-a-long fun. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Probably her version of This Love. Maroon 5 have never sounded so good.

18. REM etc. (17th June) – The big event of the summer, being as it was something of an all-dayer. Idlewild stole the show for me. Feeder were a bit subdued and The Zutons were, well, a bit rubbish. As for Michael Stipe and the boys, they were good and rattled through most of the hits and did it with aplomb. Although really, having now seen them once I don’t really think I’ll ever feel the need to do the experience again. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Losing My Religion

17. Lucie Silvas (6th November) – Oh Lucie. You’re not all that bad are you? Can’t say I was, or indeed am, over-enamoured with her stuff, but you can’t deny that she can belt a tune or two out. As certain people have pointed out as well, she didn’t look half bad up there on stage. Still, I could have done without the Coldplay cover. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Nothing Else Matters

16. Supergrass (9th October) – Having been so cruelly, and painfully, denied the opportunity to see them do an acoustic set earlier in the year, it was nice to be able to see the ‘Grass in all their plugged in glory. Support act Son Of Dave was one of the worst of the year, but the main event was worth enduring that. They didn’t play a couple of classics, probably because they don’t like them now or something, but that didn’t overly hurt the overall impression. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Richard III

15. Fun Lovin Criminals (17th September) – You know what you’re getting with an FLC show, and this didn’t disappoint. Ok, so there were a few too many songs of the latest album, and they all seemed to be lumped together, but once you’re bouncing along to the likes of Scooby Snacks, The Fun Lovin’ Criminal and Love Unlimited who cares? And Huey is STILL the coolest man on the planet. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Scooby Snacks

14. Shakin Stevens (27th November) – In the words of that dull metal group, it’s been a while, but the Shaky bandwagon was back in town. And as the great man might say himself, Rock ‘N’ Roll never goes out of fashion and this was a top-notch night. Granted, Shaky was a little bit croaky in the first half (but still belted out one hell of a show) but after some half-time interval herbal tea (or something) Shaky was in full voice for the second half, which saw many ladies who should know a lot better whoop themselves into a frenzy! Shaky’s still got it. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; With My Heart.

13. Editors (28th September) – Finally Gee gets something right!!! I still don’t think the Editors are the best things since sliced bread, but they are very good…especially when you catch them live. This was basically the album done live, but even the weaker album tracks were pumped up with a sense of clarity that the Dean enjoyed. And I am going watching them again in 2006, so that says it all doesn’t it? HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Sparks.

12. The Like (12th November)– Confession time. I nearly forgot to put this is, so apologies to Nine Black Alps (who were down at 20 until I realised my error) but this concert had to go in the list somewhere. To be honest, I can’t remember all that much about it as a concert, but I can remember that it was quality, and that I recognised a fair few of the tunes. AND I met the three lovely ladies afterwards. Which was nice…no, actually, it was bloody lovely. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Erm, What I Say And What I Mean is pretty good isn’t it? Or maybe the highlight was Tennessee “maybe knowing” where Wigan was/is! :D

11. Aimee Mann (15th July) – She’s not toured for ages, and certainly not when I could go to it, so it was with great excitement that I trundled up to this concert. And I was not disappointed. Even though the set-list was heavily favoured towards her latest (somewhat average) album, there were enough of her old classics to make this a night to remember. And perhaps it’s a testimony to her continued brilliance that songs from right across her impressive back catalogue were all met with warm audience applause. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Driving Sideways

10. Ben Folds (15th December) – In some ways it may be a bit of a surprise that this is not higher up. After all it was a top quality night all round (Gee getting the come on from the ladies in the restaurant, getting to meet more of the Tunstallation Nation) and it was a great concert (as you would expect). And anything in the top 10 this year was excellent, but when it comes down to it I cannot justify it going any higher. I suppose its my slight disappointment that he didn’t do more Ben Folds Five stuff. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Bizarre Christmas Incident.
9. Jem (4th December) – See this is an example of letting other people’s feelings put you off something slightly. I’d heard some bad reports about Jem’s supposed lack of “live” singing voice, and it had slightly dampened my expectations about the concert. But, once she kicked off it was full on happy, happy, joy, joy all the way. She sure knows how to write a catchy tune, and she’d assembled a great band to play them. Forget the doubters, this girl is here for the long-haul, trust me! HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; They

8. Girls Aloud (27th May) – Now you see this is a perfect example of how many intangibles go into making a ranking list like this. If this was done purely on “musical worthiness” this would be lower down the list, but if it was done on pure enjoyment it could probably be top 5 material no doubt. Quite frankly, if you were looking for an all-out pop extravaganza in 2005, then you didn’t need to look any further than Girls Aloud. All their hits were belted out in great style and there was just enough costume changes to keep me entertained. Throw in the front row seats in Liverpool and you have one hell of a night to remember. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Girls Allowed (funnily enough, considering the album version is a bit pants).

7. The Subways (2nd November) – We saw them before the album release earlier in the year, and then they cancelled on us in the mid-summer. But The Subways made up for any earlier disappointments with this absolutely cracking concert. They’re hardly pushing back the musical boundaries, but they do what they do with an energy and youthfulness that all too easily seduces you. This was a full-tempo, loud noise shebang all the way and was one of those concert nights that just flew by. And it didn’t hurt that Charlotte is a “little firecracker” either did it? HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Mary.

6. The Donnas (7th March) – Oh they broke my heart last year (or may it even have been 2003…in fact I think it probably must have been) when they cancelled their UK tour, but they finally came back to make it up to me. Scary rumours about more band ill-health left me fearing the worst, but when the time came, the shackles of flu were thrown off by the lovely Brett. This was another rockin’ night, and whilst some of my favourite tracks by the girls were missing, there was such a varied choice from their back catalogue that there wasn’t a duff song in the set. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Take It Off

5. Weezer (25th August) – I still harbour a small grudge over the ticket prices for this (not the most expensive ever on the whole, but still by far the most I’ve ever had to spend in Manchester Academy) but really, when a concert is as good as this one there really is little point in complaining. Quite frankly this was a brilliant concert from start to finish, and, as any of the top 5 could have done this year, could have come out on top in this list. Virtually ignoring their latest album (only 4 tracks from it) Rivers and the boys proceeded to belt out classic after classic from their extensive back catalogue, which gave the night a feeling of a “greatest hits” concert. Add in the fact that I’d had a few and was dancing like a loon all night with Xavi and you have a truly memorable night out. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; El Scorchio

4. KT Tunstall (18th February) – Oh back in the days when really I’d only bought her album on a whim and not having many concerts lined up I decided to grab a pair of tickets to this. I am so glad I did. Whilst subsequent Tunstall concerts (and there were three more in the year) suffered mildly from repetition and having too much of a good thing, nothing could sully this first night. A small, intimate venue. Me and Gee being very drunk. And a concert which just blew me away. Before this night I’d feared KT might have been another one of those great artists I discover who then disappear, but after this night I knew I was safe and that KT was going to go places. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Black Horse & The Cherry Tree

3. Laura Veirs (11th October) – See this is the kind of concert I probably wouldn’t have gone to this time last year, but the concert bug well and truly got me and I began to actively seek out strange and wonderful acts to go and watch. Her Year Of Meteors album blew me away and despite the fact that this concert probably had THE worst support act of the year (and that terrible moment of horror when you realise that he’s also part of her band), what followed was nothing short of brilliant. Of course she’ll never make it “big” but who cares? HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Spelunking, which was pretty “atmospheric”.

2. Suzanne Vega/Nerina Pallot (22nd June) – Whilst I suppose any of the top 5 could have sat happily at the top of the list, when it REALLY came down to it, it was only between this one and the next one for the ultimate honour. Vega’s decision to completely by-pass the North West of England actually worked out rather well as we decamped to Coventry (a trip that effectively became my “holiday” for 2005) and the rather delightful Warwick Arts Centre. I did think about splitting this concert into two in terms of this list, but in the end went for the joint thing. First up was Nerina, and I don’t think she’s ever been in better form (at least when I have seen her) than she was that night. It was the only time I’ve seen her when there wasn’t a load of people jibber-jabbering away during her set. And I really don’t think there was a person in the audience who didn’t like what they heard. Throw in the photo opportunity during the interval (complete with the now legendary “you miss Suzanne Vega if you don’t hurry up” conversation), me using my “celebrity contacts” to get Gee a special birthday message and me feeling like a proud parent when all her CD’s sold out then you already have a special night. But then it (almost) got better…despite Nerina’s prediction that I’d miss the start proving true and me missing half my favourite Vega song “Marlene On The Wall.” Still, she’s another funny woman and put on a great show, including singing songs so new that she had to have the lyric sheets in front of her. At the time I thought I couldn’t possibly leave a concert in 2005 as happy again, but I was just about wrong…. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; For Nerina it was Damascus, for Suzanne it was probably Tom’s Diner, because Greg Rusedski got quite animated during that.

1. Martha Wainwright (18th November) – Ultimately, when it was all said and done, I couldn’t look any further than this for the best concert of the year. This was the perfect example of not having a clue what to expect when walking in, and walking out convinced you’d just seen something of rare splendour. She’s nuts, make no bones about it, but she also put on not only one of the most musically exciting shows I’ve ever seen…she was funny and smart to boot. She also got the crowd warbling like Native Indians, got a woman out of the crowd to sing backing, and cut songs off in the middle of a verse because she had some wisdom to impart. She also was having so much fun during her “solo” section that the concert over-ran by about 15 minutes when all was said and done. This was the sort of great evening that concert-going was invented for. This wasn’t only the best concert of 2005, this was also one of the best concerts I’ve EVER been to. And you don’t get a much better recommendation than that do you. Well maybe other than the fact I met her afterwards and she was a real sweetheart. Ready Steady Cook awaits!!! HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT; Me being chatted up by Alison Goldfr…no, wait. It was Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole.

Top 20 Albums of 2005

Right lets get a few small matters out of the way first. Jem and KT Tunstall don’t count towards this list, as they were in my 2004 list, despite “re-releases” of the albums in question. “I Confess” by Holly Palmer would certainly make it in the list if I thought it was only released in 2005, but I’m sure I only discovered it this year and that it was out in 2004. Ditto for “Let It Die” by Feist and the Nouvelle Vague album. The Greatest Hits collections by Shakin’ Stevens and Basement Jaxx were ineligible (the old “Greatest Hits compilations don’t count” rule). Other than that, let battle commence! And let it be known this list was an absolute bugger to come up with. Oh, and those of you with time on your hands may notice that the marks “out of 5” I gave these albums upon their initial reviews may not necessarily correlate with the order in which they are ranked here, but as we all know, time changes opinions and some things grow on you whereas others don’t seem quite as good in retrospect.

BUBBLING UNDER – These couldn’t quite squeeze into the top 20, but deserve mentions nonetheless. Confessions On A Dance Floor (Madonna), Wayward Angel (Kasey Chambers), Fisherman's Woman (Emiliana Torrini), Super Extra Gravity (The Cardigans). The Dark Room (Editors).


20. Howl Howl Gaff Gaff (Shout Out Louds) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “perfectly formed collection of pop-rock tunes. Get it now, before they become massive.” WHAT I SAY NOW: Ok, so as of yet they’ve not become massive, but they were in the NME best albums of the year list (shudder), so that must count for something right? Anyhoo, I still have faith that this is going to break huge in 2006 and I shall be very angry if it doesn’t. I mean this beats the pants off album releases this year from Kasier Chiefs and Franz Ferdinand, although admittedly it probably doesn’t have the killer single to sell it to the masses. RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; 100, A Track And A Train.

19. Pretty In Black (The Raveonettes) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “a 50's pop feel… and often the feel that the songs would play off wonderfully in a David Lynch or Quentin Tarrantino production” WHAT I SAY NOW: This really is the kind of stuff that the Everley Brothers might come up with today if they were a hot new band. It’s certainly not for everyone, but anyone with a liking for the old Phil Spector sound will find much to admire in here. RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; Ode To LA, Love In A Trashcan


18. Everything Is (Nine Black Alps) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “Much like Cobain, Nine Black Alps probably wont appreciate talk of pop "sensibilities", but that's exactly what they have.” WHAT I SAY NOW: They aim for Nirvana-esque sounds and that’s what they deliver. It’s hardly “new and fresh” sounds, but when what they do is as good as this, who cares? Whether they have the advancement in them for a propserpous career is debatable, but that shouldn’t detract from the album. RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; Not Everyone, Unsatisfied, Ironside (which even if it hadn’t been any good would have got massive brownie points just for the title).


17. Set Yourself On Fire (Stars) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “Stars never lose sight of the fact that it is the melodies that make a great pop song. And the result is a charismatic, energetic set of tunes” WHAT I SAY NOW: Ok, so they weren’t quite ready to challenge Arcade Fire for the “Best Band In Canada” award (if such thing actually exists in the real world) but this is still a fantastic album which gives us the kind of intelligent pop that has been missing for far too long. Pity about the abysmal cover though. RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; Your Ex Lover Is Dead, Reunion.


16. Songs For Silverman (Ben Folds) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “Ben's still on form, but now he's playing a different game.” WHAT I SAY NOW: I’m still ever so slightly disappointed that this is more “Rheinhold Messner” than it is “Whatever And Ever Amen” but you cannot deny the quality of this album which has led to something of a career renaissance for Mr Folds. Landed should have given him a long-overdue chart smash, whilst Bastard harks back to the “glory days” of Ben Folds Five . Add in the likes of Grace, a potentially mawkish song about his daughter which is actually quite touching, and Late and you have a quality album, although I do still think the album does meander out towards the end. RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; Landed, Grace.


15. The Repulsion Box (Sons And Daughters) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “a stunning collection which will enchant all those that listen to it.” WHAT I SAY NOW: Of course it failed to propel Sons And Daughters to super-stardom (as I sadly predicted it wouldn’t) but then sometimes, the record buying public just simply don’t get it do they? Or perhaps smart intelligent pop by one Scottish band (Franz Ferdinand) is enough for most people. Still, it’s the public’s loss isn’t it? RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; Dance Me In, Medicine, Choked


14. Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking? (The Like) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “this is a great album and bodes well for a long and prosperous career” WHAT I SAY NOW: Ok, so the single tanked in the UK charts (failing to even crack the top 250), but I don’t care. This is still a quality album which WILL be a success when it gets it’s UK release. I sort of guarentee it. They should really clear up the charts because the music is great and they’re not bad to look at are they? RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; Too Late, What I Say And What I Mean, Under The Paving Stones.


13. Young For Eternity (The Subways) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “it’s brash, it's cocky and it's hormonal” WHAT I SAY NOW: This is one of those that has grown in stature over the months. Initially I was slightly disappointed by it, but it quickly began to eek its way into my conscience and pretty soon I was loving most of it like a long-lost child. There is an energy to this that is, quite simply, infectious and you just hope that there is more to come in this vein and that “maturity” doesn’t set in any time soon. RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; Mary, Holiday, Oh Yeah


12. More Adventurous (Rilo Kiley) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “One listen through is all it takes for most of the delicate melodies to lodge inside you brain” WHAT I SAY NOW: Whilst it certianly wasn’t all that “more adventurous” from their previous albums, there was a definte swing upwards on the quality-o-meter with this release. The catchy melodies hides venemous, biting lyrics, and this juxtaposition is a huge part of the band’s appeal. There is an occasional tendency to lay on the schmaltz just a little too thickly for my liking, but that doesn’t detract too much from what is a great pop album. RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; It’s A Hit, I Never, Portions For Foxes


11. I'm Wide Awake It's Morning (Bright Eyes) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “music making stripped down to it's rawest form. It's unadorned, naked, and beautiful” WHAT I SAY NOW: Wow I was being slighly pompous when I wrote that wasn’t I? Anyway, the sentiment is still true. People still argue that this album is simple rather than simplistic, but it has an effortless charm that is hard to ignore. It’s the one album from Connor Oberst that I can return to time after time. RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; The First Day Of My Life, At The Bottom Of Everything


10. Chemistry (Girls Aloud) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “this is quite frankly one of the best pop albums EVER. No seriously, it is.” WHAT I SAY NOW: Well, it still is you know. Many “worthy” musical magazine have snottily given this album 2 or 3 out of 5 which really just means they can’t look past their own snobbery and recognise a fun and innovative album if it’s not in their preferred genre. But I understand that; our musical tastes take many forms. But if you’ve ever liked a pop song then you really shoul have this album in your collection. RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; Wild Horses, Biology, Swinging London Town


9. Maximum Minimum (Kraftwerk) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “a superb collection from one of the most influential bands in history” WHAT I SAY NOW: What is there to say? An astounding live album, featuring most of their best work and it still sounds as fresh today as it did all those years ago. All the pretenders to the throne take note, the bar has been raised again! RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; The Model, The Robots, Autobahn


8. Martha Wainwright (Martha Wainwright) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “at times hauntingly beautiful and at others filled with raw, flamed propelled, energy” WHAT I SAY NOW: Another album that grew on me over the year. Whlist certain tracks did jump out straight away, others took their time to work their magic, but most of them did in the end. You’d expect the weight of a musical family would weigh on her, but it doesn’t show. Straight off the bat she has her own voice, and if her form continues like this, she’ll end up with a legacy to match her brother Rufus. RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole, Ball & Chain, When The Day Is Short


7. Lullabies To Paralyze (Queens Of The Stone Age) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “rock as it should be. Dark, edgy and, above all, sexy.” WHAT I SAY NOW: If there was one album to rock out to this year, this is the one! Its heavy, its sweaty, its loud…It’s a classic! It’s even better than previous albums, which could be patch in parts. Looks like the Josh Homme roadshow is ready to run on and on, and long may it continue to do so. RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; Little Sister, You Got A Kiler Scene Man


6. Year Of Meteors (Laura Veirs) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “Constantly knowing, articulate and hauntingly beautiful throughout, always drawing the listener in deeper and deeper with each play.” WHAT I SAY NOW: Another nice discovery this year. Her previous albums had completely passed me by, but this was quite the gem. Veirs paints the picture of a world rammed full of eels, snakes and homing pigeons and whilst it is loosely a “folk” album, there is enough variety to enchant anyone who just happens to like great music. RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; Galaxies, Black Gold Blues,


5. LCD Soundsystem (LCD Soundsytem) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “a must have CD from a man more interested in producing genuinely exciting and exhillarating music than by the notion of being cool and/or hip." WHAT I SAY NOW: A classic trio of singles in years past had made the wait for a full-on LCD album a tense one indeed. Could James Murphy really match those, never mind beat them? Well I’m glad to say that he indeed came up with the goods. This is dance music, without ever limiting itself to the boundaries placed upon that genre. There’s a sheer wealth of reference points to be heard, but the striking thing is just how fresh it all sounds. A truly unforgettable experience. RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; Daft Punk Is Playing In My House, Tribulations, Too Much Love


4. Fires (Nerina Pallot) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “This is just full of great track after great track with memorable tunes, and great lyrics.” WHAT I SAY NOW: An album I thought I’d never hear after Nerina’s long absence from the scene following Dear Frustrated Superstar…but it was worth the long wait. After this album was brought to my attention ,by the woman herself I might add, I was just so made up that there was finally a second album that I would have probably have loved it no matter what it sounded like, but there was no need for that as it really is a fanstastic album and you just knew that it would lead to bigger and better things (which it seems to have done in terms of a new record deal). The comeback of the year! RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; Geek Love, Sophia, Damascus


3. Funeral (Arcade Fire) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “its underlying message is that love truly can conquer all. Let this album conquer you.” WHAT I SAY NOW: I was in a pompous mood when I wrote that review too I see! Either that, or I was drunk. But still, this is a bloody fantastic record, which is so good that its difficult to imagine that this really is a long-player debut. As I point out, some have labelled this an album of despair, but whilst it has its dark moments, ultimately this is an uplifting album which is a delight from start to finish. RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; Neighbourhood #2 (Laika), Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out), Rebellion (Lies)


2. Blinking Lights And Other Revelations (The Eels) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “this {collection} is a thing of rare beauty.” WHAT I SAY NOW: This is without doubt E’s masterpiece, the second disc especially. In fact if it wasn’t for the slightly inconsistent Disc one this might just have sneaked the top spot. Given the fact that E has lost most of his family to illness one way or the other its not surprising that there is a slightly dispairing feel to the album, but whereas Electro-Shock Blues was relentlessly dour, this has its moments of relative joy. It’s not easy listening, but it does reward any listener with the perseverence. RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; I'm Going To Stop Pretending That I Didn't Break Your Heart, Ugly Love, Trouble With Dreams.


1. Extraordinary Machine (Fiona Apple) – WHAT I SAID THEN; “There isn't a duff track on the whole album.” WHAT I SAY NOW:In the end, this had to be THE choice as my favourite album of 2005. From start to finish this is superb and to my lovely ears there isn’t a track I would want to skip past. It took six years, and prolonged record label wranglings, for this to reach the shelves and it was everything you could want it to be. Unmistakably Fiona Apple, but with renewed vim and vigour. I just hope I don’t have to wait six years for the follow up to this! RECCOMMENDED TRACKS; Get Him Back, Extraordinary Machine, Window, Better Version Of Me.

Ben Folds LIVE

So with a sad and heavy heart it was time for the last concert of 2005. It's been one hell of a concert-going year for yours truly, but at least it was fairly certain that the year was going to end on a high note.

Tea at the Old Orleans kicked the night off. I love me them Bourbon Wings. It was whilst eating tea than me and Gee were blatantly chatted up by two women. Believe you me, I know that from time to time I can sort of get carried away when I say things like that, but there really was no dobut. Of course we couldn't sit there all night whilst Gee and "Claire" bonded over a mutual hatred for Mick Hucknall, so it was off to the Apollo...which took absolutely AGES thanks to that broken down bus.

Got to the venue to see that only Caz from the Tunstall lot was there yet and it was good to see her and have a bit of a chat. There was still no sign of the others when Mr Folds and his band hit the stage. A few songs in, Caz disappeared to find them and then came back to get us. She then led us back to where she thought they were, but she couldn't find them. Two minutes later she realised they were straight in front of us. There I had the pleasure of meeting Tom and Trev very briefly.

I enjoyed the show more than I did earlier in the year at the Lowry. Whilst standing up for a gig can be a pain in the arse from time to time, there is no doubt that it was better to be stood up for Ben. My only slight complaint would be that there was few Ben Folds Five songs inserted into the mix, although I concede the point that it was a Ben Folds "solo" concert. Still I don't think it's a coincidence that when he tossed in a few Five classics towards the end that was the best part of the show.

This was another fantastic night and it was good to see the Apollo very full indeed. Hopefully Ben will be back sometime in 2006!

Girls Aloud - Chemistry

Ok, so I'm officially way too excited by this album...and this excitment is going to lead into a very special review. Because for the first time ever, I am going to give you lucky people a track by track review of an album. Not that I will include the Christmas bonus CD in that review, but we'll get to that later...

INTRO - Ok, see this is where the brilliance starts. You see an "Intro" is the kind of thing a proper serious album might have. So after less than 50 seconds, we are already into "anything better than Madonna's ever done" territory. Which is pretty cool is it not?

MODELS - The first proper song proves that the Girls are good, ahem, role models by advising young girls everywhere that there are some men out there who will, quite literally, fuck anything that's fit. And that's just not right. And they're saying, don't let them do it girls. So you see, not only are the Girls brilliant at pop music, they're looking after the kids. And remember folks, the kids are the future.

BIOLOGY - The finest pop single in ages. Yes, even better than Madonna's Hung Up. You see this is just too good for the record buying public to truly love. I mean this actually does away with having verses (which has only been the basis of music for about the last 50 years) and just plumps for having about four different choruses. Which is pretty bloody cool is it not?

WILD HORSES - Right, for a start let me just reiterate that this is the greatest pop song ever. Yes, even better than No Good Advice...even better than Wake Me Up....and YES, even better than The Show. Which really, makes it quite fan-fuckin-tastic doesn't it. I mean come on, what's not to like? It's even got "woo woo" noises in it. Which might just have given me a reason to live again. And it's got a very similar bass-line to Long Hot Summer, but it's better than that. So it's like they've admitted that LHS wasn't very good, so they thought they'd use the same tune again just to prove their pop genius. And also, you can't ignore the asbolutely GENIUS choir opening, which for just that slight moment makes you think you've bought an Aled Jones Christmas record or something.

SEE THE DAY - Well according to the inlay booklet, it seems like Paul Weller didn't write this, even though people still claim that he did. If he did, this is the best song he's ever done. This should be Christmas number one by a mile, although it won't be. It also seems like someone behind the scenes *louis walsh*COUGH* is trying to plant the seeds of a Nadine solo career with this track. But hey, I won't mind that will I? This is the best ballad they've done, which isn't saying much, but still...

WATCH ME GO - "I know what you're thinking, you've been thinking about my butt." Now how can you fail to love a song that ends with that line? And thats only one of two absurdly brilliant raps in this song. See if "My Humps" by the Black Eyed Peas was any good, it still wouldn't be as good as this. And if Nadine really was "was dressed in red, tied up to your bed" at quarter past two it really was remiss of her not to give me advanced warning. This reminds me of Ace Of Base, and they were bloody brilliant too.

WAITING - Now you see, Mc Fly and the Busted have made careers (or did make careers) out of ripping of 60's pop. So I suppose it's a good job that Busted have split up, because the Girls have gone and outdone them. McFly should be forced to listen to this and made to write "pop music should be fun" 100 times on the blackboard. This sounds as if it was writeen by the Kinks, which kinda proves just how kick ass this really is.

WHOLE LOTTA HISTORY - Someone needs to own up here. Because attempting to do a "Never Ever" was a very bad idea. I really cannot see how some people are raving over this track and saying it should have been the Christmas single this year. This is the one where I can press next track on my fancy musical player. Or take a piss break. Still, ballads have never been the girls strong point.

LONG HOT SUMMER - Ok so it's "shit", even though it's not "shit" at all. It's just merely quite good, which is a disappointment for a GA single I know. Still if the 411 or Pop or others of that ilk had done something half as good as this, they still might have careers. And in closing, if this track proves one thing, its that Nadine shouldn't try and rap.

SWINGING LONDON TOWN - Now we are back to the absolute genuis portion of the album. This is like The Chemical Brothers. Or, if you will, the Chemical Sisters. It's also got a bit of a riff that's blatantly nicked off something, but I can't quite remember what. It also rather brilliantly slows right down in the middle, like a proper song by some guitar band might do, before descending into a swirl of beeps and then smacking right back up to full tempo. Pop genius at work here folks.

IT'S MAGIC - This is the kind of song that would be the best song on a Sugababes album, but has to settle for being quite good in comparison to a lot of the album. They'll not be doing this one on the tour...

NO REGRETS - Sadly not a cover version of Robbie's best song, but this is a wonderfully shimmery ballad which the kids won't like, but will be the one that your mum goes "ooh, that's lovely. Katie Melua or Barbara Striesland could do that" when she overhears it in your car or something. It picks up brownie points for the completly out of tune pan-pipes (or whatever the hell they are) in the background.

RACY LACEY - This has to be one of the funniest songs ever. "She's got undulating, grundulating, grinding hips." "I know this girl who's not too bright, but she's good in bed alright." "A PHD with her legs apart." But what is GENIUS about this song is that it in NO WAY glamorises a promiscous lifestyle and it is in no way suggesting that the 10 year old girls listening should start a lifetime of one-night stands. There's a bit of the "Betty Boo" about this and in an absolutely BRILLIANT ending to the album, this song just stops dead, seemingly right in the middle of the song. I mean of course it doesn't stop in the middle of the song, it stops at the end, but it makes you think it's finished in the middle, which is just a stroke of pop genius yes?

CONCLUSION - So all in all, this is quite frankly one of the best pop albums EVER. No seriously, it is. If Madonna, Kylie, Gwen Stefani or someone like that did something this good, literally everyone in the world would love it and the NME would put it in their best albums list or something. But the way I see it is that those people who miss out on this because of some musical snobbery...well that's their problem. This is a pop album which is not afraid to be different and not afraid to shake of the shackles of predictabilty. You must buy this album, or eternal damnation awaits.

CHRISTMAS BONUS ALBUM - This, on the other hand, is pretty rubbish. But in "Not Tonight Santa" they do provide us with one Christmas song destined for classic status. Trust me.

Jem LIVE

It's been a long time coming, but finally the lovely Jem got around to a UK tour. You never really know what to expect with things like this, especially when some people had told me that she couldn't really sing live. And in fact it looked a bit ominous from the very first song when there was a slight suspicion in mine and the Gee's minds that she was miming.

Well I'm glad to say that she most certainly wasn't miming, and she proceeded to whip through her Finally Woken album with a certain aplomb. I could have done without the pointless cover of a Coldplay (I do wish female artists would stop subjecting me to Coldplay covers...its not big and its not clever) and it was a bit pointless for her to do a cover of Sweet Home Alabama where she didn't do anything, but other than those minor problems, it was a great night.

Particular highlights were a cracking version of "They" and the hula dancing during "Wish I". I'm telling ya, I look forward to more of Jem in the future. She's the real deal.

Ian Brown LIVE

I never did like the Stone Roses you know. But I must admit that Mr Brown did some decent solo stuff. So whilst it's fair to say that this wasn't the most eagerly anticipated of the 2005 concert list, I was hoping for a reasonable nights entertainment.

It got off on a bad foot when seemingly every restaurant in Manchester was full. Finally found some Pizzeria, only to be held up even longer by some arrogant Americans who, to quote one of them "aren't the kind of people you want to piss off." Quite.

Anyways, the foxy Italian waitress made up for the delay somewhat, and belly's full it was off to the MEN. Just in time to realise that whatever the hell the support act was, was well worth missing. Although then, someone's bright idea to have a "street magician" as another pre-Ian act made for five of the most uncomfortable minutes I have ever spent at a gig. Believe me, I'll not mention his name because I can guarantee that you'll never hear of him.

As for the Brownster...well his voice was as crystal clear and tone-perfect as ever. Although at least we could hear him. Whether it was a dodgy soundsystem or the fact we were sat sideways onto the stage, the guitar was barely audible (which made for some great moments as the crowd erupted at the start of a song and I was just sat there thinking "are they actually playing anything.")

There were some "boss" moments, including "If Dolphins Were Monkeys" and the rest of the crowd seemed to love the Stone Roses moments (although I suspect most of the crowd didn't think there were enough Stone Roses moments). All in all, I enjoyed myself, but it was hardly was the greatest concert I've ever been to. Still, I had fun and that's better than nothing isn't it?

The Like - Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking?

The Like...The Like. Just think, would I be sat here reviewing this album right now if the Gee hadn't gone to watch Maroon 5 a bit back? Probably not, although knowing the musical world I'm sure I would have come across three fit women playing rock music before too long...



I have to say that in some ways I am going to be biased in this review. I've met them and they're lovely. Especially Tennessee. But it doesn't hurt that their debut single "What I Say And What I Mean" was an absolute corking slice of fuzzy pop-rock (technical term that you know) which, in one foul swoop, kicked away all the thoughts of nepotism (all three of the girls father being musical hot-shots) and made you realise that they are the real thing.

I can't quite summon up the levels of hysteria that a certain friend of mine bursts out at their very mention, as not all the album hits the high-spots, but enough of it does to ensure that this album is a "must-have."

Whilst WISAWIM is probably the stand-out track, there are some other absolute crackers too. "Under The Paving Stones" evokes echo's of the Clash's London Calling and is an absolute top tune whilst "Too Late" almost snatches "Best Song" accolades, and it mentions pendulums. Quite why that excites me I don't know, but it most certainly does. There are also some quality "slower" moments, with the delightful "The One" being a particular highlight.

So all in all, this is a great album and bodes well for a long and prosperous career. Buy it when it comes out in the UK in the spring. DO IT.

Icon's View - 4 out of 5

The Cardigans - Super Extra Gravity

Ok, so I bought this album ages ago (on the day of it's release) but completely forgot about reviewing it. So belatedly here goes.

The Cardigans seem destined to be forever remembered as the band who did "Lovefool" (one of the most misunderstood songs EVER) rather than as one of the most diverse and impressive bands around in the 21st century. Few other bands have shown the range that the talented Scandinavians have, from the bright and breezy pop of Life to the whistful Long Gone Before Daylight.

This album continues the mournful sound of LGBD, but does also hark back to the sounds of First Band On The Moon. The lead single, "I Need Some Fine Wine And You, You Need To Be Nicer" not only has one of the greatest ever titles for a single, but it is also one of the best songs they have done to date. And it's in good company on this great collection. "Godspell" and "Little Black Clouds" are my personal favourites, but overall I would say that this is their strongest set yet and proves there is life in the Cardigans yet.

Icon's View - 4 out of 5.

Late Tuesday - Storybook Beautiful

Ah, Christmas is nearly upon us. Which means some cool bands decide to regale us with some Christmas tunes. Of course you won't know who Late Tuesday are in all probability, but mark my words, they're excellent. Imagine Ben Folds was three women, and you get the idea of what they sound like.



Anyways, this EP is a bit of a departure but really does have a wonderfully Christmas feel to it. As well as re-working of traditional Christmas songs such as O Holy Night and O Come O Come Emmanuel, two self composed tracks are included. Storybook Beautiful is, well beautiful. And beats the pants off, say, The JCB song for a bit of emotive snow-blessed fare. This Holiday is even better, having as it does a bittersweet tinge and a Children's choir. Which probably isn't a proper choir, which gives it that nice little touch. Which makes it much better than the usual "Christmas is great" songs that abound at this festive time.

All in all this is a wonderful Christmas EP, and I can even imagine listening to some of the tracks at other times of the year. If you're looking for something a little different this Christmas, you could do worse than check this out.

Icon's View - 4 out of 5.