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Alan Hennesey - Gorbachov
photo courtesy of Paddy McGrath
My top 5 Newish Albums in my media player for the past month (in reverse order) would be...
5. Datarock - Datarock - I can't help but love these guys. I would decribe their sound as 70's disco meets late 80's synth pop and by god does it work really well! Have yet to see them live but from the reports I've been getting I'll have to check them out. Crazy as fook and from Norway these lads look like they could get very big in the next few years. Supporting Soulwax and LCD Soundsystem they are hanging in the right circles... many a bigger stage beckons!
4. Artic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare - You have to hand it to the boys. Very hard to follow up the best selling album in U.K history... but in this case I think they've just about pulled it off. The first track for me is what I wanna hear them do more of. It's got so much balls, fantastic stops and builds, it's just the kind of song you want to open an album with! The rest of the album is quite good but doesn't have a chance of beating the first album in my opinion. Good try tho!
3. Supergrass - Road to Rouen - Ok I know it's not a new release as such but it's been in my play list since it came out and I have to say this album is magnificent! Everything from the production to the general vibe of every song. I can put it on no matter what mood 'Im in and get sucked in. The string arrangements are wonderful and really add to the already excellent Supergrass sound. I'd go as far as to say it's the best produced album in the last 10 years!
If you haven't got it yet just go get it now and thank me later!
2. Boards of Canada - The Camp Fire Headphaze - Yet another album that isn't a new release but yet again hasn't been out of my playlist since it came out. I'm a sucker for landscape stoner electro trip hop stuff. For those of you who haven't heard their stuff before here's a quick background on them.
They released three albums prior to this one and never once played a live gig or released a single or did a music video... barely any publicity at all but they got signed to a good label and now they are huge in the chill out music scene! They have done gigs in the last few years and recently did a few new videos.
This album is a lot different to what they have done before. The old albums were all synth based but this one seems to be now fully focused on guitar riffs and bass lines. Which I have to say is a refreshing change and really suits them. They are an acquired taste though and a lot of my friends would prefer to paint a wall and watch it while it dries. I however think they are great musicians and really have their own sound as well as progressing chill out to a different level but keeping the essence of it.1. Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris - This was always gonna be my number one. It's not out 'til next week but I've heard it already... by god... what an album! I'm slightly biased as well seeing as I love the Stone Age but this is really one of those albums that makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.
Different in a tighter and more electro sounding drum sound with keeping to the usual wacky heavy Queens sound! The first track "Turning the Screw" is a work of genius, the other stand out track would be "Run Piggy Run" which sounds like a track that should have been on Songs for the Deaf it's that ballsie! The single "Sick Sick Sick" is a strange one to pick as a single in my opinion 'cause it's a bit heavy for the masses and radio play etc., but maybe they don't give a toss about that and it is a great song. Hearing Julian from The Strokes on it is also a bit weird. The song after it on the album is "Im Designer" and the lyrics are amazing. A small taster "My generation's for sale... beats a steady job". It's a real old school sounding Queen's track and kinda brings me back to the first album. A track that I was delighted to hear he recorded again for this album was "I wanna make it wit chu". Originally performed on the desert sessions with PJ Harvey, he's given it a revamp for this album and it's the only really slow chilled out song on the album and comes around at the right time to break up the guitar screatching madness! After that is "3's and 7's" which I think is a fantastic track. Very pop and a track I think would have been better as a single 'cause it's a lot more radio friendly as well as not being a far cry from their biggest hit "No-one Knows".I think after the last album Josh wanted to do another balls to the wall rock and roll classic and I think he's managed that. All in all it's an album you're gonna be walking around singing for a long time!
But the guy could poo on a mic for an hour and I'd probably think it was great!
