So you get the whole idea of a Top Ten of the year right? You don't need me to explain it to you do I? Click on the read more and see how my list differs from Ste and Robs



10. Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid

Mercury Music prize winning and all that malarkey this was the year that Elbow finally took over and while doing so brought out one of the best rock songs of the last year, the last 5 years and perhaps ever, in "Grounds for Divorce". Check it out below if you don't believe me.

Elbow - Grounds for Divorce


9. Crayonsmith - White Wonder

Proof that listening to Ste can pay off and while it took me a little time to actually bother checking out the first (but not the last) Irish act on this list it was good that I finally did. Lovers of electro type stuff in general will find a lot to dig in this little piece.

Crayonsmith - All the Elders


8. Get Well Soon - Rest Now, Weary Head! You Will Get Well Soon


German one man virtuoso Konstantin Groppe brings his own brand of Nick Cave flavoured miserablism to the world and in the process makes one of the most unsettlingly creepy albums of quite a while. For evidence of this check out the track below "If This Hat Is Missing I Have Gone Hunting" with the creepiest female voices used in a rock song since The Ohio Players "Love Rollercoaster" (go here for more on that)

Get Well Soon - If This Hat Is Missing I Have Gone Hunting


7. Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs

So finally despite about ten years and numerous albums Death Cab for Cutie finally make something that inspires me to sit up and take notice. There's a good chance that this is largely down to the amazing video for opening single "I Will Possess Your Heart" which also happens to be a great song but whatever, Number 7 with a bullet. Although why it needs a bullet I don't know.

Death Cab for Cutie - No Sunlight


6. Ham Sandwich - Carry the Meek

Second Irish act on the list but (spoiler alert) not the last. Ham Sandwich's first album mixes perfectly the female vocals of surprise preggers Niamh Farrell and fucking mentaller Podge McNamee to make some great pop-rock tunes. Great stuff all round

Ham Sandwich - Click...Click...Boom!!!


5. Nine Inch Nails - The Slip

Trent Reznor takes another step towards proving that he's the greatest musical innovator that ever existed by literally GIVING us The Slip (still not sure if that pun was intentional or not). For his SECOND release THIS YEAR and his FOURTH release in EIGHTEEN MONTHS Trent literally gave away for free the entire album. What was even more surprising is that it retained the same quality that all previous releases had delivered. Plus did I mention it was free??? When it came out for a physical release 4 months later it still sold by the bucket-load. Top man.

Nine Inch Nails - Echoplex


4. The Dandy Warhols - Earth to the Dandy Warhols

A band that will unfortunately always remain as a novelty band in peoples minds thanks to that fucking Vodafone ad of 2001 and a damn shame it is too as the Dandy Warhols prove once again that they write some seriously catchy pop/rock/psychedlic ditties.

The Dandy Warhols - MisAmigos


3. Fight Like Apes - Fight Like Apes and the Mystery of the Golden Medallion

Love em or hate em they write a fucking catchy song and they're damn good live despite being hairy bastards the lot of them. Irelands bright new shining hopes finally deliver their long awaited debut album and with a running time of roughly 30-35 minutes it does what its meant to. Comes in. Beats the shit out of you and leaves you wanting more.

Fight Like Apes - Digifucker


2. Does it offend you yeah? - You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into

Having a silly name (a David Brent quote from the Office) didn't help endear these guys to a lot of people (Rob) and some wouldn't listen to them as a result (Rob). Foolishly seeing as they proved with this album that they're this years Daft Punk/Justice Electo-Funk types and still have a savage cool live show which anybody who saw their mid-afternoon set at Oxegen can attest to.

Does it Offend you yeah? - We are Rockstars


1. Jape - Ritual

I hate having to put the same number 1 down as Rob but he's right. This album is fucking brilliant. Go and get it now.

Jape - I Was a man






Almost made it:
Breaks my heart to not include these albums as they are savage but Pivot - O Soundtrack my Heart; Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaus; Why? - Alopecia; MGMT - Oracular Spectacular.

Better luck next time chaps

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So despite having a wretched year in 2006 and complete avoidance last year I found myself once again in the Irish answer to the Calcutta slums, that is Oxegen, for one reason and one reason only. Rage Against the Machine. Naturally a whole day can't be spent in complete anticipation of this awesome band so to pass the time other bands were viewed.

Click below for a belated account of stuff.



Arrive to what turns out to be far too bloody early and continue drinking until a state of almost complete inebriation is reached by the time the gates open (12.00). Decide that there's fuck all on of interest so wander to campsite red to find compadres that are unfortunate enough to have spent the weekend there. Turns out the campsite has changed not a jot since the last time I was there which is very much a bad thing. The smell of decay is in the air.




Onwards to first band time who luckily happen to be Does it offend you, yeah? I haven't been bigging up this band for a while for no reason at all. They are actually shit cool and they put on a great fucking show. Its a shame that a) "the company" have chosen to once again hold the Dance 'tent' in that big sweatbox of a warehouse and b) that the sun is splitting the sky outside and even in that dank place the bright light permeates, ruining the effects of the lightshow somewhat. The chaps do their best however and wisely keep their rocking stuff until last where the crowd have reached the peak of their (possibly drug-aided) frenzy.

Does it Offend You, Yeah? - Dawn of the Dead




Finding one with a loss of anything in the way of good stuff to watch its decided to have a curious gander at We Are Scientists. Luckily that we're far enough away that we can ignore them because of all the boring shite that I've seen at various festivals over the years this is certainly up there. Such a promising band that three years ago brought out a quirky little rock tune (The Great Escape) has now been reduced to samey boring muck. Raised slightly in estimation by ending the set with the aforementioned classic.

We Are Scientists - The Great Escape





Indie's bright shining new stars MGMT are being viewed for the third time in as many months by yours truly and are now at the stage where I'm starting to not give a fuck about them anymore. They come out with their silly little bandana's and seem completely underwhelmed by the rapturous reception that they receive. All songs are played well but with the degree of don't-give-a-fuckness that make you want to hit the cunts. At one point the crowd gets to the stage of excitement that people are hanging off the pillars supporting the tent. While this initially receives much cheering from the crowd the tables are quickly turned when it transpires that the band aren't allowed to play anymore unless people get the fuck down. One stupid bint ignores the hoots and hollers from the crowd and proceeds to climb all the way up to the top of the pillar and through the hole in the tent. Cheers luv. One less song for us to hear. Spa. With barely any time left to play the band come on and finish with their trio of known songs, Electric Feel, Time to Pretend and Kids. The last song being where my largest bone of contention lies with the band. That everytime they play this song its as if they are doing Karaoke. I fail to believe that its not possible to reproduce this song live as other bands have done better with less. I predict this song being dropped from the set before long if it can be helped as their discomfort with performing it clearly betrays that this may be their Bohemian Rhapsody or Teen spirit.

MGMT - Electric Feel





You don't need me to tell you that Fight Like Apes are rising up the scene quicker than one of my belches after downing a nasty pint and they do certainly know how to perform live, that much is certain. The between song banter is infectious and gives off the impression that they are very much at ease with playing live and songs are short enough not to overstay their welcome. To be watched.

Fight Like Apes - Lightsabre Cock-Sucking Blues





So finally the hour comes. One that I've been waiting for for 15 years. Rage Against the Fucking Machine. I don't think I can possibly describe how much I enjoyed this gig. Not quite as well as Nialler does in his review anyway but suffice to say that after it ended I had bruises all over me and the next morning all my joints were stiff. It was great to find a mosh pit that was not only huge but violent (in that good way) and untainted by the thugs and oafs that "the company" likes to hire as security.

Every possible song is cranked out and it all ends too bloody fast. A big "Fuck you" goes out to the guy who couldn't fix their sound, which kept cutting out every now and then but apart from that little glitch they made it worth taking the trip to Punchestown for what will hopefully be the last time.

Rage Against the Machine - Bulls On Parade (DJ Kue Remix)


Cheers to James Goulden at State.ie for unwittingly supplying me with photo's

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