So the winner of the Mercury Music Prize has been announced and, as is common with this one, it comes after months of uncertainty.

Of all the awards this is one thats never easy to pick, but in this case it's a deserving winner as "The Seldom Seen Kid" is a great album and proof that this band are far more deserving than the underdog status they've had bestowed on them throughout this decade.

Below is them picking up the award and in the read more is some vids, including Guy Garvey dedicating the Mercury win to us right here at egoeccentric (well.. not quite, but close enough).







Elbow "Grounds for Divorce"



Elbow "One Day Like This"

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As the traditional methods of music distribution continue to decline, more and more artists are experimenting with the alternatives.

The latest artist to do so is Bloc Party, who announced today that they will be releasing their upcoming third album, Intimacy, online from this Thursday. The album, while not as 'free' as the likes of Radiohead & Saul Williams' offerings, is still pretty damned cheap. The digital download will be available from Thursday at £5 a pop. A CD version will be available for £8, and will be delivered a week later. £10 will get you a bundle with both CD and mp3, if you want the CD but absolutely must hear it on Thursday.

Reasons why I welcome this news:

• 'Free' was never really going to work, but given the current downloading climate, 'the old fashioned way' was never really going to work either.
• Having so much pirated material out there may be wrong, but like it or not it still cheapens the product in the consumer's eye. So you have to compromise. I've long thought this whole thing is about hitting a happy medium: appealing to people's good nature and still giving them a bargain. Show us a fair deal and we'll take you up on it.
  
• Also, Bloc Party are including more songs on the CD version of the album. Smart incentive, and...
  
• ...even paying £8 for the CD is totally reasonable, and more than likely covers the production cost.

So kudos to Bloc Party for shaking things up. To my eyes this seems like the kind of mix that just might work. Also, after single number one (below) I'm quite excited about hearing the rest of the record.

Roll on Thursday...

Bloc Party- Mercury

Intimacy will be available from Bloc Party's home page.

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No European dates yet, but here's the first leg of shows for the Fasciinatiion tour, along with an album tracklisting. The album's release date has been confirmed as August 5th.

Tracklisting:

1. Get Seduced
2. The Geeks Were Right
3. Machine in the Ghost
4. Fulcrum and Lever
5. Psycho
6. Mirror Error
7. I Treat You Wrong
8. Forever Growing Centipedes
9. Fish in a Womb
10. A Battle Hymn for Children

Dates in the read more...

7/27 - Des Moines, IA @ Peoples Court
7/28 - Sioux Falls, SD @ Ramkota Annex
7/29 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
7/30 - Salt Lake City, UT @ In the Venue
7/31 - Boise, ID @ Big Easy Boise
8/1 - Vancouver, BC @ Commodore
8/2 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox at the Market
8/3 - Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
8/4 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
8/5 - San Francisco, CA @ Grand Ballroom
8/7 - Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theatre
8/8 - Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theatre
8/9 - San Diego, CA @ Soma
8/11 - Austin, TX @ La Zona Rosa
8/12 - Dallas, TX @ Palladium
8/14 - Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
8/15 - Carrboro, NC @ Cats Cradle
8/16 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
8/17 - Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero
8/18 - New York, NY @ Terminal 5
8/20 - Worcester, MA @ Palladium
8/21 - Toronto, ON @ Opera House
8/22 - Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
8/23 - Omaha, NE @ Soko Auditorium

Tickets go on sale Friday, but pre-sale info and ticket links are available from www.thefaint.com

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For anybody who digs The Dandy Warhols for more than just mobile phone themes then you'll be pleased to hear that they're new album "Earth to the Dandy Warhols" is out shortly. Just to be extra nice they're letting you download a track for nada at DandyWarhols.com or here if you don't want to do the whole sign-up for shit thing.



Click here for MP3


They're posted tour dates around Europe this summer. Nothing in Ireland yet but when we know you'll know

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Excellently esoteric Canucks return with their sophomore effort- but will it please as much as 2006's Top 10-reaching 'Return To The Sea'?



Pros:

• When they want to, they can still make seemingly off-kilter numbers into major crowd pleasers. For example....
• Creeper is weird, but great. Particularly the middle section.
• There's a strange funky, Stevie Wonder thing going on in some parts. And a strange pirate-y feel with some of the tenor-sax. Which is good. (I don't really know what I mean by pirate-y, that's just what I hear. Am I crazy? Maybe...).
  
• Nick Diamonds still knows how to write a pop song, which is commendable.
• The epic madness of Vertigo is really excellent.
  
• Kudos has to be given to the character of the whole thing.

Cons:

• The strings are pretty consistently poor. The two violin players seem to be content with (and at times quite excited about) playing the most bloody obvious thing they could possibly play. Opening track The Arm is a particular offender. The song's hook is on strings, and is so clichéd it makes me want to immediately skip the track.
• It appears that Diamonds has pushed his quest for choruses too far, with some songs being ruined by the presence of a segment whose only purpose is repetition (Pieces of You). And it sticks out like a sore thumb.
• Much as it's a shitty thing to compare new albums to old, this album really suffers from the lack of a Where There's a Will There's a Whalebone or a Rough Gem.
• Filler filler filler filler. There's quite a bit.
  

Not quite a great follow up. In fact, I can't help but be disappointed. It appears that maybe the band's focus as a unit may have lost some of the crazy eclecticism that made their previous album such a delight. There's still whispers of greatness though, so hopefully the kinks will be ironed out for album three.


Listen:

Pieces of You


Click for mp3

Islands on myspace

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Being a big Bright Eyes fan, an eyebrow was raised at seeing Conor Oberst on the Electric Picnic bill. Bright Eyes is essentially 'The Conor Oberst Show', so a solo spot seemed odd. I was expecting a one-man-and-a-guitar kinda thing, but that is apparently not the case.

Oberst has in fact recorded a solo album, backed up in a Bright Eyes fashion by a group of his mates (including M. Ward & Rilo Kiley's Jason Boesel) who are being called the 'Mystic Valley Band'. It's this setup that Picnic goers will be seeing.

The album, which I can only assume that it's to be titled Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band, was recorded in Mexico, and produced by Oberst with help from Now It's Overhead's Andy LeMaster. It's due to released on August 4th.

It seems a lot of their tracks are available to check out on youtube (click), but for mp3 tasters and a full album tracklisting check out the read more...

Here are two tracks from Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band's performance at SXSW last month.

Let Them In:



Click for mp3

Cape Canaveral:



Click for mp3

Album tracklisting:

'Cape Cañaveral'
'Sausalito'
'Get-Well-Cards'
'Lenders In The Temple'
'Danny Callahan'
'I Don’t Want To Die (In The Hospital)'
'Eagle On A Pole'
'Moab'
'NYC -- Gone, Gone'
'Valle Místico (Ruben's Song)'
'Souled Out!!!'
'Milk Thistle'
Convinced? Tickets for Electric Picnic are still available here.

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2008 will see The Faint release their first album in nearly four years, and I for one cannot wait.

2004's Wet From Birth was pant crappingly good, and I'm not even going to attempt to describe how good it's predecessor Danse Macabre was, as words would simply fail to do it justice.

Word on the street is that the band are finishing up the mix on the new album, which is to be called Fasciinatiion, and a world tour will follow. Lets just hope they make it to Ireland as my wallet would hate to have to travel to see them again.

You can travel to the read more for a taste of Faint-y goodness.



From Wet From Birth, this is Desperate Guys:

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Around the Sun & Reveal... sucked. Accelerate, on the other hand, does not.


Pros:

• Peter Buck's guitar playing rules.
• Major departure from the sentimental yet thoughtless drivel that has blighted the band's career since Bill Berry's departure.
• Houston is a bit weird. In a good way.
  
• Short & to the point, very little dicking around.
• Has a tendency to rock.
  

Cons:

• Still nowhere near their best.
• At times feels a bit like they're trying to hard to be 'hip', whereas in fact are a bit 'old'.
  
• Occasional Michael Stipe lyric groan.

Think Monster part 2 (or Diet Monster).

Listen:
Accelerate (the title track, not the whole album)



Click for mp3

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Just discovered these guys 'The British Expeditionary Force', comprised of Justin Lockey, formerly of yourcodenameis:milo, and various producer friends whom Lockey claims to have never met in real life during the making of this album.

The album in question is part one in an elaborate three part concept album. This one is entitled Chapter One: A Long Way From Home, and as might might guess from the suggestion of a three part concept album- it's a bit prog-y.


But don't be scared off, cause this is the good kinda prog. Only mildly rambling, the tracks are grounded by minimalist vocals & melodic piano tracks. We even get treated to the odd explosion of beats, as you can hear from this, the title track:



More after the jump..

Click for mp3

This is probably the liveliest offering on the six track album, as the majority is quite mellow, with full soundscapes and a kind of perversely comforting feeling throughout.

It's definitely an album worth checking out. And you may have some time to digest it, as there seems to be no word as yet on when parts two & three are to be released.

Here's a taste of the mellower side, this is the promo teaser for the album, featuring the track 'All Those Demons':

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Trent Reznor is continuing his love affair with digital releases by posting part of the new NIN album, Ghosts, for free online.

Reznor has previously dabbled in free online releases through Saul Williams' Niggy Tardust album, the creation of which Reznor was heavily involved in.

Ghosts is a apparently a 36 track instrumental album, created by enlisting the help of numerous producers including Alan Moulder of Downward Spiral fame.

Unfortunately, the NIN site has crashed due to high traffic, but visitors are assured that it will be back online in a matter of hours. In the meantime, the full album is available for a mere 5 dollars from amazon. How nice.

Click here to try the download site.

Click here for NIN.

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According to State.ie (who are doing a damned good job) Richie Jape has confirmed some details about his/their forthcoming album. The album will be called Ritual and is to be released on May 12th.

The amazing 'I Was A Man' will be the first single, and will precede the album's release.

Full tracklisting after the jump..




1. Christopher and Anthony
2. I Was a Man
3. Replays
4. Graveyard
5. Phil Lynott
6. Streetwise
7. At the Heart of All This Strangeness
8. Apple in an Orchard
9. Strike me Down
10. Nothing Lasts Forever

Good to see Phil Lynott on there. Great track. Roll on May 12th!

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This should be fun..



Click

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Hmmm..


I'll reserve my judgment until I hear it, but can't deny the fact that this announcement worries me.


Click for story

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Wow this was much harder then I though it was going to be and i'm still not sure if i'm entirely happy about it. there was just so much good music in 2007
in no particular order what so ever at all (was hard enough getting the list down no way in hell am i going to number them)


Hella - There's No 666 In Outer Space

There's No 666 In Outer Space is the fourth full length album by Hella, It is the first Hella album to feature the new expanded five member line up, and is also the first to feature vocals on every track.A lot of people when this album came out where like: 'its not Hella'. Zach Hill's drumming remains a spastic frenzy. Spencer Seim's guitar still soars with high-speed precision weirdness. I was hooked from the first listen.

mp3


Panda Bear - Person Pitch

For an album constructed from so many constituent parts, Person Pitch is amazingly warm and inviting at times, wrapping around the ears, nestling the head, and squeezing like a nice familial bear hug after years of no contact.

mp3


Marnie Stern - In Advance of the Broken Arm

Her debut record, In Advance of the Broken Arm, is culled from songs written by herself in her bedroom over a two-year period, with production and drum work by Hella's Zach Hill. oh yeah she can really play guitar (she shreds). She plays using the hammer-on technique, making it all kind of sound like Steve Vai soloing constantly over OOIOO tracks. This album combines utterly maddening complexity with candyfloss pop hooks. (oh and shes a fox too)

mp3


Other Men - Wake Up Swimming

"I'm a little girl when I'm around you /
I'm a screaming little bitch"
Rob Crow does it again (his 435th band i think). Heavy Vegetable are back under the Other Men moniker. Other Men have turned away from the fractured and discordant heaviness of Heavy Vegetable in favor of a decidedly more poppy and compact style.
Poppy it may be at times, but this album also rocks.

mp3


Battles - Mirrored

had to put it on the list (wanted to leave it off cuz everyone has heard it and knew it would be on Robs list but i just couldn't). i saw theses guys three times this year and every time was just as exciting as the last an amazing record that defies classification, an experimental tour de force.Since Rob already posted my fav song off mirrored heres a bonus track of the Japanese version of mirrored.

mp3


Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover

This album quietly creeps under your skin.great attention to detail is on show on this record. i have no idea what Spencer Krug is singing about but there is some very complex though processes going on.

mp3


Chrome Hoof - Pre-Emptive False Rapture

I only just recently got this album, and it jumped up and slapped me in the face and my jaw is still on the floor. its future code sounds will melt your face. my mission in 2008 is to see chrome hoof live.

mp3


Holy Fuck - LP

An exciting blend of aggressive rhythm and nuanced, skillfully manipulated noise.

mp3


Les Savy Fav - Lets Stay Friends

A more focused les savy fav , they have refined there music to a science.You can almost taste Tim Harrington's sweat as you listen to it.

mp3


Adebisi Shank - this is the ep of a band called Adebisi Shank

all the engery of there spazzout live performances is captured on the Ep, it pounds out of the stereo and puts images of flaying limbs in my head. much heft.

mp3

the ones i wanted to much to add but didnt have the space. all the releases on Armed Ambitions this year ( terrordactyl ,vimanas, Herv and bats), Thee More Shallows - Book Of Bad Breaks, Subtle -Yell&Ice , Old Time Relijun - Catharsis In Crisis, Of Montreal -Hissing Fauna, Odd Nosdam - Level Live Wires, Jesu - Conqueror , Jel - Greenball 3rd , Elliott Smith -New Moon , El-P - I'll Sleep When You're Dead , Crippled Black Phoenix -A Love Of Shared Disasters, Big Business - "Here Comes The Waterworks".

i could easly keep going but i have to stop and i'm sure i'm leaving something out i love but well, so is life. ....................liars -liars, dan deacon - rings of spiderman, and beastie boys the mix up see knew i would forget some

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Ok, so after much humming and hawing I have decided upon my albums of the year. Feel free to comment/abuse:

10. Minus The Bear- Planet of Ice

There's something I really, really like about Minus The Bear. With 'Planet of Ice' the Washington math-rockers added a depth to their distinct sound that set it apart from their earlier offerings. The sound is impeccable, and the songs are as good as ever, taking the listener through an elaborate series of ups, downs and what-the-hells. The guys are great musicians, but also great songwriters, and that stands to them. I can't wait to see where their sound goes next.

Listen to 'Knights', 'When We Escape', or this one- 'Double Vision Quest':




Click me for mp3

9. Elliott Smith- New Moon

At the start of the year I certainly didn't think an Elliott Smith album would be featuring on this list, probably because Smith has been dead over four years. But in May, the 'Kill Rock Stars' record label released 'New Moon', a collection of songs written and recorded by Smith at the time of his pant-crappingly good eponymous album and it's follow up 'Either/ Or'. The guy must have been hard pushed for space on the earlier albums, because the material that is collected here is spectacular. Undoubtedly of the same calibre of the stuff that made it on to the original album, ad some of these tracks could even be considered as being among his best work. So far from being an item for completists, 'New Moon' turned out to be something we thought we had seen the last of- a genuine 'new' album from one of the greatest artists of our time.

Here's 'Looking Over My Shoulder':



Click me for mp3



8. Battles- Mirrored

This one wins the award for most original album of the year. As I'm sure anyone who has heard it will agree, this stuff is off the wall. 'Atlas' is blissfully demented, conjuring up images of tribal sacrifices while echoing 'The Wizard of Oz'. Strange. But brilliant. No one could ever accuse these guys of not trying hard enough, and on this (their debut) album it really pays off. I'll be interested in seeing where the future leads them.

Here's the hook-tacular 'Tonto', featuring 'The Best Change in a Song Ever' (TM):



Click me for mp3


7. Bright Eyes- Cassadaga

Conor Oberst set the bar fairly high for himself with 2005's simultaneously released 'I'm Wide Awake It's Morning' & 'Digital Ash In A Digital Urn', and it has to be said that he doesn't quite reach the same heights with this years 'Cassadaga'. The album has one or two definite slip-ups ('Soul Singer in a Session Band' is rambling in that most un-Oberst of fashions- he has nothing of interest to say) but nonetheless features several examples of the kind of material that makes Oberst one of the most exciting songwriters on the planet (in particular the lead single 'Four Winds', which makes poetry out of political commentary). All in all not Oberst's strongest effort, but we can rest assured he's far from finished.

Here's the excellent 'I Must Belong Somewhere':



Click me for mp3

& Click me for the pretty cool video

6. Les Savy Fav- Let's Stay Friends

This has proved a gateway for me to appreciating Les Savy Fav, whom I had never got around to listening to before the release of this album. And what an album- A mix of quirky indiepop, drawling rock, stadium power chords & barely contained aggression. It's a discovery that has seen me raid Ste's mp3 collection looking for more LSF and ensured that this album has barely left my stereo for quite some time. The only downside is that I missed their Dublin show. Damn.

Here's 'The Year Before The Year 2000':




Click me for mp3


5. Justice- Cross

Everyone else is saying it, but it's true so I guess I'll follow suit: Justice are the rightful heirs to Daft Punk's throne. And this album proves it. Delicious production & amazing beats layered on top of some funky samples that also happen to be catchy as hell. Well done, sirs, well done. If only they played this in every club...

Here's D.A.N.C.E.:




Click for mp3

4. Modest Mouse- We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank

In my opinion the strongest Modest Mouse offering to date. By far. And they're by no means a weak band (and I'm by no means an obsessive Johnny Marr fan). This record was perhaps best recognised for its stomping lead single 'Dashboard', which was duly impressive. But it was when I listened to 'The Parting of the Sensory' that I really started to appreciate 'We Were Dead...'. The song is insane, and definitely made me sit up and take notice. Also worth a mention is the bitchin 80's style backing vox on 'We've Got Everything'. Classic.

Here's 'The Parting of the Sensory':




Click for mp3



3. Feist- The Reminder

This record is a great example of the 'something for everyone' phenomenon- you'd be hard pushed to find someone who could turn up their nose at it. Mellow, at times funky, always good. Every once in a while the world needs an album like this- full of beauty & simplicity.

Here's 'My Moon & My Man':





Click for mp3


2. LCD Soundsystem- The Sound of Silver

Smart, dancy & all about the songs, James Murphy's second record as LCD Soundsystem pressed all the right buttons. Hit singles galore, and never losing momentum, 'Sound of Silver' dances wildly on the fine line joining the worlds of dance & rock. Its popularity has got to owe something to the fact that it pretty much soundtracked the summer, but it did so deservedly.

Lead single 'North American Scum' takes over where 'Daft Punk Is Playing At My House' left off, and 'All My Friends' is a "Baba O'Reilly' for this generation. But we all know them so well by now, instead I'll pay tribute to the album by giving you it's fantastic opener, 'Get Innocuous!!':


Click for mp3


1. Beirut- The Flying Club Cup

This one has to take it. The fact that I immediately fell in love with this album made me worry about its longevity, but I'm still playing it today as frequently as I was a couple of months ago when it came out (but now singing along more).

With Beirut, Zach Condon has taken a decent concept for a sound (one which flirted with success on the band's first album) added a load of inspiration from acts that have gone before and crafted a masterpiece of style and songwriting. The ebbs & flows of the orchestration are hugely endearing- each line carries a huge emotional weight, be it delivered through vocals, trumpet or violin.

I absolutely love this record, and the following song is already one of my all time favorites- 'Cherbourg'. Enjoy:



Click for mp3


Near Misses:

Rilo Kiley- Under The Blacklight (Pity about the live show..); Arcade Fire- Neon Bible (Very close call); Radiohead- In Rainbows; Holy Fuck- Holy Fuck LP; !!!- Myth Takes (So very good. 'Must Be The Moon'- single of the year?); Bloc Party- A Weekend In The City (best production of the year, easily); Patrick Wolf- The Magic Position (some amazing tracks, but far too much ego-driven filler for it to make the cut)...

Click for last year's top 10.

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He's a DJ from LA. His 'mixtape' album involves remixing songs, and on occasion introducing new vocal tracks. The guy must be really heavy on street cred, cause the name dropping in the tracklist is pretty amazing. And check out track one- Refused! Pretty darn hip. Apparently Todd from The Faint provides vocals on a track, as does Stave Bays from Hot Hot Heat.

Here's the tracklist in full:

Refused - 'New Noise'
Justice - 'Waters Of Nazereth' (Erol Alkan's Durrr Durrr Durrrrrr re-edit and Pase Rock on guest vocals)
Does It Offend You, Yeah? - 'We Are Rockstars'
Services - 'Element Of Danger' (MSTRKRFT remix)
Goose - 'Bring it On' (Todd Fink on guest vocals)
Larry Tee & Princess Superstar - 'Licky' (Herve Goes Low remix and Santogold on guest vocals)
Green Velvet - 'Shake and Pop' (Kid Sister on guest vocals)
Klaxons - 'Gravity's Rainbow' (Soulwax remix)
Mystery Jets - 'The Boy Who Ran Away' (Riton re-dub)
Peaches - 'Boys Wanna Be Her' (Weird Science remix)
Datarock - 'Fa-Fa-Fa' (Steve Bays on guest vocals)
Yelle - 'Je Veux Te Voir'
Franz Ferdinand - 'Do You Want To' (Erol Alkan's Glam Racket remix)
KIM - 'Wet 'N Wild' (Mickey Avalon on guest vocals)
Bloc Party - 'Helicopter' (Weird Science remix feat. Peaches)
Justice - D.A.N.C.E. (MSTRKRFT remix)
Scanners - 'Low Life' (L.A. Riots' remix and Uffie on guest vocals)


Click Me For Enlarged Flyer

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Apparently the new Metallica album is a return to their smelly 80's heyday. And it's produced by Rick Rubin. I'm cautiously intrigued.

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From NME:

"Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo is set to release a compilation of his favourite demos.

'Alone - The Home Recordings Of Rivers Cuomo' will be released December 11, and will feature a string of tracks recorded between 1992 and 2007.

The material was recorded on a Tascam 688 home recording unit, which Cuomo bought in 1990 after convincing his mother to co-sign a credit card application."


Well hopefully this means we'll be treated to the first Cuomo material since 'Pinkerton' that doesn't suck.

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Albums Of The Year: 2006

Having not been able to stop listening to 'The Flying Club Cup', and knowing that it'll more than likely be on my end of year honors list, I figured I'd do a recap of last year's top albums.

Here they are (in order):

10. ISLANDS- 'Return To The Sea'

This album is a total gem- any band that can make a chirpy feel-good pop song about conflict diamonds deserves credit.
There are at least four standout tracks on 'Return To The Sea', ranging in style from recorder led pop, to dark rap-rock, to the downright unclassifiable.

Listen:
Where There's A Will There's A Whalebone





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

Saw what you will about the Arctic Monkeys, the fact that this album is packed to the brim with smart, catchy & edgy pop songs is undeniable. This record stayed in my stereo for months after it came out.

Listen:

The View From The Afternoon



8. Yeah Yeah Yeahs- 'Show Your Bones'

I'm truly a shameless pop whore. My criterion for good music include pop-sensibilities as an essential. Yeah Yeah Yeahs took the character and visceral energy of their debut and to this added the pop that I so love. 'Show Your Bones' was the result, and damn was it good.

Listen:

Cheated Hearts



7. Final Fantasy- He Poos Clouds

Apart from having the album name of the year, 'He Poos Clouds' has a handful of beautiful and disturbing tracks (each based on one of the different schools of magic in Dungeons & Dragons- nerds rock!). On this (his second album) Owen Pallett wrote each piece for a string quartet, resulting in a deeper, fuller album that it's predecessor 'Has A Good Home'.

Listen:

This Lamb Sells Condos




6. Fujiya & Miyagi- 'Transparent Things'


This genre-bending album from the Brighton three-piece is the best electro-funk-indie-chillout-dance album I've ever heard.
Enough said.


Listen:

Photocopier







5. Cansei De Ser Sexy- 'CSS'

Every once in a while an album comes along that is destined to become a staple of parties everywhere (Thriller, As Heard On Radio, Danse Macabre, Crossroad..), CSS is such an album.
It's as dancy as it is rocky, and it has eleven tracks of non-stop wholesome goodness- no fast forwarding needed.

Listen:

Off The Hook




4. Red Hot Chili Peppers- 'Stadium Arcadium'

It's often said about this album, but this is a band on the top of their game. To produce an (almost) flawless two disc album at this stage in their career says only one thing: the Chilis are in this for the long haul. This collection has nods to their earlier 'funky monk' stage (Animal Bar, Storm In A Teacup), the standout hit singles the band have become known for (Dani California, Tell Me Baby) and a handful of songs on which the band digress from the formula to tread relatively new ground. For me, it was this latter category which proved most rewarding. Tracks like '21st Century' and 'Strip My Mind' promise a lot from what I hope will be a very long future for the Chili Peppers.
As long as they don't get Navarro back.

Listen:

Strip My Mind


3. TV On The Radio- 'Return To Cookie Mountain'

To hear an album full of as many original ideas as 'Cookie Mountain' is a rare and precious thing. From the arrangement to the production, TVOTR have painted a wild and vivid picture that sucks you in from the get-go. It's hard to pick a highlight, as different songs seem to resonate with different moods, but as a lead single and a first plunge into the world of TVOTR you could do much worse than the thumping, howling 'Wolf Like Me'.

Listen:

Wolf Like Me


2. Joanna Newsom- 'Ys'

'Ys' could be a folk opus; it could be a classical suite; it could be an epic poem. It is certainly unique, and it is certainly a overpowering masterpiece. These five tracks are woven tight with layer upon intricate layer of strings composed by the legendary Van Dyke Parks, held together by Newsom's precise plucking of harp strings, and a voice so much more mature than on her previous effort. I can honestly see this album being studied in years to come, or being sought out on vinyl and played with the reverence that's right now reserved for the likes of 'Dark Side'. An absolute classic.

Listen:

Cosmia


1. Cursive- 'Happy Hollow'

With 'Happy Hollow' Cursive have delivered everything that you could possibly want in an album. The concept allows for Tim Kasher's lyrics to explore small town ignorances and hypocrisies through the most cutting and insightful compositions of his career. Reading these words alone sent shivers down my spine, only to be repeated tenfold when they were put to music. From the first passionately urgent chord, Cursive have the listener is in the palm of their hand. Personally, I must admit I wondered where the band would go after the departure of Cellist Gretta Cohn. She had without a doubt contributed to the dynamic of the fantastic 'The Ugly Organ' and I worried about hole she would leave. Fortunately that hole has been plugged with passion, Wizard Of Oz fueled dementia, distortion and a messed-up brass section. Oh, and when this record rocks it fucking rocks. If you don't already own this, get on it.

Listen:

Dorothy At Forty

Notable Mentions:

Knife: 'Silent Shout'; Broken Social Scene: 'Broken Social Scene'....more? Probably....

Click here for 2007 albums of the year list

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