Heligoland

Featuring guest appearences from Tunde Adebimpe, Dave Sitek, Hope Sandoval, Damon Albarn, Guy Garvey, Martina Topley-Bird and more.

For me, it's a step on from Mezzanine, and Pray For Rain and especially Paradise Circus are up their with anything they've done. Best album I've heard for a long time, and like last years' surprise discovery Royksopp's Junior - an unexpected treat

Listen to Massive Attack - Heliogland on Spotify here

Soundtrack to this post: Woven Bones, Massive Attack

Albums Of The Decade

It's taken me a while to round up my thoughts, but spurred on by being asked my favourite British albums of the last decade - and thus realising all my favourites were not applicable. Here are some thoughts:

Listen to all my albums of the decade on a Spotify playlist here

YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT

Wilco (2002)

Never has an album encapsulated me from first listen as much as this. Again, the love is possibly heighetened by the "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" documentary, but there are so many tunes that mean so much on this album

Listen to 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot' on Spotify here

PLEASE BELIEVE IT

The Party Of Helicopters (2003)

Odd choice, but POH are simply the best live band I ever saw, and my love for this album is near unrivalled. Just ask anyone I subjected it to while on the road with Forward Russia.

Listen to 'Please Believe It' on Spotify here

THE TEXAS-JERUSALEM CROSSROADS

Lift To Experience (2001)

Such scope and vision, my heart lifts and sags with every crescendo and swell of Josh T Pearson's voice

Listen to 'The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads' on Spotify here

THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE

Low (2001)

The perfect Low record. Which is pretty perfect really

Listen to clips of 'Things We Lost In The Fire' on Last.fm here

Download tracks from 'Things We Lost In The Fire' from the Kranky website here

THE MEADOWLANDS

The Wrens (2003)

Existing as if from nowhere, it's a mish-mash of indie slants that shouldn't works, yet does, better than you can imagine

Listen to 'The Meadowlands' on Spotify here

YOU FORGOT IT IN PEOPLE

Broken Social Scene (2002)

A blueprint for pretty much every great band of the last x number of year. Pretty much. Unrivalled

Listen to 'You Forgot It In People' on Spotify here

MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO.

Songs: Ohia (2003)

Hard, but tips the Molina scale for me, if just for "Hold On Magnolia" and "John Henry Broke My Heart"

Listen to 'Magnolia Electric Co.' on Spotify here

DESPERATE YOUTH, BLOOD THIRSTY BABES

Tv On The Radio (2004)

Again, how do you weigh up 3 TVOTR albums, but this album as a statement of intent

Listen to 'Depserate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes' on Spotify here

SET YOURSELF ON FIRE

Stars (2004)

The other side of the Broken Social Scene coin, a wistful explosion of sugar coated morose pop midget gems

Listen to 'Set Youself On Fire' on Spotify here

Soundtrack to this post: M83

Let's Get Going....

After my prolific return to form on the blog, I've had a quiet week with not much to report of a musical nature. In truth I've been in the studio a lot, working with Just Handshakes (We're British) - the fruits of which will be ripened soon.

Today also marks a return to work on the much delayed single from The ABC Club. There's been numerous line-up shifts with the band this year, though most of the original line-up is still in place, with Sam the drummer leaving for University in September. Rehearsals with the new drummer are going exceedingly well apparently, and they should be returning to the live arena from late September

I'm still working on a few things 'close' to my chest, that I hope to write about real soon. Till then I am busy working with lots of bands in the studio for the next month. Hopefully I'll get chance to write a bit about it!

Meanwhile, I've been enjoying MON KHMR - check them out

Soundtrack to this post: TV On The Radio, Sonic Youth

Multiples

Ok, so there was lots and lots of stuff I wanted to mention in my last blog but I haven't had too much time (which I think I said?)

Anyway, my big work is done and now I'm trying to catch up! Aiming for content over style, here are two other new bands I've been enjoying:

Gossamer Albatross

http://www.myspace.com/gossameralbatross

Three Trapped Tigers

http://www.myspace.com/threetrappedtigers

And don't forget, after probably a bit of a quiet one, next year is the year when a few Leeds bands that have been bubbling under, release albums or get on a little bit more:

Sky Larkin

http://www.myspace.com/skylarkinskylarkin

Pulled Apart By Horses

http://www.myspace.com/pulledapartbyhorses

Wintermute

http://www.myspace.com/wintermuteband

Dinosaur Pile-Up

http://www.myspace.com/dinosaurpileup

Grammatics

http://www.myspace.com/grammatics

Laura Groves / Blue Roses

http://www.myspace.com/musicofblueroses

  

...and here are some of my favourite new Leeds bands, some of which I had the privilege of booking to open the Cardigan Arms for the new year:

Bear Driver

http://www.myspace.com/thebeardriver

Yonderboy

http://www.myspace.com/yonderboymusic

Just Handshakes (We're British)

http://www.myspace.com/justhandshakeswerebritish

and watch out for Die Video Die, with a pop arrow through the heart.

http://www.myspace.com/dievideodie

...and finally something a bit different, a little Radio 2, but some kids with some talent I have a lot of time for:

Ellen & The Escapades

http://www.myspace.com/ellenandtheescapades

...and this is, in my opinion the best album of last year:

TV ON THE RADIO - DEAR SCIENCE

http://www.myspace.com/tvotr

http://www.last.fm/music/TV+on+the+Radio/Dear+Science

...and here's what I'm most looking forward to hearing this year:

SOMETREE

http://www.myspace.com/thisissometree

*Apologies to all my friends I've had a mind melt and forgotten about*

Soundtrack to this post: TV On The Radio, White Lies