1) The Script - Oh dear, what was I thinking about. This really is a poor, poor album. It's like The Fray with all/both the good bits taken out. Po'boys doing stuff they really ought to know better than!

2) Glasvegas - The Proclaimers with electric guitars and a Big Muff. If this is the best that the NME can throw up, then the NME is in trouble, big time.

I was worried that buying the Killers was a retrograde step, but it's the terrier's testicles compared to these two very ordinary offerings. I'm still looking for my first listenable album of the year.

Suggest away, folks.

Both of you!

Well, the new Franz album came out this week...

On a "last year" tip, I've finally gotten the point of Fleet Foxes, and am currently playing the most recent TV On The Radio album ("Dear Science") pretty much non-stop. That's three to be going on with. Although the Franz album hasn't landed on my doorstep yet.

Oh dear!

Well, I got the latest Agaskodo Teliverek album for Christmas and it's great - less novelty than the previous one (which I also love), so more listenable at length, although also less quirky.

I also got the new album by The Research and I wouldn't recommend it. It's all male vocals now - don't know where the women have gone - and it's not very special. It's a shame! But if you haven't got their first album, I'd suggest trying that. It's very gentle and friendly and catchy.

Have you heard Franz Ferdinand's new album, Damian? Let us know what's it's like when you do...

It was despatched last Friday and I'm at my parents' place tonight, so I'm hoping it'll be there when I get home. Will certainly be offering my opinion. I love Franz.

OK! I've listened to it now and... it's great. It sounds like Franz, basically. With a few more keyboards. Then it has quite an odd ending - a track near the end goes into techno meltdown, and then you've got a couple of quiet ones to round it off.

I bought the special edition with the bonus dub version of the album. I've never been a dub person at all so it's going to be interesting to hear it!

Anyhow, in order that my post remains on topic, I'd like to end by recommending that Nick buys a copy. :)

Yeah, Fleet Foxes are really rather special.

From 2008 i've also been really enjoying 'Microcastles' by Deerhunter and 'I Want You To Know That There Is Always Hope' by I Was A Cub Scout lately.

If anyone is interested in a free record then i'd like to point you in the direction of 'In Her Gentle Jaws' by The Depreciation Guild. It was one of my favourite albums of last year and you can get it here: www.inhergentlejaws.com for free.

It kinda sounds like a shoegazey wall of guitars with doomy vocals and Nintendo Famicom backing sounds. I think you'll love it :D

Sure, I'll bite. Sounds like the sort of thing I'd go for. Back later with some form of opinion, I guess.

My purchases so far in 2009 have all been stuff released beforehand:

Vampire Weekend (only listened to three songs, they're alright)
Spiritualized - Songs In A&E (not listened)
McFly - Radio:Active (£1 on the last day of Woolworths, not listened)
Metallica - Master Of Puppets (only listened to about three songs)
Metallica - self titled 'Black Album' (barely listened)
DJ Scotch Egg - KFC Core (this is actually pretty ace if you're into nutjob noises like what I am)
Jeff Buckley - Grace (re-purchase after losing my old copy years ago)
Roy Orbison - Best Of (because he's utterly brilliant and brings back good memories 'cos my mum is a huge fan and played his stuff lots when I was a kid)
The Hussy's - Super Pro (ignoring the appalling punctuation, not bad at all)
Bush - Razorblade Suitcase (because I left my other copy at home when I came to uni, found this for 2 quid and decided I wanted it)

Can't remember if I mentioned we went to see DJ Scotch Egg a few weeks ago. It was mental.

Not a particularly fun night because the act we really went to see (Shitmat) never played, and the bouncers were really aggressive. Scotch Egg was pretty good though.

It was too dark in the place for Scotch Egg to see what he was doing, starting up his Gameboys, so people had to shine their mobile phones on to his hands. But then as soon as he started, all the polite, helpful people started moshing violently. I have absolutely no idea how his table full of equipment didn't get trashed, but somehow people managed to chuck each other about within 2 inches of it on all sides without anything getting broken. I soon got bobbed out to the back of the crowd by wave after wave of sweaty men in poncy drainpipes and torn shirts.

People are odd like that, aren't they? I saw Kid Carpet last weekend (two new songs... hooray!) and there was some idiot playing out the eternal hen night from hell in her head. Which sounds... a bit of an unpleasant thing for me to say... unless you were there. I had to stop her pulling his gear over a couple of times... I mean, actually physically had to grab it as it headed floorwards. He thanked me at the end, which was nice.

Haha, sounds like a brilliant night out to me. :D I've never seen him in his DJ Scotch Egg incarnation (was meant to when he played in Colchester but couldn't find anyone to go with) but I saw him playing as part of Drum Eyes at a festival over the summer. That was predictably bonkers.

I hope I never grow out of my love for all things barking mad, it honestly makes things much more interesting.

Oh yeah, bought another CD, also not a 2009 release: The Dillinger Escape Plan - Under The Running Board. Predictably haven't listened yet, I don't really get much time for it in between all the video games and lecture skiving.

That'll be interesting - I don't own a Franz Ferdinand album, and have never listened to one in its entirity.

I'll think about it!

My CD purchases will be very limited this year as I'm saving for a round-the-world trip, which is why I haven't bought the new Franz Ferdinand one, despite liking what I've heard. I heard them on Steve Lamacq's show recently (the first time I've listened to radio in ages). I started to regret listening as in the first 1/2 hour he played three great songs by new bands I hadn't heard before - normally that'd be brilliant but I have to remember the reason I'm not buying CDs! How is the dub version Damian? Just straight instrumentals or a bit different?

My album of the year so far is by Secret Machines. Atomic Heels is a good start, but it sounds like it might take a bit of getting into, their older stuff was well worth it.

I was listening to the new album by The View on last.fm recently. I liked a couple of tracks but I won't be tempted into a purchase. Are they a big band? I've heard some people talk about them but it's the first time I've heard them. I used to wonder when I'd become a 'grandad' in contemporary music terms and have realised that happened a few years ago. 'Twas the fault of chart music being so bad though. Does that make me a grandad anyway?

There's a new Superdrag album out soon. I've heard two songs from it. I like one and dislike the other.

P.S. I quite like the new Research album, and there are some female vocals in there (not enough though, I'd agree). I was a bit worried when they ditched the keyboard for guitar, but they still sound like The Research. Great live too. The last time I saw them they opened up to requests, but had to turn down the first three - "anything" Russell said, but apparently we chose the worst possible ones! There was a different excuse for each; one couldn't be translated to guitar, one they couldn't remember...and I forget the other reason. 'Twas all good fun, and they gave me free posters. :)

You haven't? I'd go with the debut as a starter then, simply because it has "Take Me Out" on it. They're all great though.

Alex - the dub version of the new album's pretty good fun. I'm not a big dub person but it's not bad, probably (for me) because it still sounds recognisably them for much of the time. But no, it's a "proper" record, not just the album with the bass turned up...

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals - Cardinology ****

I really like this album, it's had heavy rotation recently

The Ting Tings ***

Yes I know! It was a fiver in Tescos, and on first playing I like it. But I guess it won't last the distance.

I got the new album from The Prodigy last week. Whether or not you'll like it will pretty much depend on what you think already - it's not likely to win them any new fans but chances are you'll regard it as a return to form if you're already keen. Obviously I fall into the latter category: it's gonna take a lot to beat it for my money.

Alex recommended a few cd's to buy to alleviate brain knack and the lack of anything decent on release.

BoysLikeGirls *** Emo lite. Nice enough without being offensive, plenty of riffage and chunes about being dumped.

Motion City Soundtrack - Even If It Kills Me ***.5 (or 7/10) See above

The Academy Is - Fast Times at Barrington High **** Definitely a higher pedigree than the other two. Hugely enjoyable example of its genre. Still songs about being dumped, but you feel you've been dumped by Charlotte Hatherley rather than her from Aqua!


:rolleyes:

Doves - Kingdom of Rust *** and a half Good in places, brilliant in one. patchy in others.

Ben Folds newbie (name escapes me, it's in the car and I can't be bothered to go and look) *** and a half. Like a live Ben Folds album, very enjoyable, but not long enough. Way to Normal, that's it!

Bob Mould - Life and Times *** a bit disappointing from a legend, if I'm honest. Doesn't help when your heroes grow old and write WWF scripts I guess.

Sugar should reform and play over here. That would be amazing.

I was given British Sea Power's soundtrack to the film "Man of Aran" on Monday, a week before its release! A friend at work has seen me wearing British Sea Power t-shirts many times, and her friend works for Rough Trade. I had a listen at work and the second track is so hypnotic I was falling asleep. Then I passed it to my boss, who said exactly the same about track two. There are some great tracks on it. Here is a free track from it if anyone is interested: http://britishseapower.co.uk/audio/comewanderwithme.mp3

Everything about me should hate the Gary Go album (stupid bloody name for a start) but I like it. One man Coldplay, and it'd actually rather good. ***.5

Green Day four stars, nuff said. Really like it, though I'm not fure it'll be a stayer like American Idiot.

i just got:

The Xcerts
Jonah Matranga
I Was A Cub Scout
Skiptracer

from Banquet in Kingston. Sam Isaac is still to come.

i'm shopping for more soon. maybe this afternoon.

The Gaslight Anthem - 59 Sound ****.5 Love this album. Cross between the Killers vocals and early Bruce Springsteen.

Wilco - The Album Been waiting a long time for this. Accessible, tuneful, mellow. One of their best. Try it and see. ****.5

Did you see this?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/glastonbury/2009/arti...index.shtml#emp

As it happened, or at least as they showed it on the Beeb!

Magic!

Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs (aka Sid'n'Susie) - Under the Covers Vol 2
Sublime pop covers of not-so-run-of-the-mill stuff, Including an ace version of Yes's "I've Seen All Good People" **** four star stuff.

Andrew Bird - Noble Beast
Too much whistling for my liking, but an exquisite example of how singer songwriters build songs. ****.5 Four and a half stars (minus 0.5 for the whistling!) :D

NB After living with this I'm going to reduce it to four stars, as it's nowhere near as good as Armchair Apocrypha, and there's still too much whistling! :ph43r:

Today I have mainly taken delivery of two newbies and two oldies.

1 Gomez - Liquid Skin, to complete my collection. Not their finest, but not their worst. ****

2 Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha. Copied Alex's onto the Mac, but this is so brilliant I wanted my own copy. Truly exceptional songwriting ***** Five stars, and I'd give it more if I could.

3 Th'Arctic Munky's - Not as good as everyone says, and one star less than Q from me ***

4 Brendan Benson - My Old Familiar Friend Only listened to it once, but it's pretty damn good. It'll get heavy rotation in the car tomorrow, but an initial ****

Brendan Benson - It's as good as "Lapalco" Buy it now!


I also downloaded the Paul Steel album, "Moon Rock" **** four stars, deffo!

Mrs Nick said it sounded like 10cc, so I told Mr Steel that. He seemed rather pleased!

Lord Melbury, on the other hand, demanded to know how I'd got to it before him - strike one to thenickmeister!!!!

Reviews coming up in the next week include both Lily Allen cds (for Mrs Nick) and the new(ish) Gomez album (They WERE good, you know!)

Yes, I know I've bought a lot recently, so bloomin'what! I've also bought tickets to see the aforementioned Mr Benson in Nottingham in October too! :rolleyes:

Hmmm...I posted in this thread a few days ago but the post is gone.

I think I said something about liking the Sweet and Hoffs combination, and that I haven't heard the most recent Andrew Bird album yet.

Gomez newbie - poor in comparison to some of their earlier stuff ** only I'm afraid.

I've also bought the two Lily Allen cds for Mrs NIck. Both likeable and toe curlingly embarrassing in places, but I prefer them to the new Gomez album.

(Alan Jenkins and) the Thurston Lava Tube have released several albums while we've not been looking - Dan's just bought the most recent one and it's great.

Muse


Oh dear............

I am the only person that likes their new album, aren't I?

I wouldn't say you're the only person, but I certainly haven't heard many (okay, ANY) positive comments about it.

Personally... United States Of Eurasia was a bad sign, but it was Uprising that finally sealed my lack of interest. I listened to the preview clips of the rest of the album on iTunes and it did nothing to change my mind.

Have you seen that Muse 'performance' on Italian TV? :D

Indeed I did. And for those that didn't:

...bumholes. Just tried to link it, but "This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Warner Music Group."

Long story short, Matt was on drums and playing them as if he were a marionette. Think it was Dom pretending to sing.

Today I have mainly been listening to the West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum by Kasabian.




And I'm not sure. :unsure:

Speaking as someone who once referred to Biffy Clyro as the worst band I've ever seen live (they were, believe me, they were!) the new album is something to behold.

Some of the lyrics are a bit trite, but the album is anthemic in the way that Kings of Leon turned themselves from a hicksville band (Y'all!) into a stadium filler!

Four and a half stars, definitely!

And today I got the new Weezer album through the post.

Raditude

On first listening it's really rather good.

I'll give it four stars initially. If I change my mind I'll let you know.

(I'm like that, donchaknow??????)

But you really ought to give it a listen.

:rolleyes:

I wasn't a Biffy fan to start with, but was pulled in by them lighting up a really rainy miserable Glastonbury. Bought Puzzle as soon as I got home and was hooked. Puzzle and Infinity Land are both well worth your time if you're enjoying the new one. (The hardcore go in for their first two albums, but I'm not really big on lots of screaming...)

Um... are you sure you're not confusing them with someone else? The first album is what Idlewild would sound like if they had more rock moments, no screaming at all as far as I remember... admittedly the second album has a bit of screaming but only a few seconds really.

That said: I took no real notice of Biffy until they released Puzzle, and even then I bought it without having heard a note, just because the artwork is brilliant and there's a theme in that albums with artwork by Storm Thorgerson tend to be excellent. But yeah, I'd probably rank Puzzle and Infinity Land as their best, the latter being my favourite of the two. Haven't heard the new one yet, that's my plan for the weekend.