Its been a somewhat low-key year for me music wise. After the 2008 album releases of some of my fave bands such as Coldplay, Snow Patrol, Oasis and Little Man Tate, there has been much less must buy records for me this year. Indeed, recorded music wise I have been much less active, while I have seen fewer stand-alone gigs this year than in the previous four.

Still that doesn’t mean i cant subject you all to my thoughts on what has happened this year. So what are we waiting for?

Album of 2009 -

A tricky one, seeing as I just mentioned that i felt very little hype about any albums that came out this year. Jamie T is a fair shout, as he returned with Kings and Queens, while Editors came back with In This Light and On This Evening. The  Holloways released No Smoke, No Mirrors, and Doves brought us Kingdom of Rust. But none of these are really fantastic albums. Kasabian are also contenders with West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum, but again it falls a little short of expectation.

Harry McVeigh, lead singer of White Lies

So it’s a straight fight between The Cribs’ Ignore the Ignorant, full of northern soul and indie anthems, against the debuting White Lies and To Lose My Life… a dark and edgy selection of soulful songs. While Ignorant is arguably The Cribs best work yet, with fantastic tunes such as ‘We Were Aborted’, ‘Last Years Snow’ and ‘City of Bugs’, it is White Lies that are triumphant. With songs such as the title track, ‘Death’, ‘Unfinished Business’, ‘A Place to Hide’ and ‘Fifty on Our Foreheads’, this is truly the album of 2009, by one of the best live acts I have seen this decade.

Song of 2009

White Lies come close in this category as well, with ‘Death’, a tour de force of a song. Powerful, dark and a great utilisation of harmony. Other contenders include Editors with ‘Papillon’, a synthesised wonder, Florence and the Machine with ‘Rabbit Heart’, The Temper Trap with ‘Sweet Disposition’. ‘We Were Aborted’ is a chanty Cribs classic.

Calm Down Dearest, its Jamie T

But again, it’s a battle between two. ‘Underdog’ by Kasabian makes its case with a fantastic riff and in your face lyrics that compel you to rock! But it is bettered by that man Jamie T again, and ‘Sticks N’ Stones’. A song that I have not gotten out of my head since hearing it on his EP in June. The lyrics are edgy and meaningful yet quite humorous. The backing vocals suit the song to a tee and the chorus is in your head before you know it.

Live Moments

I figured I would also pinpoint my top 3 live music moments of this year. Unsurprisingly 2 of them are from Glastonbury, the absolute pinnacle of a music festival. But first we start with March 14th 2009, and the London 02 arena. Snow Patrol played out a fairly decent set of some classics as well as a couple fo the weaker songs of their last album, A Hundred Million Suns, a disappointment to be honest. But ‘Daybreak’, the last and best part of the epic final track, ‘The Lightning Strike’, was visually and audibly stunning. The line “something was bound to go right sometime today”, at the beginning of the chorus was also very apt after Man Utd had been beaten 4-1 at Old Trafford by the Scousers, a game i had watched in a pub on Liverpool Street. Horrible irony.

But now to no.2 at Glastonbury, June 2009. There were many memorable moments at Glasto. Rolf Harris singing ‘Two Little Boys’. White Lies and their cover of ‘Dancing in the Dark’. Kasabian closing on ‘L.S.F.’ Jamie T performing ‘If You Got the Money’. And Bloc Party ending a great set with the likes of ‘So Here We Are’, ‘Flux’, ‘Helicopter’ and ‘This Modern Love’.

Exeter Edgerton boys at Glasto

But the no.2 position belongs to Blur, and particularly ‘Tender’ and ‘The Universal’. ‘Tender’, a song I had always been mildly fond of, served to unite the crowd, who were chanting “oh my baby” in unison for several minutes after they had finished the song, and again at the end of the set. A truly wonderful moment. Speaking of the end of the set, I feared that ‘Song 2′ was the final song they would play, but my faith and patience was rewarded when they returned for a second encore, and finished with my all time fave Blur song, ‘The Universal’. A great way to end any gig, but a spectacular way to end this one, and indeed my festival as I jumped in my car afterwards and drove home (eventually).

But the no.1 moment? When a true legend took to the Pyramid Stage on the Saturday evening. Granted he was criticised for playing too long a set, which he did, but it never felt boring. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band were just brilliant and my proximity to the stage makes this the best part of the festival for me. Again I have this moment into two equal parts. The first was at the close of the main set. Bruce had been playing for over an hour and a half and I still hadn’t heard my favourite song of his. My anticipation was growing. It all went quiet. You knew it was coming to an end soon. And then this happened…

Then after a great encore, which included the likes of ‘Thunder Road’ and ‘Glory Days’, but ended on a spectacular note. White Lies had done a great version the day before, but there is no substitute for the original, as Bruce ended with this beauty…

So there you have it, my top musical moments of the year. Disagree? Got your own best moments? Then let me know what you think!

Sound-Revolution Top 50 Tracks of 2009

2009 has certainly been a refreshing year for music, big names Arctic Monkeys and Kasabian releasing hyped albums, while new kids The xx and Wild Beasts made their mark on the British music scene. Needless to say, some acts were more pleasing than others. Whether it was 80’s sounds from uprising bands or innovative attempts from big names, 2009 has been a year of some brilliant new music and plenty of uncreative dross. Sound-Revolution explores the best 50 tracks of the past year.

#50

Wavves – So Bored

Wavves - So Bored

California based lo-fi band, Wavves have made an impact this year. For a band formed in 2009, ‘So Bored’ is one of the most original and creative tracks of the year. Debut album Wavvves has been a great success for Nathan Williams, with help from touring assistant Ryan Ulsh, and of course, a little bit of Pitchfork exposure…

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#49

Jamie T – Sticks ‘n’ Stones

Jamie T - Sticks N Stones

A catchy, remeniscent song about British culture. Jamie Treays ‘ 2009 album Kings and Queens was subject to critical acclaim, Sticks ‘n’ Stones being the stand-out track. Who can really argue with a song that tells a story through an up-tempo summer-time party track?

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#48

Muse – Uprising

Muse - Uprising

2009 marked the year of The Resistance for Muse, a big-name band experimenting with new styles. The Resistance, despite varied critical response, was a pretty successful and solid album, regardless of a change in style. The futuristic sounds of Uprising, the album opener, definately deserves a place in the top 50.

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#47

Röyksopp – Happy Up Here

Röyksopp - Happy Up Here

Short but sweet. Happy Up Here, as implied, is one of the most cheerful and uplifting tracks of the year… if not the decade. The Norwegian duo certainly know how to make a varied album, 2009 release Junior is a diverse electronic album, filled with ambient, chillout and uplifting tracks.

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#46

Paramore – Ignorance

Paramore - Ignorance

Paramore are by no means a new band, however, 2009 has seen Halyley Williams and co. gain a very healthy fan base. Twilight’s impact on their success, with it’s cult following of teenage girls has certainly transferred to the band’s success, however, shouldn’t be taken away from the success of brand new eyes.

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#45

HEALTH – Die Slow

HEALTH - Die Slow

Noise rock band HEALTH released Get Color in September. It gained a good reception from all major online critics, including Metacritic and Drowned In Sound. The eccentric sound of HEALTH is an example of the truly refreshing music of 2009.

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#44

Editors – Papillon

Editors - Papillon

The idea of Editors going electronic, understandably left many fans left slightly skeptical surrounding the outcome of Editors 2009 album release, In This Light and On This Evening. As ever, when a typically indie band follows trend and tries an electronic-esque style, response is varied; however, Papillon proves that a switch in style can certainly be perfected.

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#43

Gallows – Misery

Gallows - Misery

Hardcore punk kings, Gallows, are at the forefront of the British hardcore scene, and the release of 2009 album Grey Britain helped keep the five-piece on top of the game. Vocalist, Carter, wrote Misery when he was at his ‘lowest ebb’. The breakdown and downright instrumental aggresson puts this super-heavy track nicely in the top 50.

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#42

Golden Silvers – True Romance

Golden Silvers - True Romance

Light hearted alternative rock makes great listening, and this debonair trio know exactly how to create mellow, warming music. The 70’s disco style of several songs throughout True Romance, including the album titled track gives the song a nostalgic, yet positive sound. An up-beat, serene track that’s enough to place a smile on any face.

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#41

Jay Z + Alicia Keys – Empire State of Mind

Jay Z - Empire State of Mind

Jay-Z is without a doubt one of the biggest names in rap, and The Blueprint 3 is an album packed with great production and plenty of renowned guest vocals. The Blueprint 3 is a great universal album, less cultured than the majority of rap, opening Jay Z’s music to a wider audience who can appreciate and absorb the great vibes of tracks such as Empire State of Mind.

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#40

Frank Turner – The Road

Frank Turner - The Road

The Road is a great acoustic folk record from UK solo artist Frank Turner. Since starting out in 2001, Frank Turner has gradually built up a solid fan base, focusing on a genre of music that gets little exposure. The first single release from Poetry of the Deed has recieved recognition from the likes of Radio1 and NME

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#39

2562 – Lost

2562 - Lost

2009 has been a great year for dubstep, bringing the genre to the attention of the UK audience, as well as the likes of US hip-hop stars, Snoop Dogg and The Wu-Tang Clan. 2562 is situated in Amsterdam, a greatly talented dubstep producer with an incredible album, Unbalance.

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#38

Placebo – Ashtray Heart

Placebo - Ashtray Heart

2009 has been a great year for Placebo. The three-piece had success with their latest album Battle For The Sun, with the replacement drummer, Steve Forrest, and a successful UK tour including Reading and Leeds Festivals. Ashtray Heart, was the original name of the band, and now also a great single.

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#37

Grammatics – Relentless Fours

Grammatics - Relentless Fours

This four-piece from Leeds have proven themselves in 2009. Grammatics are a band that clearly understand music; their self-titled album is lyrically and instrumentally complex and dynamic – a musical journey. Touring with Bloc Party has given them great exposure. Relentless Fours is a beautifully crafted six minutes of orchestral indie rock.

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#36

Dan Black – Symphonies

Dan Black - Symphonies

2008 first gave way to Dan Black, after his previous band The Servant split up. Dan Black went on to create HYPNTZ, a mash up of Rihanna and Notorious B.I.G. 2009 saw the release of the solo pop artist’s debut album Un, still waiting on significant success, Dan Black is a great electropop artist.

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#35

Biffy Clyro – That Golden Rule

Biffy Clyro - That Golden Rule

Released ahead of November release, Only Revolutions, That Golden Rule let fans know that the forthcoming album was going to be speical. The distinctively heavy sound of That Golden Rule and powerful guitar riff makes it a great alternative rock track.

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#34

Dirty Projectors – Stillness Is The Move

Dirty Projectors - Stillness Is The Move

Dirty Projectors’ 2009 release, Bitte Orca has recieved an insane amount of critical acclaim. End of year lists including the likes of Pitchfork have placed this album in the top 5 of the year. Stillness Is The Move is the most pop-orientated track from the album, surrounding the fear and comfort of ’settling-down’.

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#33

Green Day – East Jesus Nowhere

Green Day - East Jesus Nowhere

2009 album release, 21st Century Breakdown was one of the big artist releases of the year. With a huge tracklist of 18 tracks, the likliness of a few great songs was high – East Jesus Nowhere was one of these. With a a heavy opening guitar riff and powerful chorus this is the Green Day we know well.

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#32

Enter Shikari – Zzzonked

Enter Shikari - Zzzonked

Enter Shikari have enjoyed 2009, the year of their second album, Common Dreads, and a large-scale UK tour. Zzzonked illustrates the band’s continued desire to cause musical havoc, on top of their newly emphasised political stance.

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#31

Duck Sauce – AnYway

Duck Sauce - AnYway

The electro-house soundtrack to the summer of 2009. The collaberation of Duck Sauce, A-Trak and Armand Van Helden, brought us a funky house track remeniscent of 80’s disco. Hopefully Duck Sauce will be a project that continues throughout 2010.

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#30

Muse – Unnatural Selection

Muse - Unnatural Selection

The mid-album track on The Resistance, Unnatural Selection, contrasts in many ways to the rest of the release. Less innovative than the rest of the album, Unnatural Selection is a raw sounding typical Muse track; fast-paced guitar riffs, powerful vocals and an epic breakdown.

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#29

The Ghost of a Thousand – Bright Lights

The Ghost of a Thousand - Bright Lights

The follow up to the band’s debult album; This Is Where The Fight Begins, brought us a heavier sound than we were used to, but certainly not a disappointing one. New Hopes, New Demonstrations is one of the best metal albums of the year, by a band that are still overlooked despite recognition from Q and Kerrang.

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#28

The Skints – Culture Vulture

The Skints - Culture Vulture

Still practically unheard of, The Skints have released an amazingly powerful reggae punk album this year. Only recieving recogntion from Sound-Revolution and Punktastic, Live.Breathe.Build.Believe is a politically relevant and musically sublime debut album, that could potentially open-up a genre to a whole new audience.

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#27

The Dead Weather – Treat Me Like Your Mother

The Dead Weather - Treat Me Like Your Mother

Alternative rock group, The Dead Weather, is a supergroup, featuring Alison Mosshart, Jack White, Dean Fertita and Jack Lawrence. Along with one of the best music videos of 2009, Treat Me Like Your Mother, is a lyrically powerful track, with raw sounding, garage rock elements.

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#26

Sonic Boom Six – The Concrete We’re Trapped Within (It’s Yours)

Sonic Boom Six - The Concrete We're Trapped Within (It's Yours)

Sample-tastic City of Thieves, is a political punk-rock album. The five-piece (after vocalist and guitarist Ben Childs recently left the band) have made great progress this year. For a band differing so greatly from commercial and mainstream punk, SB6 have played a UK tour and even got the opening slot at Reading and Leeds festivals.

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#25

The Prodigy – Take Me To The Hospital

The Prodigy - Take Me To The Hospital

Invaders Must Die was without a doubt one of the most energetic, rave albums of 2009. Take Me To The Hosptail is an electronic, breakbeat anthem, and a track within an album that will surely be played in years to come. A host of fantastic live performances at festivals across the world helped place this track in the top 50.

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#24

Them Crooked Vultures – No One Loves Me & Neither Do I

Them Crooked Vultures - Mind Eraser, No Chaser

The second super group in the top 50 is Them Crooked Vultures. Some of the biggest names in music including Josh Homme and Dave Grohl form the alternative hard rock group, and regarding the ridisculously high expectations from music fans, Them Crooked Vultures delivered, with an album filled with instrumental talent.

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#23

The Drums – I Felt Stupid

The Drums - I Felt Stupid

Brooklyn based duo, The Drums, were named “New York’s official Collest New Band” by NME, on top of recogniton from Rolling Stone and The New York Times. 2009 saw the release of The Drums’ debut EP, and with NME’s seal of approval we can expect to see these contageous indie rockers visit the UK in  2010.

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#22

Miike Snow – Animal

Miike Snow - Animal

Swedish electropop group Miike Snow have recieved great amounts of exposure this year, with two greatly recieved singles, Animal and Black and Blue, both tracks from the debut, self-titled album. With band members producing tracks for the likes of Britney, Kylie and Madonna, the high standard production levels are to be expected.

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#21

Mumford & Sons – Little Lion Man

Mumford & Sons - Little Lion Man

Indie folk outfit, Mumford & Sons, started up in 2007, and 2009 and has seen the release of debut album, Sign No More and ever-more popular track, Little Lion Man. Indie folk is rather different to the majority of tracks that gain commercial success, but this powerful folk song has offered a refreshing outlook on music for many listeners.

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#20

Alexisonfire – Young Cardinals

Alexisonfire - Young Cardinals

Alexisonfire are one of the biggest names behind the Post-hardcore tag, 2009 release, Old Crows Young Cardinals, re-enforcing their stature. The powerful vocals of Dallas Green and harsher vocals of George Pettit create tracks of melodic chaos.

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#19

Dizzee Rascal – Bonkers

Dizzee Rascal - Bonkers

Dizzee Rascal has taken the hip-hop scene by storm this year, with the release of his latest album Tounge N’ Cheek. Numerous releases including Bonkers contain elements of house and electro, forming an album full of party-perfect tracks. Previously focusing on rap and grime, Dizzee’s turn to pop has resulted in a great year of success.

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#18

Passion Pit – The Reeling

Passion Pit - The Reeling

US five-piece, Passion Pit, have reached out to the world with their electro-indie 2009 release, Manners. Catching on to the flow of electro influenced indie that emerged from the UK in early 2009, Passion Pit were successful in delivering a fresh sound to the UK and Europe with tracks such as The Reeling.

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#17

The Horrors – Scarlet Fields

The Horrors - Scarlet Fields

The bizzarre sounds of Primary Colours immediately grabbed the interest of the UK audience in April 2009. The horror-punk sounds of Scarlet Fields delivers a sound similar to no other band, making it without a doubt one of the most original tracks of the year.

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#16

The Big Pink – Too Young To Love

The Big Pink - Too Young To Love

Electro-rock duo, The Big Pink, are known for gritty beats and dreamy vocals. 2009 album release, A Brief History of Love, showcased The Big Pink’s talents to create epic sounding, abstract tracks, and earned them the place of sole support for Muse’s The Resistance tour.

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#15

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Zero

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero

Electro-pop group, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, have made their impact on pop music this year with the release of their album, It’s Blitz! The American bands third album has been listed in the top 5 best albums of 2009 by Spin and NME. The three-piece have transferred their music over to the UK audience through appearing at various music festivals.

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#14

Animal Collective – My Girls

Animal Collective - My Girls

Late 2009 has seen a great amount of critical praise head in the way of New York, experimental indie group, Animal Collective. The release of Merriweather Post Pavilion has really captured the European audience with its addictive melodies. My Girls has been voted the #1 track of 2009 by Pitchfork.

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#13

Metric – Help I’m Alive

Metric - Help I'm Alive

Metric are one of the most addictive bands of 2009. The release of their fourth album, Fantasies, has been shortlisted for the 2009 Polaris Music Prize. The band is lead by the female vocals of Emily Haines, with simplistic lyrics and riffs that will stay in the memory.

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#12

The Antlers – Kettering

The Antlers - Kettering

One of the most beautiful bands of the year, The Antlers have come out of nowhere with an album that has crossed the world in no time at all. Pitchfork initially outlined the greatness of their album Hospice, an album fronted by truly incredible vocals from Peter Silberman. Hospice is an album that every listener should give a chance.

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#11

Bat For Lashes – Daniel

Bat For Lashes - Daniel

The chillingly beautiful Daniel by Bat For Lashes is the fronting single from 2009 album, Two Suns. Hertfordshire based Natasha Khan uses her voice over dreamy and orchestral instrumentals with a solid beat pattern, creating a rythmic and glamorous end product.

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#10

The Temper Trap – Sweet Disposition

The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition

Indie rock band hailing from Melbourne, The Temper Trap, have delievered a contageous and elegant debut album. 2009 album Conditions is full of catchy, fun anthems, fronted by the powerful falsetto vocals of Dougy Mandagi. Sweet Disposition is a powerful single that has captured them a great deal of positive attention.

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#9

F**k Buttons – Surf Solar

F**k Buttons - Surf Solar

This two-piece experimental duo have released an oddly danceable, abstract, album. Tarot Sport is an album of up-beat electronic tracks, busily produced offering a distorted sound, while maintaing positive melodies. Surf Solar is a highly abstract track that in all its complexity is suprisingly very listenable.

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#8

Wave Machines – I Go, I Go, I Go

Wave Machines - I Go, I Go, I Go

The feel-good track of 2009, I Go, I Go, I Go, is an all-year happy track, that through its simple yet powerful vibes is enough to turn anybody’s day around. Wave If You’re Really There is a simplistic album full of memorable indie tracks from the Liverpool based Wave Machines.

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#7

White Lies – Fairwell To The Fairground

White Lies - Fairwell To The Fairground

2008 saw White Lies gain some large scale recognition with To Lose My Life… their debut album release. 2009 release, Fairwell To The Fairground, is an epic indie track, with powerful vocals and an incredible breakdown, “keep on running, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home”. White Lies are a band that everyone can’t wait to see more from in 2010.

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#6

The Horrors – Mirror’s Image

The Horrors - Mirror's Image

The hauntingly dark Mirror’s Image is the opening track from The Horror’s 2009 critically acclaimed album Primary Colours. Mirror’s Image creates a mood that persists throughout the entirety of an incredible album that subverts the sounds of generic indie rock, replacing it with sinister horror punk.

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#5

Wild Beasts – Hooting & Howling

Wild Beasts - Hooting & Howling

Kendal based Wild Beasts released their 2009 album Two Dancers in August. Two Dancers has been subject to a great amount of critical acclaim from almost all major critics, Hooting & Howling being the first single release. Wild Beasts are a very powerful band who are vocally sublime, with equally excellent lyrics.

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#4

Phoenix – 1901

Phoenix - 1901

French indie-rockers, Phoenix, have released a stunning 2009 album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. With incredible, catchy tracks such as 1901, and Lisztomania, along side down-beat instrumentally beautiful tracks; Love Like A Sunset Part 1 and Part 2 – it’s difficult not to be admirable of the success Phoenix have had over the past year.

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#3

Kasabian – Underdog

Kasabian - Underdog

West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum was one of the most hyped albums of 2009, but regardless of the wait Kasabian fans had between Empire and the 2009 release – it was definately worth it. Underdog is an indie anthem from one of the biggest names in British rock, thanks to an incredible year of remarkable live and studio music.

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#2

Florence + The Machine – Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)

Florence + The Machine - Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)

One of the most successful groups of the year, Florence + The Machine, have released a brilliant debut album, Lungs. The album has been in the UK charts for 22 consecutive weeks, and that on top of a host of amazing festival performances marks them as one of the best breakthrough acts of 2009. Florence Welch seems pessimistic about her future music career, but new material anywhere close to the spectacular sound of Lungs will only further excel the groups reputation.

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#1

The xx – Islands

The xx - Islands

Sound-Revolution’s breakthrough band of 2009, The xx, have imposed themselves on the UK music scene this year. Practically unheard of in January, debut album release xx resulted in huge-scale critical acclaim, with incredible amounts of backing from BBC Radio1. xx is an extremely mellow album, with experiemental melodies and electronic aspects. The sound of The xx is very minimalistic, but its simplicity has acted as a refreshing change from the generic sounds of alternative rock; illustrating how bands can be successful when they strip down elements of their music and simply focus on the raw, simple sounds. It will certainly be interesting to witness how The xx’s music evolves in 2010.

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Before I finish my Top 100 albums for the decade, I’ll take some time out to write about the best albums of 2009. Commercial radio again ignored good Australian music and as usual there were some great new Australian bands.

Well, here it goes, I hope you all enjoy reading…

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Top Albums of 2009

25. To Lose My Life… – White Lies

24. Rain Machine – Rain Machine

23. Julian Plenti Is… Skyscraper – Julian Plenti

22. Kid Sam – Kid Sam

21. Crack The Skye – Mastadon

20. The Sunspot Letters – Leader Cheetah

19. Veckatimest – Grizzly Bear

18. Smoking Gun – Lady of the Sunshine

17. Octahedron – The Mars Volta

16. The xx - The xx

15. It’s Blitz! - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

14. A Woman A Man Walked By – PJ Harvey & John Parish

13. Conditions – The Temper Trap

12. Zounds -Dappled Cities

11. Swoon – Silversun Pickups

10. Humbug – Arctic Monkeys

9. The Peaceful Atom Is A Bomb – Regular John

8. Lungs – Florence + The Machine

7. Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures

6. Manners – Passion Pit

5. Solar Gambling – Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

4. Tonight: Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand

3. Post-Nothing – Japandroids

2. Hospice – The Antlers

1. Travels With Myself & Another – Future of the Left

Honourable Mentions

The Parallels Amongst Ourselves – Sugar Army

Far – Regina Spektor

Hope Is For Hopers – Philadelphia Grand Jury

Escape From The Sun – Operahouse

Further Complications – Jarvis Cocker

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Top Tracks of 2009

25. While You Wait for the Others – Grizzly Bear

24. My Girls – Animal Collective

23. The Price – Dappled Cities

22. Escape From The Sun – Operahouse

21. Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) – Florence + The Machine

20. Lucid Dreams – Franz Ferdinand

19. New Moon Rising – Wolfmother

18. Down To The Cemetery – Kid Sam

17. Lapsed Catholics – Future of the Left

16. 11^th Dimension – Julian Casablancas

15. Fire – Kasabian

14. All Is Love – Karen O

13. This Is The End of Everything – Toma

12. I Quit Girls – Japandroids

11. Laughing With – Regina Spektor

10. Tongues In Cheeks – Sugar Army

9. There Are Listed Buildings – Los Campesinos!

8. Carol Brown – Flight of the Conchords

7. Arrow – Tegan & Sara

6. The Royal We – Silversun Pickups

5. Here It Comes – I Heart Hiroshima

4. Cotopaxi –The Mars Volta

3. No One Loves Me & Neither Do I – Them Crooked Vultures

2. Blood – The Middle East

1. Crying Lightning – Arctic Monkeys

Honourable Mentions

Little Lion Man – Mumford & Sons

Exogenesis: Symphony - Muse

Useful Chambers – Dirty Projectors

Magnetic Arrest – Bridezilla

Dominoes – The Big Pink

.

Top EP’s of 2009

5. The Food Chain – Dragging Pianos

4. Ayrton Senna – Delorean

3. Art Vs. Science – Art Vs. Science

2. Blood Bank – Bon Iver

1. No One’s First And You’re Next – Modest Mouse

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Best Gig of 2009

Mammal @ Moonee Valley Youth Festival – April 5^th

I got up a bit earlier than usual Monday morning because I was going to return an item I purchased from a camera store. There was nothing wrong with the item. It just didn’t fit my need.

I hate returning items I bought from a store, I feel like an idiot because I didn’t investigate whether the camera accessory was the one I was looking for.

As soon as I was told that’s what I need, I just bought it without thinking and inspecting the item.

So there I was, Monday morning, the first costumer at a camera shop, not purchasing but returning.

“Was there something wrong with the equipment?” the store attendant asked.

“No,” I said, and I wanted to add, “There’s something wrong with me, not with this remote control.”

But I didn’t.

Instead I said, “I was going to give it to my brother, but my mom bought a similar device.”

He and another attendant laughed at what I just said.

I felt worse, because I practically lied.

Why didn’t I just said the truth, that the cable was too short for my need? That I wanted a longer cable?

Or told them that I found a much cheaper control that has no cable, but is wireless and about a quarter of the price of what I paid for the item?

The device was $94, and I found one online that’s only $26 although I have to wait for the delivery and it’s being shipped from Hong Kong.

That would have been easy to explain and I don’t think they would have said I couldn’t return the merchandise, then I wouldn’t feel so bad that I had to use my brother and mom as an excuse.

I shouldn’t feel bad.

“They’re the ones selling over-priced items, after all,” I tried to convince myself.

Isn’t that worse than me returning it because I really can’t afford to purchase the device for its price, plus it doesn’t fit what I need?

I know I’m rationalizing my action, but I should just have told them the truth.

What it really boils down to is the fact that I don’t want to lose face. I don’t want to give them the impression that I don’t know what I’m buying because I didn’t do my research.

All I could think of that morning was the fact that I’d be stuck with almost $100 bill for a purchase that I probably wouldn’t use much because its design isn’t what I need or want.

My personal reasoning doesn’t make it right.

Should I go back then and tell them that I actually lied? Should I tell them I wasn’t going to give the item to my brother for Christmas and my mom hasn’t bought one for him?

They probably wouldn’t care and they probably wouldn’t force me to buy back the item.

Would they have me on some kind of a list that prevents me from ever stepping inside their store because I might buy something, return it later and lie about why I’m returning it?

It’s silly I know.

At my age, telling white lies should be no more.

I have been in situations where telling the truth and being upfront about something works better than making up a reason or an excuse.

Everyone at one time or another tells white lies. 

But it doesn’t mean it’s good to do so.

Am I being childishly moralistic?

Dec. 21, 2009

‘To Lose My Life’ by White Lies was one the the first album releases of 2009.  Its a great debut album from the band which could be described as ‘melancholy rock’.  It’s rather depressing stuff but its hard not to get involved in the lyrics.

Here’s the video for ‘Unfinished Business’.

The album’s available to buy here.

via io9

Critics have called alien epic Avatar a version of Dances With Wolves because it’s about a white guy going native and becoming a great leader. But Avatar is just the latest scifi rehash of an old white guilt fantasy. Spoilers…

Whether Avatar is racist is a matter for debate. Regardless of where you come down on that question, it’s undeniable that the film – like alien apartheid flick District 9, released earlier this year – is emphatically a fantasy about race. Specifically, it’s a fantasy about race told from the point of view of white people. Avatar and scifi films like it give us the opportunity to answer the question: What do white people fantasize about when they fantasize about racial identity?

Avatar imaginatively revisits the crime scene of white America’s foundational act of genocide, in which entire native tribes and civilizations were wiped out by European immigrants to the American continent. In the film, a group of soldiers and scientists have set up shop on the verdant moon Pandora, whose landscapes look like a cross between Northern California’s redwood cathedrals and Brazil’s tropical rainforest. The moon’s inhabitants, the Na’vi, are blue, catlike versions of native people: They wear feathers in their hair, worship nature gods, paint their faces for war, use bows and arrows, and live in tribes. Watching the movie, there is really no mistake that these are alien versions of stereotypical native peoples that we’ve seen in Hollywood movies for decades.

And Pandora is clearly supposed to be the rich, beautiful land America could still be if white people hadn’t paved it over with concrete and strip malls. In Avatar, our white hero Jake Sully (sully – get it?) explains that Earth is basically a war-torn wasteland with no greenery or natural resources left. The humans started to colonize Pandora in order to mine a mineral called unobtainium that can serve as a mega-energy source. But a few of these humans don’t want to crush the natives with tanks and bombs, so they wire their brains into the bodies of Na’vi avatars and try to win the natives’ trust. Jake is one of the team of avatar pilots, and he discovers to his surprise that he loves his life as a Na’vi warrior far more than he ever did his life as a human marine.

Jake is so enchanted that he gives up on carrying out his mission, which is to persuade the Na’vi to relocate from their “home tree,” where the humans want to mine the unobtanium. Instead, he focuses on becoming a great warrior who rides giant birds and falls in love with the chief’s daughter. When the inevitable happens and the marines arrive to burn down the Na’vi’s home tree, Jake switches sides. With the help of a few human renegades, he maintains a link with his avatar body in order to lead the Na’vi against the human invaders. Not only has he been assimilated into the native people’s culture, but he has become their leader.

This is a classic scenario you’ve seen in non-scifi epics from Dances With Wolves to The Last Samurai, where a white guy manages to get himself accepted into a closed society of people of color and eventually becomes its most awesome member. But it’s also, as I indicated earlier, very similar in some ways to District 9. In that film, our (anti)hero Wikus is trying to relocate a shantytown of aliens to a region far outside Johannesburg. When he’s accidentally squirted with fluid from an alien technology, he begins turning into one of the aliens against his will. Deformed and cast out of human society, Wikus reluctantly helps one of the aliens to launch their stalled ship and seek help from their home planet.

If we think of Avatar and its ilk as white fantasies about race, what kinds of patterns do we see emerging in these fantasies?

In both Avatar and District 9, humans are the cause of alien oppression and distress. Then, a white man who was one of the oppressors switches sides at the last minute, assimilating into the alien culture and becoming its savior. This is also the basic story of Dune, where a member of the white royalty flees his posh palace on the planet Dune to become leader of the worm-riding native Fremen (the worm-riding rite of passage has an analog in Avatar, where Jake proves his manhood by riding a giant bird). An interesting tweak on this story can be seen in 1980s flick Enemy Mine, where a white man (Dennis Quaid) and the alien he’s been battling (Louis Gossett Jr.) are stranded on a hostile planet together for years. Eventually they become best friends, and when the alien dies, the human raises the alien’s child as his own. When humans arrive on the planet and try to enslave the alien child, he lays down his life to rescue it. His loyalties to an alien have become stronger than to his own species.

These are movies about white guilt. Our main white characters realize that they are complicit in a system which is destroying aliens, AKA people of color – their cultures, their habitats, and their populations. The whites realize this when they begin to assimilate into the “alien” cultures and see things from a new perspective. To purge their overwhelming sense of guilt, they switch sides, become “race traitors,” and fight against their old comrades. But then they go beyond assimilation and become leaders of the people they once oppressed. This is the essence of the white guilt fantasy, laid bare. It’s not just a wish to be absolved of the crimes whites have committed against people of color; it’s not just a wish to join the side of moral justice in battle. It’s a wish to lead people of color from the inside rather than from the (oppressive, white) outside.

Think of it this way. Avatar is a fantasy about ceasing to be white, giving up the old human meatsack to join the blue people, but never losing white privilege. Jake never really knows what it’s like to be a Na’vi because he always has the option to switch back into human mode. Interestingly, Wikus in District 9 learns a very different lesson. He’s becoming alien and he can’t go back. He has no other choice but to live in the slums and eat catfood. And guess what? He really hates it. He helps his alien buddy to escape Earth solely because he’s hoping the guy will come back in a few years with a “cure” for his alienness. When whites fantasize about becoming other races, it’s only fun if they can blithely ignore the fundamental experience of being an oppressed racial group. Which is that you are oppressed, and nobody will let you be a leader of anything.

This is not a message anybody wants to hear, least of all the white people who are creating and consuming these fantasies. Afro-Canadian scifi writer Nalo Hopkinson recently told the Boston Globe:

In the US, to talk about race is to be seen as racist. You become the problem because you bring up the problem. So you find people who are hesitant to talk about it.

She adds that the main mythic story you find in science fiction, generally written by whites, “is going to a foreign culture and colonizing it.”

Sure, Avatar goes a little bit beyond the basic colonizing story. We are told in no uncertain terms that it’s wrong to colonize the lands of native people. Our hero chooses to join the Na’vi rather than abide the racist culture of his own people. But it is nevertheless a story that revisits the same old tropes of colonization. Whites still get to be leaders of the natives – just in a kinder, gentler way than they would have in an old Flash Gordon flick or in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Mars novels.

When will whites stop making these movies and start thinking about race in a new way?

First, we’ll need to stop thinking that white people are the most “relatable” characters in stories. As one blogger put it:

By the end of the film you’re left wondering why the film needed the Jake Sully character at all. The film could have done just as well by focusing on an actual Na’vi native who comes into contact with crazy humans who have no respect for the environment. I can just see the explanation: “Well, we need someone (an avatar) for the audience to connect with. A normal guy will work better than these tall blue people.” However, this is the type of thinking that molds all leads as white male characters (blank slates for the audience to project themselves upon) unless your name is Will Smith.

But more than that, whites need to rethink their fantasies about race.

Whites need to stop remaking the white guilt story, which is a sneaky way of turning every story about people of color into a story about being white. Speaking as a white person, I don’t need to hear more about my own racial experience. I’d like to watch some movies about people of color (ahem, aliens), from the perspective of that group, without injecting a random white (erm, human) character to explain everything to me. Science fiction is exciting because it promises to show the world and the universe from perspectives radically unlike what we’ve seen before. But until white people stop making movies like Avatar, I fear that I’m doomed to see the same old story again and again.

Dune image via leywad.

Being one of those awful people who just does things because they sound interesting, when circumstances allow, there were those trips to Paris once or twice a year for a time – a few weeks alone there, just walking around the December streets and grooving on the Christmas windows and the guys from North Africa on the old bridge selling roasted chestnuts, and the dusty bookstores and the obscure café where you could actually smoke your pipe and read, and blend in and just watch, as they knew you as a bit of a regular. You were harmless. Sometimes you’d get in conversations about music or politics or culture and all that, in a mixture of broken French and half-assed English, but that took time. It’s not that the French are rude and surly, in spite of all those stories. It’s that they’re formal and seem to see some sort of clear line between what is appropriate among friends and family, and what is appropriate in public. Outside the immediate family, one must be cautious. Who knows who you’re really dealing with?

But there is a way to deal with this. You find people act with propriety – there are rules. The waiter is Monsieur, the girl at the counter at Bon Marché is Madam – one must be polite, and one must be proper. Those who are not are simply not bon élève – your momma didn’t raise you right. And those who we would call gauche – borrowing the French word – are subtly shunned. These folks seem to have developed a complex social structure, with layers upon layers of rules, to make sure life is somewhat civilized, and safe for everyone. The French smile a lot, and laugh a lot – but only after everything is clear about who is who, and once they know you.

Of course Americans would find them rude and suspicious and cold, and prone to waste a lot of time on absurd formalities – but oddly charming. They find us undisciplined, naïve and vulgar, and always in a hurry for no good reason – but oddly charming. It’s an odd dynamic. Maybe we need each other.

And the closest thing we have to such formality may exist in the American South:

Dixie lives an honor culture quite different from the cultures of the northern and far western states. Children in the South are instilled with respect for elders and visitors, and they – and even their parents in their adulthood – express this by habitual use of formal forms of address and appellation, e.g., Sir; Ma’am; Mister Friedersdorf; Mrs./Miss/Ms. (pronounced almost uniformly as “Miz”) Lobo. Like all manners and courtesies, southerners use them to show genuine respect, admiration, and affection, but they also use them as blinds for disagreement, disrespect, and dislike.

Then there’s another expression which is used complimentarily, neutrally, or – and just as often – as an expression of distaste masqueraded as a pleasantry: “Bless your heart.” Since a northerner isn’t hip to the southerner’s inflections, the most effective means a northerner has of judging the southern speaker’s regard behind these expressions is to watch the faces of other southerners within hearing – reading what registers on those faces will most often tell you the character or degree of the regard behind the expression, and lend a clue to the way the alpha speaker in the group expects his inferiors to hew to his meaning. There are times when southerners’ seeming circumlocution can irritate the northerner’s eagerness to conserve time, to get directly to the point. Be patient with this, but by the same token use your own judgment to figure out when a southerner is using circumlocution to bullshit your Yankee ass.

That’s not exactly the same thing, but pretty close. Just don’t go calling some beefy slab of a redneck-and-proud-of-it guy at the NASCAR race quite French, actually. He’ll take it the wrong way.

And we’re not French, any of us. We seem to see formality and propriety as something akin to dishonesty – you’re hiding the truth, what you really feel, and you’re just not open and honest. It’s an insult. Other cultures see formality and propriety as common courtesy – a matter of decency and the exact opposite of an insult – and a way to keep what is no one else’s business no one else’s business. And it also can be used as a weapon when some rude dude gets out of hand, as the French sometime use it on impossibly loud and pushy American tourists, and Southerners use it on smug Yankees.

But really, we seem to have decided that the whole concept of what is no one else’s business is now outmoded, or now no one now has any concept that anything is not public – and that is what Facebook is all about. That’s where – in short bursts – you share with Facebook Friends what you just did or will do, or what you had for dinner or how the morning workout went. That seems harmless enough, but Facebook Friends are not exactly friends. Actually, the odd thing is that the “friends” group you find attached to you on Facebook, like barnacles on an old hulk, are just odd detritus from the past, usually – as those from the past who matter to you are already your friends, in real life. There’s a reason you haven’t heard from these people in years. And then you find someone on your Friends List who is a friend of a friend of a friend from someone else’s list. Those accumulate, as you want lots of friends, as a matter of personal pride, and to prove you’re not a total loser.

But of course when these people, now a large group, have nothing significant in common, just coincidence, you’re posting personal trivia. Or deeply felt personal stuff, to what is effectively the public square. Are these friends? Geographic coincidence and friendship, as it has usually been conceived, don’t seem to be related. Finally, when you jump onto Facebook, you feel you’re eavesdropping on a private conversation and you really shouldn’t be, or you’ve just stumbled upon an odd convention of extreme exhibitionists – some people just don’t know what is appropriate to wear in public places. No, Sally, it’s probably not a good idea to walk down the street in nothing but high heels and a hat, however open and authentic you wish to be. Save it for your friends, the other sort.

And now such things are getting even more extreme:

A Florida mother is being criticized by bloggers and Twitter users for posting a tweet less than an hour after her 2-year-old son drowned in a swimming pool at her home.

Shellie Ross, a 38-year-old stay-at-home mother who lives outside Patrick Air Force Base where her husband serves, posted a message asking that people pray for her son after he had fallen into the family’s swimming pool on Monday. Her son, Bryson, died at a hospital less than an hour after paramedics responded.

Ross has more than 5,000 followers on her Twitter account, Military_Mom, and she also maintains a blog, Blog4Mom.

Since the tweet, Ross has been criticized for taking the time to send out the message.

“I wish we could start a donation in Bryson Ross’s name to sue his mother for negligence,” one blogger, Madison McGraw, wrote Thursday.

The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office doesn’t plan to file any charges against Ross since it doesn’t appear to be a case of negligence, said Sgt. Allie Roberts.

No, it’s not a case of negligence, even if there were many tweets – Hey, everybody, my son’s dead! Hey, everybody, at the hospital now! Hey, everybody, talking with the doctors! Hey, everybody, talking with the police!

Well, there’s no crime here – just another person caught up in our odd everyone-should-know-everything culture. Blame reality shows if you want, or the news media, where cable news channels, to fill their twenty-four hours with something that keeps the eyeballs there, spend a whole lot of airtime on tabloid scandals, as if they are just like any other big news. Enough stories about Tiger Woods and you begin to think that’s your business too. It may have no national significance, or any sort of significance. And now everything is your business. And it naturally follows that you business is everyone else’s.

But this is odd – to stipulate, Woods seems to have been a bad husband, and he will lose endorsements, and he’s now unhappy. So?

The odd thing is that you could make the argument that it would have been better for everyone had he done the anti-Facebook things and just lied about all this.

And Conor Friedersdorf makes that argument, opening by quoting Robert Wright:

When all of life becomes transparent, and it’s a natural human tendency to observe the most salacious parts of life, it’s a very different moral environment in which to grow up.

Friedersdorf wholeheartedly agrees:

In some future year, when I am watching the Lakers with my son or daughter, I am going to do my utmost to make it clear that athletes aren’t people whose personalities we know just because it seems that way on television.

He does see that it is inevitable that kids feel some admiration for sports stars and such. They’re wonderful at what they do. That’s attractive, and that’s the problem. But he offers a solution:

It is for that reason that I want celebrities to be duplicitous with their fans. Unless humans stop sinning entirely, a welcome but unlikely prospect, public figures are going to do bad things sometimes –cheat on their wives, get addicted to heroin, leave profane voice messages for their kid, etc. It is important that society learn about one category of sin: behavior that directly bears on the ability of a public official to do his or her job.

Otherwise, a celebrity who cultivates an upstanding image won’t ever upset me by obscuring his or her depravities. I may object to their behavior. But if they’re going to sin, as most people do at some time or another in their lives, I’ll thank them for doing their utmost to keep up appearances. In a way, that duplicity signals their understanding that they’ve transgressed, and it certainly does more to protect my hypothetical kids than the alternative – a society where more people forthrightly say “yeah, I do heroin” or “in case my commercials have caused you to think otherwise, I’ve had sex with ten mistresses these last several years,” because a misguided public outrage permits anything so long as lies or hypocrisy aren’t involved. Listening to the folks who are angry that Tiger Woods cultivated a public image that contrasted with his private behavior, I wonder if they realize that forthrightness among professional athletes would consign us to a parade of folks like Dennis Rodman bearing their sad dysfunction on endless reality television shows.

This sounds very French. Be suave, and proper, even if you’re lying – better for you and better for us. It’s a matter of common decency.

But Friedersdorf knows that won’t fly:

Celebrity culture isn’t capable of rendering people whole, though the folks who purvey it do their utmost to create an illusion to the contrary – “so and so is just like us.” There are so many of these characters in our lives these days: Oprah, Tiger, Britney, Brad, Jennifer, Kobe, and should their stars fade, new ones are always there to take their place. Bad enough to allow ourselves to be fooled into thinking we can know these people. We’ve done that as long as there have been celebrities.

What’s different is this newly transparent culture that Mr. Wright mentions. Far from helping us access the truth about a person – or to form judgments about society as a whole based on the various people we’ve observed – it causes us to obsess about the most salacious parts of life.

And it causes people to compulsively tweet, in the new and old meaning of that word, and post to Facebook endlessly. Everything is grist for the mill, and you want it to be interesting, after all.

But Friedersdorf considers what the Tiger Woods scandal is doing to us, when we obsess about the most salacious parts of life, as that’s what everyone is doing now:

The consequence is that salacious behavior is normalized beyond what facts justify, and we’re all more pessimistic than we’d be given an accurate picture of our world. To cite one example, the divorce rate in the middle class and up is far less dire than what one imagines observing the Hollywood marriages that are the ones we’re most frequently told about, but hearing the stories, how could it be otherwise that divorce looms in middle class minds as a marginally more normal occurrence among “people like us”?

Maybe it is time to return to some sort of propriety and formality, and graciousness, however forced and false. Yes, that’s often just a complex matrix of little white lies, but they are socially useful little white lies.

But there really is nothing to return to. We’ve always been a boisterous and vulgar people, and full of enthusiasm and happy to share and just let it all hang out, whatever it is. That’s why the French people, while they’re sometimes appalled, love us lots and lots. You see, we’re not French. We just visit, for the civilization, and the civilized. But it is a foreign country.

Go back to tweeting now.

By now, I’m sure you’ve all seen the Spinning Platters Top 15 Albums of 2009, and you’ve been waiting patiently for me to release my personal list with it’s accompanying witty commentary. (Just don’t look for little album cover photos here like I had over there; that took ages.) One change for this year is that I’ve written full reviews for many of these albums over on Spinning Platters. For those albums, I’m providing convenient links rather than writing new material. It takes a lot of time, this editor in chief thing, so I’m looking to save some. Read on, dear readers!

15. Patrick Wolf – The Bachelor.

14. The Bloodsugars – I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On.

13. Porcupine Tree – The Incident. It’s rare that a Porcupine Tree album with finish this low on one of my lists, but this album just doesn’t give me the urge to listen to it over and over again. A lot of the material on it seems extremely derivative of their earlier work, and while that criticism has been popular over the last couple of albums for others, it’s finally become true for me. Plus, the second disc feels like throwaway tracks to me, and rather than raise the value (more songs!), it lowers it (mediocre songs).

12. Tommy Sparks – Tommy Sparks. I mentioned this guy in a post earlier, linking to his video of “She Got Me Dancing,” a fun track built on a “borrowed” riff from the Ohio Players’ “Love Rollercoaster.” The whole album is just happy dance music, and I find myself coming back to it over and over again.

11. Jay Reatard – Watch Me Fall.

10. Muse – The Resistance.

9. Silversun Pickups – Swoon.

8. White Lies – To Lose My Life.  For two weeks earlier this year, I was really into this album. I started telling people about it whenever I could, and I bought tickets to see them supporting a band called Friendly Fires that I had never heard before. Well, after the show, where Friendly Fires blew me away, I started listening to them and forgot about White Lies. But then I started searching through my music for 2009 albums, and I started loving this record again. It’s got that dark British sound I like so much, the singer sounds amazing, and the lyrics are melancholy (if a bit obvious at times). Now I’m into the album again, which is why I like making these lists so much.

7. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest. I owe my love of this record to Michael McDonald. He recorded “While You Wait For the Others” with the band as a B-side, which finally got me listening to Grizzly Bear, and then Veckatimest. I discovered immediately that this was not the alt-country band I assumed them to be, but rather a band with sweeping harmonies and melodies that seem to tell a story. It’s beautiful stuff, and is best enjoyed in quiet contemplation.

6. The Joy Formidable – A Balloon Called Moaning. This is technically an EP, but maybe it’s an album. The confusion over this cost it a spot in my nominee list for Spinning Platters, but I can do whatever I want here, so I’m including it. This is a Welsh three-piece band that’s yet to visit the U.S. for any shows. I discovered them through a blog that’s now dead to me (but you can follow the amazing former writer on Twitter) when I saw the video for their single, “Cradle.” There’s an enthusiasm in the performance that’s absolutely infectious, and there’s an urgent drive to the band’s music that forces me to pay attention. When I went to England, I hunted down the CD and brought it home. It’s great from start to finish.

5. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.

4. Dredg – The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion.

3. Metric – Fantasies. This is another one that shot up the charts while listening to everything again to make a decision. I guess Metric is technically an indie rock band, but it’s when the synthpop influences are prominent that this record really shines. There’s no bad songs on this album: it comes in quickly, kicks ass, and then leaves just as quickly. This invites you to play it over and over again, appreciating all the subtle genius. There’s lyrical brilliance, unexpected tempo changes, and an impressive dynamic range.

2. Bird and the Bee – Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future. This album is the highest charting Blue Note release in this history of my list. That’s because this project started as a jazzy pop project from Inara George and Greg Kurstin, and has evolved more toward the pop and dance side of things. What you’ll find when you get this album is a sweetly sung collection of songs that wear the influence of the “standards” on their sleeve, but then all run through the production of a guy whose credits include Britney Spears and Lily Allen, among other chart-toppers. It’s a labor of love, for sure, from a guy who’s basically too busy to do it. (I asked him how he finds the time for Bird & the Bee when I went to a signing in Austin, and he shrugged and smiled.) It’s an inspired pairing, and there’s songs on here for every mood.

1. Music Go Music – Expressions. As a bonus, what I wrote about it for the Spinning Platters Top 15: This album is a representation of everything that’s right with today’s music. It’s a band thrown together from pieces of other bands as a fun side project. It’s been promoted through clever low budget videos on Youtube. And the band shines more as a live combo than they do, even on my favorite album of the year. There’s really no way to separate the joy I get from watching them from the joy I get listening to this. I’ve written a full review of this album for Spinning Platters, and I think it says everything there is to say about what makes this so wonderful. Just know that it’s the best time you’ll have listening to music in a long while.

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Winners in other categories:

Song of the year not found on one of my top albums: “My Girls” by Animal Collective

Probably the second place choice for the song of the year thing: “Remedy” by Little Boots

My favorite 2008 album that I didn’t discover until this year: Friendly Fires by Friendly Fires

Best holiday album that people are making fun of, but I think I may actually like non-ironically: Christmas in the Heart by Bob Dylan

Children should not be filled with lies because being young and impressionable they will incorporate the lies into their world view. Childhood memories are lost and the ideas and habits which were created at that time can not be removed when they are older and more rational. Children love stories of course and love to invent stories themselves and they realize that stories are just made up for the fun of doing it. However, sometimes a child is unsure if a story, like the Santa Claus myth, is just a story or a reality and asks their parent or other responsible adult if it is true. Some particularly popular and widely told stories, like Santa Claus or the Grinch, are difficult for children, with little world experience, to make proper judgements about. This is a case where the child should be told the simple truth. In this case, that it is a good story with lots of exciting twists and turns. That makes it a lot of fun to play with and make variations on the theme.

In 1897 an eight year old New York girl, Virginia O’Hanlon, was unsure of the Santa Claus story and asked what she thought was a responsible adult about its authenticity. “Was Santa real?” she asked, because her friends told her it was just a story that was made up to fool little kids. At age eight she should have been passed being duped by such a silly story, but apparently she wasn’t and so she was questioning an adult authority, Dr. Philip O’Hanlon. Here the plot thickens because here starts a trail of cute a story being turned into an ugly lie. If Virginia was unable to discriminate the Santa Claus story as just a story, she was sure to believe the school authority. The “Good Doctor” apparently feigned being unsure and suggested she write a letter to The New York Sun newspaper and he said “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” In other words if something is printed in a newspaper it is true, which someone with a Doctor’s title attached to their name must surly know is untrue. Therefore what he said was an intentional lie.

There are various types of lies. A white lie is supposed to ease the suffering of the recipient of the lie but telling this lie surely wouldn’t ease Virginia’s suffering. Believing it would certainly make her into a fool in the eyes of her friends and family and hurt her. So this wasn’t a white lie it was a black lie, and an evil black one at that, because she was encouraged to write a letter to The Sun and go public with her naive belief in the silly Santa story. It was a cute letter and so it and the reporters answer got a few inches of copy in the editorial column and was probably considered by them to be space filler. 

When published it made Virginia the laughing-stock of the entire world for the rest of her life. The statement, Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus is still known a hundred years later. The professional newspaper writer knew he was making fun of Virginia and so what is thought of as cute is in fact a vicious act perpetrated against a little girl. It’s an evil lie that became a meme that will encourage many more people to tell this lie.

The Sun’s editor, Francis Pharcellus Church, wrote up an answer to Virginia’s question which some people later would claim explores the deeper issues of the Santa Claus myth but in fact it encourages unthinking belief in things which are untrue — it trains people to believe in lies. It promotes lying and it would be better for millions of people if it wasn’t still being promoted. And so I write on this Grinchy post.

By the adult world pumping lies into children’s minds they are destroying those children’s ability to think clearly and are corrupting the future. The author of this piece had a mind that was sick and polluted with anti-knowledge and he was infecting other people with his disease. It is a world view which is still infecting people and until it is confronted and shown for what it is — lies — it will persist. He concludes the article with his sweet sounding nonsense lies:

Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank GOD! he lives, and he lives forever, A thousand years from now, VIRGINIA, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Having considered how destructive of a young persons mind that kind of thinking would be go and read the original article. And, please remember,

When a child asks you a question answer it truthfully.

Just letting everyone know, if anyone is in need of some new music definitelycheck out a brilliant band called The Temper Trap. All the way from Autralia, this rocking band are described as alternative and have had 2 hits so far, ‘Sweet Disposition’ and ‘Fader’, which are both really catchy, good tunes. So if you have any spare time, it is worth listening to them on youtube.

There is also this brilliant band, who supported White Lies at their recent gig at Brixton, called Asobi Seksu who you should check out! There sound is obviously influenced by Japanese-y sound. But, that would make sense seeing as the lead singer is japanese!

So, these are a few bands you can check out! Hope you like them!

Most people tell a white lie every day according to this article by Julie D. Andrews which looks into the sociology of lying in relationships and why it can be almost necessary to function in society. Who knew? White Lies in Relationships.

50 percent of couples lie to each other two to thee times a week, according Psychology Today. Being 100 percent honest all the time will most likely get you in to trouble in all sorts of situations. As Ophira Eisenberg points out in this video from dating site YourTango.com, when it comes to lying, it’s important to know the difference between a harmless fib and a potentially damaging deception. As she so deftly puts it, “White lies are not saying you are at the game when you were really banging your assistant.” Amen, Ms. Eisenberg, Amen.

Anyone who every said that honesty is the best policy obviously never had to feel the wrath of their girlfriend’s anger after being told they did, in fact, look fat in those jeans, or yes, you were checking out that hot bartender with the huge knockers. Curt Smith, relationship correspondent or AskMen.com, out lines the importance of those little white lies everyone tells: The Importance of White Lies.

Marie Claire’s resident male sex blogger tackles the issue of lying in a relationship and when to control the impulse to blurt out what your really thinking (that dress is heinous!). The top four times it’s most definitely ok to lie to your significant other. Take notes, they’ll probably come in handy. How Lying Helps Your Relationship.

So here it is – My choice of 2009’s top tracks. This actually took me ages to compile so please to be giving it a good look over. As usual, opinions/comments = love.

I’ve set a few rules. Every track is a single – no album tracks or B-Sides and no re-releases.

If you click on the song, you will directed to Youtube for the vid.

HCP – Highest UK Chart Position Reached

‘L’ next to the title – Seen live by me and The Wifey

LET’S GET THIS SHIT GOING, RIGHT?

SPECIAL MENTIONS

The ones that nearly made it:

• Love You Better – The Maccabees
• Turn The Lights Out – Hadouken! (L)
• The Kids Are Sick Again – Maximo Park (L)
• Who Can Say – The Horrors
• Get Shaky – Ian Carey Project
• Embers – Just Jack
• Bonkers – Dizzee Rascal
• Song Away – Hockey
• Sticks N Stones – Jamie T
• Last Of The English Roses – Pete Doherty
• Crying Lightning – Arctic Monkeys (L)
• Treat Me Like Your Mother – The Dead Weather
• When Love Takes Over – David Guetta ft Kelly Rowland
• Break Your Heart – Taio Cruz
• Cheat On Me – The Cribs
• The Captain – Biffy Clyro

20      ‘Zero’ - Yeah Yeah Yeahs (L)

            HCP: 49

            Album: It’s Blitz!

            Genre: Alt. Dance

            NME’s Top single of the year, This is a sexy sexy song. From the opening drum beats perfectly complimenting Karen O’s vocals it builds and builds to a crashing crescendo of synths and shrieks. Hot.

19     ‘Juggernauts’ - Enter Shikari (L)

         HCP: 28

         Album: Common Dreads

         Genre: Post Hardcore/Alt. Rock

          Probably the most mished-mashed song in the countdown – that’s a good thing. Short explosive passages, melodic meandering  and a good old scream along. Sounds great live too.

18     ‘I Don’t Care’ (This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things) - The Blackout feat. Josh Franceschi (L)

          HCP: 107

         Album: The Best In Town

          Genre: Post-Hardcore

This is such a fun song and you know I have a thing for these boys. Gav’s vocals perfectly compliment Sean’s screaming and the catchy hooks are bound to get stuck in your head.

17     ‘Papillon’ – Editors

          HCP: 5

          Album: In This Light And On This Evening

          Genre: Post-punk/Synthpop

Despite my feelings towards the band themselves (not good) I am unable to deny the quality of the songs produced and this is no exception. A perfect example of electro-indie and one of the best bass lines around.

16     ‘End Credits’ – Chase & Status feat. Plan B

          HCP: 9

          Album: More Than Alot

          Genre: Dubstep

Chase and Status have been massive on the dance scene since 2008 and this single had crossover help by featuring on the soundtrack to the 2009 film ‘Harry Brown’. Not that help was needed as this is a storming track. A mix of Plan B’s impressive vocals, haunting lyrics and an irresistible bass. Quality

15     ‘Supernova’ – Mr Hudson feat. Kanye West

          HCP: 2

          Album: Straight No Chaser

          Genre: R&B

This is one of my favourite pop hits of the year. Catchy and summery it brings a smile to the face. Mr Hudson = Definitely one to watch in 2010.

14     ‘It’s Not The End Of The World’ (But I Can See It From Here) - Lostprophets (L)

          HCP: 16

          Album: The Betrayed

         Genre: Alt. Metal

First for fucking ages doesn’t disappoint and a good taster for Jan 2010’s VERY eagerly awaited ‘The Betrayed’. TBH, it’s not one of their best ever singles – I don’t know if I would even place it top 10. But it’s Lostprophets, kay? Objective reviewing goes out the window here and Ian reading the phonebook would be better than 85% of the shit that’s out there today. TOON!

ETA: AFTER A SUGGESTION FROM THE WIFEY, MY NEXT BLOG WILL BE: ‘IAN WATKINS: LOOKS GREAT FROM ALL ANGLES’

13     ‘One More Chance’ – Bloc Party (L)

           HCP: 15

           Album: N/A

           Genre: Alt. Dance/Alt. Rock

Bloc Party doing what they do best. A storming indie-dance hit this was one of the songs of the summer and went down such a storm at Reading. The boys are going on hiatus now and will be leaving a massive hole in the British Indie scene. At least we have such a class back catalogue of hits to keep us going ’til their back.

12     ‘Omen’ – Prodigy (L)

          HCP: 4

          Album: Invaders Must Die

          Genre: Rave/Punk Dance 

“The writing’s on the wall, it won’t go away. IT’S AN OMEN.”  What. A. Fucking. Tune. The prodigy are untouchable when it comes to dance and this is the sort of song that makes you want to dance and mosh til your head explodes. Which, at Reading, we did. Good. Times.

11     ‘Fire’ - Kasabian

          HCP: 3

          Album: West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum

          Genre: Indie Rock

I don’t mean to sound smug but I’ve been trying to champion Kasabian for a few years now. This year, Oasis split, and suddenly Kasabian are being extolled as the UK’s Top Rock band. BETTER LATE THAN NEVER, EH PEOPLE! Fire – what can I say. Top TOP tune. A sleazy beat, Tom’s superior vocals and a catchy as hell chorus. Awesome vid too.

10     ‘Remedy’ – Little Boots

          HCP: 6

          Album: Hands

          Genre: Electropop

This catchy hit has been absolutely everywhere this year and I for one, love it! A great party tune that will always get you dancing, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with liking pure fun hits like this.

9      ‘Audacity Of Huge’ – Simian Mobile Disco

         HCP: 60

          Album: Temporary Pleasure

          Genre: ElectroHouse

This song, is just absolute genius. There is no other way to describe it. Probably the most unique song I’ve heard this year. I don’t know how to describe it other than fucking awesome. If you’ve not heard it, click on the link and check out the brilliant vid while you’re at it.

8     ‘Heads Will Roll’ - Yeah Yeah Yeahs (L)

          HCP: 5

          Album: It’s Blitz!

         Genre: Alt. Dance

“Off Off with your head. Dance Dance ’til your dead.” If there is a sexier, sleazier dance track this year, I challenge you to find it. Nope. Didn’t think you could. Once again YYY prove they are at the top of their game and deliver tune after tune. Off the charts this, fab vid too.

7      ‘Paparazzi’ – Lady Gaga

         HCP: 4

         Album: The Fame

         Genre: Synthpop

Love her or hate her, there’s no denying Gaga’s massive influence on the music scene. I am absolutely, positively not ashamed to admit I love this crazy-ass girl. Just Dance and Poker Face were fantastic but Paparazzi is just LUSH.

6      ‘Underdog’ - Kasabian

         HCP: 32

          Album: West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum

          Genre: Indie Rock

This is an ANTHEM baby! Catchier than a case of the herp, this is the type of song that was made to be sung along too. THAT IS ALL!

5      ‘Undisclosed Desires’ – Muse

          HCP: 51

         Album: The Resistance

         Genre: Alt. Rock/Synthpop

When Undisclosed Desires first hit, there was some derision about ‘Muse trying to be sexy’ Well? So what. You can keep your insipid R&B shit. THIS is one of the sexiest songs I’ve ever heard. Perfect synths, Gorgeous lyrics and who will refute that Matt Bellamy is one of todays best vocalists? I was – actually still am – slightly obsessed by this song. Utter quality.

4      ‘That Golden Rule’ - Biffy Clyro

         HCP: 10

          Album: Only Revolutions

          Genre: Post-Hardcore

Undoubtedly the best rock song of the year. No contest. this has everything you need. Slammin’ guitars, A perfect rhythm and Simons’  powerful rawk vocals. The last minute is just pure rock instrumental euphoria. This is music people, long may Biffy reign

3      ‘Jump In The Pool’ – Friendly Fires

          HCP: 57

          Album: Friendly Fires

          Genre: Alt. Dance

My God, I fell in love with this song the very first time I heard it. Starting off with a cool carnival-like beat and then does an about turn into one of the most ethereal dreamy choruses you will ever come across. It works absolutely perfectly. This is one of the best floorfillers you will have the luck to come across and also goes down a storm at Rock & Indie festivals.

2      ‘Farewell To The Fairground’ – White Lies (L)

         HCP: 33

         Album: To Lose My Life

         Genre: Indie Rock/Post Punk

 First off,  let me say that I am not biased. Ok fuck it – I am biased. But even if I didn’t have connections to the band I would still think the band, their album, this single are pure pure class. They have received massive critical acclaim and rightly so. To Lose My Life is an album in which every single song is a gem. Having to choose out of the singles released, I’ve gone for this. Fantastic drums, guitars are keyboards combined with Harry’s trademark moody yet angelic vocals. The tune is fantastic, the hooks are awesome and it’s just a god-damn pure perfect song. Many will try to copy this, none will come close. White Lies are here to stay, and thank fuck for that.

1      ‘Sometime Around Midnight’ – Airborne Toxic Event

          HCP: 33

          Album: Airborne Toxic Event

          Genre: Indie Rock

Not only is ‘Sometimes Around Midnight’ one of my favourite songs of the year, it’s now one of my favourite songs ever. This is the absolute epitome of an indie love song. It has everything. Opening with beautiful strings, It has an unbelievably haunting, melodious score and heartbreaking lyrics. If you are in love, if you are heart-broken, if you are missing someone, if you’ve just had the best fuck off your life….This song can evoke so many pure emotions. I don’t know if we will ever come across a song like this again, so enjoy.

And it starts, sometime around midnight.
Or at least that’s when you lose yourself
for a minute or two.
As you stand, under the bar lights.
And the band plays some song
about forgetting yourself for a while.
And the piano’s this melancholy soundtrack to her smile.
And that white dress she’s wearing
you haven’t seen her for a while.

But you know, that she’s watching.
She’s laughing, she’s turning.
She’s holding her tonic like a cross.
The room’s suddenly spinning.
She walks up and asks how you are.
So you can smell her perfume.
You can see her lying naked in your arms.

And so there’s a change, in your emotions.
And all these memories come rushing
like feral waves to your mind.
Of the curl of your bodies,
like two perfect circles entwined.
And you feel hopeless and homeless
and lost in the haze of the wine.

Then she leaves, with someone you don’t know.
But she makes sure you saw her.
She looks right at you and bolts.
As she walks out the door,
your blood boiling
your stomach in ropes.
Oh and when your friends say,
“What is it? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Then you walk, under the streetlights.
And you’re too drunk to notice,
that everyone is staring at you.
You just don’t care what you look like,
the world is falling around you.

You just have to see her.
You just have to see her.
You just have to see her.
You just have to see her.
You just have to see her.
You know that she’ll break you in two.

1. Whatcha Say — Jason Derulo
2. If We Ever Meet Again — Timbaland feat. Katy Perry
3. Cinema Italiano — Kate Hudson
4. The Only Exception — Paramore
5. Slow Poison — The Bravery
6. This Tornado Loves You — Neko Case
7. Alejandro — Lady Gaga
8. Dance in the Dark — Lady Gaga
9. Goodbye — Kristinia DeBarge
10. Keep It Together — Puddle of Mudd
11. This Is War — 30 Seconds to Mars
12. Search and Destroy — 30 Seconds to Mars
13. 1940 (Amplive Remix) — The Submarines
14. Northern Soul — Darker My Love
15. Two Ways Out — Darker My Love
16. Attack of the Ghost Riders — The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
17. Strange Times — The Black Keys
18. Lies — The Black Keys
19. Blame You — Wakey! Wakey!
20. Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want — She & Him
21. Low — Foo Fighters
22. Back Down — In Passing
23. Come Back When You Can — Barcelona
24. Consoler of the Lonely — The Raconteurs
25. Running Up That Hill — Placebo
26. Death — White Lies
27. To Lose My Life — White Lies
28. Kids — MGMT
29. I Get Around — Dragonette
30. Feel It In My Bones — Tiesto feat. Tegan and Sara
31. Drumming Song (Jack Beats Remix) – Florence + the Machine
32. Gravity – Sara Bareilles
33. Sunshine Coolin’ – The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
34. Hero – The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
35. Electric Feel – MGMT

I genuinely feel like I owe Heineken something at this stage. Not only did I experience great gigs in both Carlow and last night in the Cork Opera House, but in Marina and the Diamonds and The Kissaway Trail I have discovered two supremely talented acts. They may have made a complete bollox of things in Dublin but last night was a very impressive showing form green spheres, the sound was outstanding and White Lies didn’t disappoint in putting on a show.

When I managed to overcome my initial self-loathing for missing Neon Indian, I turned my attention to The Kissaway Trail, a Danish outfit I knew nothing about. It didn’t take long for me to realise that weren’t just your run of the mill support act…for one thing, the bassist was playing with a broken hand! Claiming influences from the likes of The Beach Boys and Sonic Youth the band creates a sound that’s hard to classify. As all five lend their voices to the cause so there’s no shortage of melodies. With drummer Mydtskov’s snare and symbol thumping coupled with Corneliussen offering low-key synths, the band succeed in creating an overall epic sound. The best part is the fact that they seemed to really love being on stage.

White Lies had a hard act to follow, but they did so in some style. Their performance centred on charismatic frontman Harry McVeigh, whose distinctive vocals didn’t so much as quiver despite this being the last gig on their current tour. Unsurprisingly for a free gig, it was the singles that were best received. To Lose my Life was an altogether thrilling experience, as was The Price of Love but the highlight was unquestionably the last in the band’s trio of encore tunes, Death. A suitably hectic way to bring the curtain down an a fantastic performance.

The night however, was not without one major flaw. Heineken failed to provide a sniper to pick off the litany of shitheads who clearly went along because they knew there was a free bottle in it for them. Confused and frightened the mob retreated to the safety of “ole ole” chants, unaware that it was not in fact, Italia ‘90. The display got worse when McVeigh’s cry “come on” was met by a chorus of “whoa whoa whooo”, I can’t decide if cringeworthy or vomit-inducing is a more apt description. My faith in mankind was well and truly extinguished when I heard a girl express her desire to leave early, “to beat the queue to Cubins”. Later when Dj Rob Da Bank(in front of an empty dance floor) blasted A-Track’s remix of Heads Will Roll by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, I thought; ‘fuck mankind, I’m having my fun, and that’s all that matters!’

The ‘BBC Sound of’ longlist is usually a pretty good indicator of the artists that’ll be making it onto the masses iPods, the festivals and bigger venues over the next calendar year. From a corporation which brings us helpings of mainstream and Strictly Come Dancing, it’s a little bit surprising that they should be the temperature gauge of next year’s talent, but the list is picked by leading UK music critics and, for the last few years it’s been startlingly accurate.

Admittedly the Beeb’s 2009 picks were already a little more familiar than this year’s offerings by the time it was announced. And White Lies, Florence and the Machine and Lady GaGa all went on to headline festival stages, Passion Pit, La Roux, Little Boots – the 2009 winner – and Empire of the Sun were big hitters, whilst The Big Pink will grace next year’s NME tour.

Mumford and Sons and The Temper Trap, although a little less aimed at mass consumption, also gained some serious helpings of critical acclaim.  And testament to that, The Temper Trap’s ‘Sweet Disposition’ became one of the tracks of 2009.

Although Adele won it in 2008, with Vampire Weekend, Foals, The Ting Tings and MGMT making up some of the longlist, lets not forget past and rather less favourable winners included Keane and The Bravery – admittedly the longlists they topped were considerably better than they themselves.

So onto this year, safe bets are The Drums, who will play alongside The Big Pink, The Maccabees and Bombay Bicycle Club on the 2010 NME Tour and Everything Everything, who have notched up some good support tours including the Maccabees in early 2009. The electro indie bands Delphic and Two Door Cinema Club are also likely winners – both which sit on the achingly cool Kitsune French label and have toured under the Kitsune Maison umbrella during the year. Gold Panda and Joy Orbison are also really good bands, but its difficult to see them winning. Perhaps we’ll be surprised.

However, from the longlist, it’s hard to spot any immediate acts which will manage what some of the bands/artists from 2009’s longlist have. But then time will only tell whether Little Boots, Lady GaGa and White Lies will stand the test of longevity and this looks like a list more interested, largely, in critical acclaim than showing your posterior on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury.

The glaring omissions? Perhaps Filthy Dukes and 65daysofstatic, definitely The Joy Formidable. Suggestions on a postcard. And by the way, the longlist in full is:

• Daisy Dares You
• Delphic
• Devlin
• The Drums
• Everything Everything
• Giggs
• Gold Panda
• Ellie Goulding
• Hurts
• Joy Orbison
• Marina And The Diamonds
• Owl City
• Rox
• Stornoway
• Two Door Cinema Club

Raw Glory was formed in 2006 as a vehicle for the accomplished professional musicians, drummer Mick Underwood and guitarist
Cosmo (along with their ‘old bassist’ Johhny Heywood) to keep the rhythm rocking.

The combined talent and  the significant antecedent histories of these three notable rockers (Cosmo and Mick were playing professionally back in the 1960s) together with their new bass player Andy Hodge and their flamboyant frontman Paul Manzi, easily earn them a place in the ‘Rock Royalty’ section of the lexicon of popular music  With these credentials, they really should be sipping margueritas on a sunny tropical shore somewhere.

But it is not enough to rest on your laurels, especially if you wanna live a rock n ‘roll lifestyle to the extreme … these guys are still out working every week – making  new music and recreating their old fire and magic at local venues around West London.

These guys still rock.  They still perform out-and-out guts and glory assaults on the tender eardrums of unsuspecting punters any given Saturday night.

Big dirty tunes like ‘Bad Girl’ are overblown heavy metal anthems stylistically blasted through with bombastic beats and heavy riffs. These songs crash out of the Raw Glory speakers in waves and waves of sound, drowning the audience, and making ‘em gasp for air.

I am at that ‘dangerous age’.  So, when I had my first “sound attack”, inflicted upon me by Raw Glory, I clutched my heaving chest.  My arms went stiff like a starfish, but at the same time, my legs turned to jelly. Then my ears started to drum, hiss and crackle intermittently and, finally, a shooting star whooshed up the left side of my brain and fired out of my pineal gland like a flame blasting from a blow torch.  I thought that I would never recover.  Wow – this is potent stuff.  If heavy metal was illegal then Raw Glory would be ‘class A’ – and this stuff they are still pedalling would be the equivalent of 100% pure Colombian.

The rest of the audience at Hard Rock Hell also suffered severe  “Sound Attacks”.  We even had a taste of the kinda magic that drummer Mick Underwood could still evoke on the skins. It seems unlikely that there was a better, faster, fatter performance on the drums over the entire three days of the festival.  And guitarist Cosmo also cranked up the angst and let fly with furious laments, banshee cries, whispers, whelps and raining chords.  It was all there in the sound attacks that he performed for the crowd at Prestatyn.

But it was the singer who stole the show from his distinguished colleagues and turned a modest pub sized gig into a major tour de force suitable for a stadium-sized sell-out.  The tail of the peacock, the enlarged claw of a male fiddler crab and the overblown curly mop of hair upon the head of wild rock singer such as Paul Manzi or Robert Plant are all sure-fire signs of male virility. Here was an alpha-male strutting the territory of his stage in glorious dominance. The truest definition of all that is, and ever was, so macho. He said that he owed everything to Led Zep.  And the band’s startling rendition of ‘Whole Lotta Love’, to round off their set, proved this to be true.

Like the rest of the eager audience I was swept away by the sheer vibrancy of the Raw Glory act – and my favourite number “White Lies” was still ringing in my ears several hours later. Raw Glory is the sum of all that is noble and  strong in the world of heavy metal and rock n’ roll.

And they prove that you don’t have to be youthful to be vital.

I wish them many, many more years of rocking.  Good Health!

© Neil_Mach

December 2009

http://www.rawglory.co.uk/

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Yes. I do. I’m 28 and you’ve just made my year. Unbelievably I got ID’d earlier this evening. It was in Morrison’s where they ‘challenge 25′ but still – brilliant. I think this will be the last time I’m ever ID’d unless they up the drinking age. Which is unlikely.

But on the back of the week I’ve had I suppose it’s quite fitting. I turned back the clock by going to a student night (called SHAG – classy) and also making a triumphant return to the best nightclub on earth, Snobs.

The Sheffield night was a highlight until I trod in my half eaten kebab with the worst headache on record upon being woken by my colleague at 7.37am the following morning wondering where the hell I was. Sammy & Ross predictably turned up late but with some ‘pre lash’ – which, incidentally, is what the youths refer to drinking before going out these days – 4 cans of Guinness, 3 cans of gin & tonic and 1 bottle of White Ace cider (yes, really) that added to my small collection of Gaymer’s that I’d resourcefully purchased from Tesco en route back from site earlier in the day*. In hindsight supping the lot was probably a little ambitious as our final destination for the evening was SHAG where Strongbow is still 60p a bottle. Mental. I have vague recollections of asking the DJ if he had any Menswe@r and challenging Ross to a race but by the time I snuck off to beddyboes my memories are certainly limited at best. I just wish I had the youth to deal with the hangovers. Friday was not a pleasant experience until approx. 9.06pm.

White Lies in Bimingham was a splendid prequel to the inevitable visit to SNOBS for Tatlow’s birthday on the following Saturday. A place that’s not changed one bit since I first visited back in 2005. And that’s exactly how I want it to stay. Having pledged never to drink again less than 48 hour prior the 6 of us soon shifted the reasonably priced tramp fuel at a rate that kept us dancing until the nut job of a taxi driver arrived at 2am. Magic. The festive drinking season is here.

*And a bottle of port.

1. Kris Allen – Heartless (by Kanye West) + Gangster’s Paradise (by Coolio)

Pocket Idol impresses at this Live at the Vineyard gig in Napa Valley, CA with a mash-up of the famed “Heartless” and “Gangster’s Paradise”. It was a pretty genius move and the mash-up was so seamless that it really felt like one song.

2. The Kooks – Kids (MGMT)

Being fans of both The Kooks and MGMT, I was pleasantly surprised to find this cover floating around Youtube. This is an excellent cover. The melody is still recognizable, but the delivery is distinctly The Kooks.

3. Kasabian - Sweet Escape (Gwen Stefani)

I love Kasabian and this cover is so much fun to watch. It definitely brings out the Beatles vibe in the song.

4. White Lies – Love Lockdown (Kanye West)

It seems like everyone who covers a Kanye West song seems to sing it better than he does. Hmm.

5. Boyce Avenue – Bleeding Love (Leona Lewis)

This is such a cool cover!

6. Mandy Moore – Umbrella (Rihanna)

Mandy Moore’s voice is breathy and brooding and I love her spin on this song.

7. Kris Allen – Falling Slowly (The Swell Season) + With or Without You (U2)

Our brand new American Idol is the king of mash-ups, and this is one of his best ones. So heartfelt and perfectly executed, and it helps that Cale is harmonizing perfectly along with Kris. I love the “oh oh oh” ending. You can almost hear a pin drop in the room because the audience is so captivated by the performance!

8. Ray LaMontagne – Crazy (Gnarls Barkley)

Ray LaMontagne has one of the best voices out there, in my opinion and he breathes fresh air into this song.

9. Damien Rice – “Hallelujah” (Jeff Buckley)

Awesome cover. I love Damien’s voice. His voice fills the entire room even when he’s so quiet.

10. Jason Mraz – “At Last” (Etta James)

White Lies, Cardiff University’s Great Hall, December 4, 2009…

It would be accurate to say that White Lies have been attracting a fair amount of attention this year. As well as headlining Radio 1’s Big Weekend, supporting Coldplay and Kings of Leon on their US and UK tours, and making up one fourth of the NME/Shockwaves tour alongside Florence And The Machine, Glasvegas and Friendly Fires, the band also became the first British band of 2009 to have a number one album.

The Ealing-based band formed when Charles Cave, Harry McVeigh and Jack Lawrence-Brown were still at school under the original name Fear Of Flying. In 2007, the band decided that they wanted a change of musical direction, and so a new name was created. The newly-named White Lies played their first gig in February 2008, and Zane Lowe named their single Death as his Hottest Record In The World months before it was even released. After much media hype, the band finally released their debut album, To Lose My Life…, in January 2009.

This tour is the band’s second sell-out headlining tour of the UK and Europe. Weeks before the Cardiff show, White Lies had to pull out of most of their European dates due to McVeigh being ill, so it was with great relief that he recovered and was able to play the UK leg of the tour, whilst rescheduling the European dates for early 2010.

I was very excited when the tickets landed on my doormat and announced that the support act would be Asobi Seksu, a New York Dream Pop band with an amazing female vocalist that I had been wanting to see for a while. Originally called Sportfuck, Asobi Seksu is made up of duo James Hanna and the beautiful Yuki Chikudate, as well as occasionally recruiting friends to help out along the way. They took to the stage and played a brilliant support set, complete with screaming vocals and clashing melodies. Yet as the band’s style of soaring female vocals and intense percussion is the complete antithesis to White Lies‘ moody vocals and keyboard-heavy baselines, I wasn’t completely convinced that the audience fully appreciated Asobi Seksu’s musical brilliance. Although at times Chikudate’s soprano vocals reached dizzying heights, and not always in a good way, the band set a high bar for the main act to reach, with songs Thursday, Transparence and Neji & Girly being particularly amazing showcases.

Although White Lies deny any favourable comparisons to Joy Division, Editors and Interpol, McVeigh’s deep voice does has a certain tone that harks back to these bands. Their first song of the night, Farewell To The Fairground, highlights his voice perfectly and was a huge crowd-pleaser. The three-piece took to the stage in their traditional all-black outfits to great applause and were joined onstage by Tommy Bowen who is a permanent fixture as keyboard player for the band during their live shows.

The band seamlessly played through almost the majority of their single debut album, with the title track To Lose My Life and The Price Of Love and Unfinished Business being firm crowd favourites. EST was a standout track for me, as it is one of the songs that I previously tended to skip over in favour of the singles. However, as a live entity it took on a whole new dimension of dynamics with a bridge that had the crowd chanting as one, and since the gig has fast become one of my highlights from the album.

As well as album favourites, White Lies also played the popular B-side Taxidermy and currently unreleased track You Still Love Him, as well as treating the audience to an unexpected cover of Talking Heads‘ 80s hit Heaven. Despite this cover being well received, it was clear that the audience were craving more familiar material for an encore, and waited rather restlessly for the song they knew and loved best.

White Lies‘ first single Death ended what had been an amazing night, simultaneously demonstrating both their timeless sound and the reasons why they have been billed as one of the UK’s best live acts at the moment. With a series of sell-out headline shows, a new album due out next year and their distinctive vocals and unique sound, the band look set to have an even more successful 2010 ahead of them…

Video of White Lies’ ending song Death… Rubbish sound quality as usual, but shows the crowd loving every second…