Home
sign up| community / member's portfolio page |
 content by: member |
|
Love and Kisses Amir Album of the Year
1. Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare A difficult choice, a definite head or heart decision. I went with my heart. The Sheffield boys didn’t just wade in with more of the same – they developed their craft, and produced a more rounded, polished article that makes Whatever People Say I Am… sound like a bunch of demos. Why I chose the Arctic Monkeys as No. 1 again was because their social commentary mixed with incessant musical and lyrical hooks is irresistible to those of us who remember the days when Oasis and Pulp were in their heyday, as well as the younger crowd who love their wit and energy. I’m not saying this is the herald of some Britpop revival – lord no – what I AM saying is that it’s a delight to see a British rock band who are actually rather good, and have the potential to be even better. 2. LCD Soundsystem – Sound Of Silver James Murphy has been around for a good few years now, but he is far from losing his edge. The concepts of the first album bloomed into full blown brilliance with this sophomore effort. Be it the self-deprecating ‘North American Scum’, the emotional genius of ‘Someone Great’ and ‘All Of My Friends’ or the garage rock of ‘Watch The Tapes’, Murphy has produced a sonic landmark, a vision into the future that blends the influences of the past. Electro has needed a kick up the backside of late, and here it is – a full on steel-toe-capped volley up the gluteus maximus. I cannot wait for the third. 3. Kings Of Leon – Because Of The Times I can hear the groans already. I’ve chosen this simply because of one factor – ‘listenability’ – in the car, in the house, in the club, live – every one of the these tracks is a nailed-on on corker. Embracing the rock spectrum from glam (‘Black Thumbnail’) to southern delta (‘Camaro’) to plaintive balladeering (‘True Love Way’, ‘Knocked Up’) – KOL are becoming more polished and refined with every record. Yes, it’s a grower, but that’s what most great albums are – once you come to love it, you’ll be hooked forever. Join the dark side! 4. Les Savy Fav – Let’s Stay Friends A late decision for me, but still a worthy entry. I remember Les Savy Fav the first time around, and they were far from being as good, as inventive, as original as this. There are so many styles and ideas floating around this record it is difficult to bracket them into one particular genre, which in turn makes this album so much better: it’s beyond category. From the excellent ‘What Wolves Do’, the magical ‘Patty Lee’ to the hatstand ‘The Equestrian’, Let’s Stay Friends is so much better than your favourite record. A classic example of all killer, no filler. 5. MIA - Kala A true tour-de-force in the very sense of the word, Kala is all things to all people – it is a ‘world music’ masterpiece, it is hip-hop dynamite, it is urban glory. Maya Arulpagasam cherry picked a melange of sounds from across the globe and blended them together, poured them over some of the biggest beats known to man and forged Kala. From the Tamil Nadu to Times Square, never has an album been so relevant to our global, multi-cultural society. 6. Justice – + 7. The Cribs – Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever 8. Interpol - Our Love To Admire 9. Klaxons – Myths Of The Near Future 10. The White Stripes – Icky Thump Honourable Mentions Good Shoes – Think Before You Speak Radiohead – In Rainbows Clipse – Hell Hath No Fury Singles of the Year
1. The Rakes – ‘The World Was A Mess But His Hair Was Perfect’ Five minutes of post-punk revival, ironic witticism and hook laden majesty. The Rakes didn’t really capture the imagination with their Ten New Messages, but this, the opener, made up for the disappointment of the rest of the album. It all sounds so easy, so laidback, but everything about this single is executed perfectly. In fact, I’ll go as far as to say this is Alan Donohue’s finest moment. 2. MIA – ‘Boyz’ These days, if you can be tagged as part of a genre, you’re not really doing yourself justice. MIA is a perfect example of this. Crashing into our conscious with more aural variety than the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Maya Arulpragasam unleashed ‘Boyz’ onto the world this year and we all took notice. Potent in rhythm and word, it’s a club hit and a political hot potato, and thus pushes the hedonist and social awareness buttons for me, and everyone else who was hooked in too. 3. The Long Blondes – ‘Giddy Stratospheres’ Kind of cheating, as it’s a re-release, but sod it. If you thought the Arctic Monkeys and Pulp could sing about the seeder side of Sheffield life, then let me introduce you to The Long Blondes. ‘Giddy Stratospheres’ sings of a young man wanting to be taken to the heights of carnal ecstasy whilst the apple of his eye wants to slob out and watch Corrie, all narrated by a girl willing to give the poor lad what he wants. Irony, drama and comedy rolled into one big dollop of Yorkshire/London power pop venom. Marvellous, then. 4. Les Savy Fav – ‘What Would Wolves Do?’ Given my liking for intelligent yet intense rock music, it’s unsurprising that this single is right up there in my listings. Reminiscent of The Strokes at their best with just a hint of The Rakes and a smidgen of Joy Division, ‘What Wolves Do’ is the highlight of this band’s multi-faceted fourth studio effort; an intense emotional ride as at home on record as it would be live. In an era of generic ‘indie’, it’s good to hear something with a little more soul, and that actually IS indie music. Get in. 5. Tokyo Police Club – ‘Your English Is Good’ A bit of a departure for me, this, but a worthwhile one. Tokyo Police Club are the latest in thing stateside at the moment, and they’re heading our way. This single encapsulates all that’s good about them; they’re fresh sounding, have a touch of pop sensibility and angular guitars, and make your whole day that little bit brighter after hearing them. A festival favourite, get ready for the world of TPC… 6. LCD Soundsystem – ‘Someone Great’ 7. Interpol – ‘The Heinrich Maneuver’ 8. Patrick Wolf – ‘The Magic Position’ 9. The White Stripes – ‘Icky Thump’ 10. Arctic Monkeys – ‘Florescent Adolescent’ Honourable Mentions Mason Vs Princess Superstar – ‘Perfect (Exceeder)’ Bloc Party – ‘I Still Remember’ Dizzee Rascal – ‘Pussyole (Old Skool)’ Compilations Of The Year
1. Soulwax – Most Of The Remixes In this era of bootlegs, mash-ups and bastard pop, a thesis on the genre by the very people who created it. David and Stephen Dewaele have a knack of making even the most tired old crap sound thunderous. First it was their own album (the flaccid Any Minute Now turned into the Viagra-imbibed monster that was Nite Versions), and then this, a self-selected collection of their various remix assignments. From the sublime – Justice’s ‘Phantom Part II’ to the ridiculous – the Lords Of Acid’s ‘I Sit On Acid’, Soulwax drew out every beat, beefed up every hook and even made a Robbie Williams track palatable. What next, parting the Red Sea? 2. Daft Punk – Alive 2007 More electro goodness, this time from the Dewaeles’ Gallic cousins, Thomas Bangaltier and Guy-Manuel De Homem-Christo. For a group that’s been accused of resting on their laurels for some time now, it seems that Daft Punk are all too happy to make up for this by turning their live sets into some kind of Close Encounters-style spiritual awakening. Loud, melodic and quite liable to make you have some kind of accident in your pants. 3. The Libertines – Time For Heroes If, like me, you were relatively ambivalent towards Pete Doherty, Carl Barat and chums when they could actually hold it together, then this might be the record to change your mind. Basically a run through of their best selling singles and most popular album tracks, this is a stark reminder that Mr Doherty actually has talent, and that Mr Barat’s Dirty Pretty Things blandness is simply a cop-out from trying to make a good band great. The 5 questions for 2008
1. Will the new My Bloody Valentine album be any good? 2. And what about their tour? 3. Are we ever going to see Chinese Democracy? 4. Is there a Stone Roses reformation on the cards? 5. Will the rest of the world hook onto the greatness of Kap Bambino? Amir Arezoo, December 2007.
 conversations
Read members' comments.
|
 |
see also
books  books and comics archive Author interviews and reviews from 2002 to 2008. film  film archive The best of cinema in the UK from 2002 to 2008. |
send to a friend
more reviews by this member