20th October - Kaiser Chiefs' Off With Their Heads

Artist – Album: Kaiser Chiefs – Off With Their Heads

Released: 20^th October 2008

Sounds Like: The Kaiser Chiefs, with added muscle.

The biggest challenge facing the Kaiser Chiefs after their stupendous debut album Employment, and its accompanying singles ‘I Predict a Riot’, ‘Oh My God’ and ‘Every Day I Love You Less and Less’, was following it up with a release that was progressive enough to avoid accusations of one-trick-pony-ism but still punchy enough to satisfy their stadium filling, largely lager-fuelled fanbase. That test was passed with flying colours with the anthem ‘Ruby’, but then the Leeds lads took their collective eye off the ball with its weak parent album Yours Truly, Angry Mob. It looked at that point like the Chiefs may have been succumbing to the law of diminishing returns and, as Apollo 440 so nearly sang, “stop the rot, can’t stop the rot”. Drastic measures would have to be taken if Off With Their Heads wasn’t going to be another disappointment.

To that end, they enlisted the man of the moment Mark Ronson and a bevy of his mates (Lily Allen sings backing vocals on ‘Always Happens Like That’ and ‘Never Miss a Beat’, and the rapper Sway proffers an odd verse to the unsuccessful ‘Half the Truth’) to reinforce their admittedly handy pop rock songs. The result is a mixed bag, but overall I’d say it’s a success. The lead single ‘Never Miss a Beat’ is old hat for the Yorkshire quartet and just a bit boring, but the likes of ‘Always Happens Like That’ and ‘Addicted to Drugs’ are enjoyably atypical. ‘Like It Too Much’ is a brilliant effort at XTC-esque New Wave, whilst album closer ‘Remember You’re a Girl’ is a surprisingly mellow ballad.

The birds were circling in 2008, but Off With Their Heads should have done enough to shoo them away for a little longer. In actual fact it didn’t, but I wouldn’t say that that’s the boys fault. It seems the public had already sentenced them to the guillotine...  

Albumaday... rating: 6/10

1.    Spanish Metal – 2:19

2.    Never Miss a Beat – 3:08

3.    Like It Too Much – 3:23

4.    You Want History – 3:45

5.    Can’t Say What I Mean – 2:49

6.    Good Days Bad Days – 2:53

7.    Tomato in the Rain – 3:51

8.    Half the Truth – 3:44

9.    Always Happens Like That – 3:12

10. Addicted to Drugs – 3:53

11. Remember You’re a Girl – 2:37

Listen to ‘Like It Too Much’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNfzL9Xkm1g

Also released on 20th October:
2008: Imelda May - Love Tattoo

27th September - Interpol's Antics

Artist – Album: Interpol - Antics

Released:  27^th September 2004

Sounds Like: Interpol (who else?)

Antics is a strange name for an album brought to you by everyone’s favourite New York murk-merchants. There’s little in the way of foolish, outrageous or amusing behaviour in this set – more straight-laced and pained – and, to be honest, it just wouldn’t feel right if there was.

So what’s changed from Turn on the Bright Lights? Comfortingly very little. Interpol continue to trade in punchy rhythms and almost comically bleak sounds, remaining both accessible and weird. Album opener ‘Next Exit’ at first seems strangely stately and un-Interpol-esque, but then if you remember that their debut had begun with the similar elegant ‘Untitled’ it becomes vaguely familiar. Everything is a little more loose and danceable, the production is clearer and the songs have been shorn of any unnecessary fluff, thus avoiding the first album’s slight dip towards the end, but this could still only be an Interpol record.

Lead singer Paul Banks has a brilliant characterful voice despite his gloomy limited range. On ‘Evil’ and ‘Public Pervert’ he possess the cool, detached fascination of an A-grade psycho, like a rock star Dexter, whilst ‘Slow Hands’ and ‘C’mere’ have the fragility of an old gentlemen struggling to retain his composure. These are backed by lyrics such as “can’t you see what you’ve done to my heart” and “the trouble is you’re in love with someone else” and make for a more personal record than Turn on the Bright Lights.

All in all Antics is an only slightly less good follow up to a fine first record, and cements Interpol stance as one of the best rock groups of the 21^st Century. I can also confirm that despite now being four albums old, they’ve still never dreamed of getting up to any antics.

Albumaday... rating: 7/10

1.       Next Exit – 3:20

2.       Evil – 3:35

3.       Narc – 4:07

4.       Take You on a Cruise – 4:54

5.       Slow Hands – 3:04

6.       Not Even Jail – 5:46

7.       Public Pervert – 4:40

8.       C’mere – 3:11

9.       Length of Love – 4:06

10.   A Time to Be So Small – 4:50

Listen to ‘C’mere’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaDw4CAcXVE  

20th August - Interpol's Turn On the Bright Lights

Artist - Album: Interpol - Turn On the Bright Lights
Released: 20th August 2002
Sounds like: Well, Joy Division, kind of...

Following the huge success of the Strokes around the turn of the millennium, there was a vogue for bands with punchy guitars and oh so tight rhythm sections. Although there was a gaggle of straight imitators and Strokey-likeys who suddenly appeared on the scene - here's looking at you, The Vines - the fact that the chief characteristics were more to do with style and approach than actual genres meant that they could be applied to quite different forms of music. Case in point: Interpol, who were enamoured with Eighties post-punk and goth a la Joy Division and The Cure, but could Strokes it with the best of them.

This, their debut, turned out to be one of the best albums of the decade. It's gloomy and paranoid true, but it's also imminently accessible (opener 'Untitled' was used on an episode of Friends for God's sake) and totally enjoyable. As a counterpoint to the dreamy, minimalistic 'Untitled', 'Obstacle 1' assaults the senses. Jagged guitars stab at you like Norman Bates, whilst Paul Banks barks psychotic lyrics at you menancingly. It's an absolite belter. The third track, the ballad 'NYC', is a favourite of Michael Stipes.

Bands keep cropping up that sound like Strokey-cats, but those that mimiced Interpol have long since dried up. That may be because theirs is not an easy sound to copy, or because there's less commercial potential in it, or simply because 99% of people are more cheery than the New York mopers, but I like to think it's just because they're a bit special.

Analbumaday... rating: 9/10

1. Untitled – 3:56
2. Obstacle 1 – 4:11
3. NYC – 4:20
4. PDA – 4:59
5. Say Hello to the Angels – 4:28
6. Hands Away – 3:05
7. Obstacle 2 – 3:47
8. Stella Was a Diver and She Was Always Down – 6:28
9. Roland – 3:35
10. The New – 6:07
11. Leif Erikson – 4:00

Listen to 'Stella Was a Diver and She Was Always Down': www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s5lzcKpu0Q

22nd May - The National's Boxer

Artist – Album: The National – Boxer

Released:  22^nd May 2007

Sounds Like: Understated brilliance

Just over a month ago I blogged about The National’s third album Alligator, a special record from a band just beginning to develop their sound. I noted that although the album slightly lacked cohesion, each song was excellent. By the time they released Boxer two years later, they had become nigh on impossible to resist.

The group eschewed the patchy rock songs à la ‘Lit Up’ altogether, and instead constructed an album of dark night, lonely bar songs - still anthemic and, on occasion, joyous, but ultimately lonely and blue. Matt Berninger’s classic baritone voice couldn’t be better suited to these melancholic melodies^*, and the way his lyrics have a habit of sneaking up on you is amplified by the brooding atmosphere. That’s not to suggest that these introspective songs are all quiet and hidden in the corner. Opener ‘Fake Empire’ may start softly but it builds to a merry crescendo of splashing drums and upbeat horns. ‘Mistaken for Strangers’ is probably the rockiest of the lot, uptempo and biting. Thereafter things slow down, although the quality never lessens. ‘Brainy’ is a beguiling pseudo-love song. ‘Slow Show’ is a nervous and awkward love/sex song, containing the cracking coda “you know I dreamed about you for twenty-nine years before I saw you”. ‘Ada’  is another highlight, featuring Sufjan Stevens on piano, although I have little idea what it’s about.

The National could stake a claim to be the best band since the turn of the millennium, releasing six captivating albums of wonderful genius, and this, for me, is the finest of the lot.

^* As clearly and audibly as the guy himself sings, there’s arguably never been a better example of drunken-mumble-along-ability. Tom Waits maybe?

Albumaday... rating: 9/10

1.       Fake Empire – 3:25

2.       Mistaken for Strangers – 3:30

3.       Brainy – 3:18

4.       Squalor Victoria – 2:59

5.       Green Gloves – 3:39

6.       Slow Show – 4:08

7.       Apartment Story – 3:32

8.       Start a War – 3:16

9.       Guest Room – 3:18

10.   Racing Like a Pro – 3:23

11.   Ada – 4:03

12.   Gospel – 4:29

Listen to ‘Slow Show’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz5pskaTNJU

Also released on the 22^nd May:

1992: Spiritualized – Lazer Guided Melodies

Also released on the 22^nd May:

2006: Hot Chip – The Warning

12th April - The National's Alligator

Artist – Album: The National - Alligator

Released:  12^th April 2005

Sounds Like: The National anthems

Depending on how long you’ve been on this album a day journey with me, you may or may not have noticed yet that I post a carefully selected link to Youtube for each album’s best song. Hidden away after the track listing (for fear of recrimination from über-fans who are convinced that ‘Street Spirit (Fade Out) is better than ‘Fake Plastic Trees’), these have honoured such fantastic if obscure album tracks as Of Montreal’s ‘My Favourite Boxer’, Sia’s ‘Electric Bird’, Tullycraft's 'Twee' and The Young Knives’ ‘Turn Tail’. I will at some point get them all up on to a Spotify playlist and share with everyone, and it will be a happy day.

I only mention this today because on The National’s Alligator it is so difficult to pinpoint a solitary best song, such is the consistency of the craftsmanship. As a whole album it slightly lacks the cohesion of follow up record Boxer, but as a collection of songs it is simply unbeatable. If you’re looking for the typical The National mix of the ominous and gorgeous, look no further than ‘Karen’. Another aspect of the band’s success is the low croon of front man Matt Berninger, buttering you up with literate but simple chatter before delivering an offhand uppercut of sombreness or unhinged affection. Fancy a bit of that? Try ‘Daughters of the SoHo riots’ (“break my arms around the one I love”) or ‘All the Wine’ (“I’m in a state, i’m in a state, nothing can touch us, my love”). ‘Mr November’ is a suitably venomous closer, with its chorus of “they won’t fuck us over”. ‘Looking for Astronauts’ is a love-too-late song centred on the beautiful sentiment “You know you have a permanent piece of my medium-sized American heart”. ‘Lit Up’ is an uptempo indie anthem, with probably the coolest verses on the entire record, although burdened with a slightly unconvincing chorus. ‘Abel’ is a second attempt at the anthem and is more successful, with a brilliant shouty chorus. They’re all great.

In the end, I plumped for ‘Secret Meeting’, the first song. It creeps up on you with ringing guitars, shuffling drums and Berninger’s hushed serenade. The lyrics are romantic (maybe?) and totally bewildering “I'm sorry I missed you, I had a secret meeting in the basement of my brain”. And it builds to a crescendo, with a riotous rabble chanting the indecipherable backing by the time its three minutes are up. It’s the perfect encapsulation of all that is great about this tremendous band.

Albumaday... rating: 8/10

1.       Secret Meeting – 3:44

2.       Karen – 3:59

3.       Lit Up – 2:55

4.       Looking for Astronauts – 3:23

5.       Daughters of the SoHo Riots – 3:59

6.       Baby, We’ll Be Fine – 3:21

7.       Friend of Mine – 3:25

8.       Val Jester – 3:00

9.       All the Wine - 3:15

10.   Abel – 3:37

11.   The Geese of Beverly Road – 4:57

12.   City Middle – 4:28

13.   Mr. November – 3:57

Listen to ‘Secret Meeting’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFb9tiK0hVo

10th March - The Young Knives' Superabundance

Artist – Album: Young Knives – Superabundance

Released:  10^th March 2008         

Sounds Like: I should’ve put more effort into my Mother’s Day gift.

Happy Mother’s Day (UK)™! You may have sent your Mum a card and flowers, you may give her a call later on, you may have even been extravagant and taken her out for a meal or bought her an ipad (appearently people do that), but I’m sure my mother will be just as pleased to have been mentioned in the opening paragraph of my blog. Lucky, lucky lady. I’m such a good son.

I’ve even managed to find an album to write about that contains a song with the word ‘mummy’ in it. Admittedly, ‘Mummy Light the Fire’ is a strange choral song containing lyrics like “I feel fear, I’m in floods of tears” and hence not exactly full of Hallmark sentiment, but it’s the thought that counts eh?

The album as a whole isn’t exactly the sort of thing that my mom would love. The first half is full of angular chords and yelped vocals, the sort of music you associate with people that wear Ramones t-shirts and skinny corduroy jeans but have never actually heard of ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’. It may be clever but it’s just too difficult to love. A bit like me. You begin to question whether the band wear the glasses for vision or fashion purposes... But then, starting with album highlight ‘Turn Tail’, the tone switches. The music becomes fuller and more diverse. The guitars are lightly strummed as much as aggressively stabbed. The lyrics, though depressed, become more humorous and ironic. The lead singer starts to look more like the affable David Mitchell than some pretentious hipster. More of the second half and less of the first and this would be a great album rather than just not bad.

Albumaday... rating: 6/10

1.       Fit 4 U – 3:16

2.       Terra Firma – 2:48

3.       Up All Night – 2:58

4.       Counters – 4:11

5.       Light Switch – 3:47

6.       Turn Tail – 4:44

7.       I Can Hardly See Them – 3:07

8.       Dyed in the Wool – 3:10

9.       Rue the Days – 3:46

10.   Flies – 1:39

11.   Mummy Light the Fire – 4:04

12.   Current of the River – 5:24

Listen to ‘Turn Tail’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yrlgg8Lzi0

9th Feb - Franz Ferdinand's Franz Ferdinand

Artist – Album: Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand

Released:  9^th February 2004      

Sounds Like: Spiky Scottish garage rock

Take a look at Alex Kapranos, lead singer of Franz Ferdinand, and you can see that he’s all elbows and cheekbones – a sharp, angular looking man for a sharp, angular band. He has a bit of Jarvis Cocker about him and, like the Pulp singer, he’s similarly comfortable with witty wordplay and sparkling social commentary. He dresses dapper and cool, like the best of the 21^st century frontmen. It’s almost too perfect.

The very best tracks on Franz Ferdinand’s self-titled debut – we’re talking ‘Jacqueline’, ‘Take Me Out’, ‘The Dark of the Matinee’, ‘Darts of Pleasure’ -  also verge on perfection. These are stomping party tunes as suitable in big rock clubs as kitsch indie bars. Taking their post-punk cues from groups such as Wire, Orange Juice and Roxy Music, these songs were a refreshing break from the Limp Bizkit led nu-metal trend or the new reality TV pop acts such as Hear’Say or Darius (remember him??). Remarkable lead single ‘Take Me Out’ became an instant classic, rightly hailed for its furiously strummed opening verses and shift of dynamic to crunching guitars and anthemic chorus.

The album, though, is inconsistent, and there are songs scattered amongst the classics that fail to hit the heights. ‘This Fire’ feels like it was pulled together in a matter of minutes (although it was still voted the 29^th best song of 2004 by Australian rock radio station Triple J), whilst ‘Tell her Tonight’ and ‘Come On Home’ are just a tad forgettable. Still, it’s a great debut and a sign of things to come from Glasgow group.

Albumaday... rating: 8/10

1.       Jacqueline – 3:49

2.       Tell Her Tonight – 2:17

3.       Take Me Out – 3:57

4.       The Dark of the Matinee – 4:03

5.       Auf Achse – 4:19

6.       Cheating on You – 2:36

7.       This Fire – 4:14

8.       Darts of Pleasure – 2:59

9.       Michael – 3:21

10.   Come On Home – 3:46

11.   40 – 3:24 

Listen to ‘Jacqueline’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGzvDANQWQ8

Also released on the 9^th February:

2003: Architecture in Helsinki – Fingers Crossed

3rd Jan - The Stroke's First Impressions of Earth

Artist – Album: The Strokes – First Impressions of Earth

Released:  3^rd January 2006

Sounds Like: Billy Baldwin to Is This It’s Alec and Room On Fire’s Stephen

Had The Strokes began their nascent career with two slightly above average albums rather than the instant classic Is This Is It and the only moderately less brilliant Room On Fire, their unloved third album may have been received more warmly.

It certainly starts well, kicking off with the laid back cool of ‘You Only Live Once’ and following it by the hit single and red raw ‘Juicebox’. The rest of the album follows the example set by the former rather than the latter and that may have been part of the album’s downfall – listeners may well have wanted more of Julian Casablancas’ pained howling.

That’s not to say that the lyrics lack venom just because the delivery lacks bite. He’s still as vaguely (and pretty inexplicably) pissed off with everything as ever. And the album rocks in many places. It’s just that more often the words are sang not spat, and the music can at times be much softer. ‘Ask Me Anything’ actually brought to mind The Magnetic Fields. More than once I was reminded of the excellent Parisian band Phoenix. And maybe that’s what disappointed critics more than anything – where The Strokes once were the standard bearers, writing era-defining tunes, the band that everybody wanted to emulate; their third attempt sounds just a bit too much like everybody else.

Albumaday... rating:   7/10

1. You Only Live Once – 3:09
2. Juicebox – 3:17
3. Heart in a Cage – 3:27
4. Razorblade – 3:29
5. On the Other Side – 4:38
6. Vision of Division – 4:20
7. Ask Me Anything – 3:12
8. Electricityscape – 3:33
9. Killing Lies – 3:50
10. Fear of Sleep – 4:00
11. 15 Minutes – 4:34
12. Ize of the World – 4:29
13. Evening Sun – 3:06
14. Red Light – 3:11

    Listen to ‘Juicebox’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoltwBHXCx8