Two Bears in a Record Store

It is one thing to make an album that is critically acclaimed for its technical brilliance and genre defining in its variety, and it is quite another thing to re-create this music for a live environment.

Yet TV on the Radio have not only mastered what is required to make an impressive studio sound, they have applied their own special brand of genius in making a live set that harnesses the energy of each song and sends it pumping out to the dancing masses in the crowd.


Playing for close to an hour and a half, TVotR kept the crowd constantly wowed by the vast sound they managed to produce, and the ability to take so many different musical elements and bring them all together so flawlessly. Throwing in a spattering of songs from previous albums, the majority of the set focused on tracks from the critically acclaimed 2008 hit, Dear Science.


The Metro Theatre yet again proved itself to be an intimate venue, where every audience member can feel close enough to the action to really feel a part of it, and there is no doubt in my mind that the venue played some part in producing an animated connection between the charismatic lead singer Tunde Adebimpe and the crowd.



Oh, and as a side note for those who haven’t seen TVotR live (or even a YouTube video of a live performance), Adebimpe’s dancing alone makes seeing these guys worthwhile...R.E.Ms Michael Stipe definitely comes to mind.

Welcome back, so CB did alright picking some of the top songs of the year, here a are mine. 

I think its safe to say my picks got crushed , anyway , its always a good day hanging out and listening to the countdown.

1.     Booka Shade  - Charlotte – (Didn’t make top 100)

2.     Chemical Brothers  -  Midnight Madness - (Didn’t make top 100)  

3.     Cold War Kids - Something is Not Right With Me  - (38)

4.     Franz Ferdinand - Lucid Dreams  - (Didn’t make top 100)

5.     Kings Of Leon - Sex on Fire  - (1)

6.     Ladyhawke - Paris is Burning – (26)

7.     MGMT - Electric Feel – (2 )

8.     Presets -  Yippyo  - (56)

9.     Sparkadia - Too Much To Do - (Didn’t make top 100)

10.   Ting Tings - Not My Name -  (9)

So, for those of you not in Australia (or hiding under rocks), the 2008 Triple J Hottest 100 was counted down yesterday, taking into account over 800,000 votes from around Australia and the world. Kings of Leon's Sex on Fire took out the top spot, which was almost as big a surprise as Heath Ledger winning Best Supporting Actor at the SAGs.


SO, in the interests of openness and honesty, here is my Top 10 songs of 2008 (as I voted for them in the Hottest 100) and where they fell in the countdown:


British India - You Will Die & I Will Take Over (not in Top 100)
Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal (65)
Holidays - The – Holiday (not in Top 100)
Kings Of Leon - Use Somebody (3)
Little Red - Coca Cola (47)
MGMT - Electric Feel (2)
Rapture - The - No Sex For Ben (14)
Saboteurs , The - The Switch And The Spur (not in Top 100)
Sparkadia – Jealousy (79)
Vampire Weekend - M79 (not in Top 100)

OK. So I missed the boat on a few of my picks, and I suppose Sex on Fire should have been an obvious choice, but it was good to see some local Australian acts getting amongst the action.

CB

Tame Impala – Antares Mira Sun – EP 

5 Tracks, 5 pieces of art. Each carefully constructed. Tame Impala must be congratulated for creating a rock n roll rollercoaster stretching across decades of musical influence. There is a strong classic rock & psychedelic rock vintage to this band and it’s done so well that it’s refreshing compared to some of the rubbish on the radio these days .There are tinges of The Beatles in the vocals and even an appearance by a sitar on ‘Slide Through My Fingers’, which is wild.  
 
For me it’s such a change and it’s really really enjoyable. At 5 songs it’s just the right amount, but it left me wanting more of this sound. I’ll be very keen to hear what Tame Impala produce when they get around to producing a full-length album

VB. 

5: Booka Shade - The Sun & Neon Light

The 3rd album of Booka Shade’s short but prolific career is their best. They have grown and changed into a complete outfit. The Sun & Neon Light is their maturation. Incredibly atmospheric it exists just before sunrise in the pre-dawn light, hazy, moody and relaxed. It lies strongly within the electronic music genre but it has the depth of a folk album. Its beyond a storming dance floor stormer, it has life and actually invokes more then just euphoria.

The Sun & neon Light has been compared by many as Booka’s attempt to be Depeche Mode. I couldn’t disagree more. It has the melancholy, sombre atmosphere I’ve never heard before in any electronic release, while retaining in some tracks a stomping rhythm (‘Charlotte)’. I struggle to describe this album anything more then a complete emotional, album by a duo filled with melody. Whatever it is it filled many nights of mine and I think its worth a real solid listen.

Booka Shade - Control Me
Booka Shade - Dusty Boots


4: The Killers - Day & Age

Only a very recent release from the Americans but this album could almost be a best of. Its as if it combines all the best elements from their first releases, the glittery electropop/rock and then slide off the shoulder their best dress and reveal just a little more- a glimpse into their future. The coolest aspect of this album is The Killers ability to take a chance and for that chance to pay off – aka the Caribbean rhythms scattered amongst this album & opening bars of the album featuring horns!!!. Human was the first single and perhaps the best because it leads the album off with a bang, the energy so lacking from Sam’s Town.

For The Killers it’s a brand new day but there’s still so many more listeners to conquer and win over yet, this is definitely one of my favourite and more most enjoyable albums of the year.

The Killers - Joy Ride
The Killers - A Crippling Blow


3: Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

If you haven’t heard of this album by now, just heard of it, you must have been living under a rock …… or listening to delightful commercial radio. As such pretty there isn’t much left to say about this album except like a Beach Boys, Beatles, Coldplay or any folk album its easy to listen to and easy to get into.

It’s full of lush warm melodies and it’s a pleasure to listen to. Nothing else to say. Go out , get it and thank me later.

Fleet Foxes - Quiet Houses
Fleet Foxes - Your Protector


2: Kings of Leon - Only By The Night

This is the definitive album for the Kings. Within this album are the hallmarks of each previous release. The slow brooding guitar tunes of ‘Because of the Times, the crooning from ‘Aha Shake’ and the youthful brashness of ‘Youth & Youngman Hood’. Only by the Night is a band who has grown and become so confident that they can produce a medium paced album that is still full of life and still grows on the listener after countless hearings.

Unfortunately as mentioned by CB it has copped some criticism for being branded as a sell-out album, but its that those cries were not heard when their previous album was released considering many of the stadium sounds were trialled on ‘Because of the Times’. Regardless this is the must own album of 2008!

Kings of Leon - Closer
Kings of Leon - Crawl


1: The Presets - Apocalypso

Possibly best electronic album ever? Pretty close . This album is wild. Like Booka Shade this album lies somewhere between the chaos of night and day, but it must be turned up after dark it will not let you turn it down. Its messy, its loud, its crazy its fluro, it’s the shizzle!. Its dark, its moody yet its faster and harder then any record I’ve heard all year. Its unrelenting and thank god!.

Kicking & Screaming is an entrée for My People which will pound you into submission with its ultra crunchy synth. Then Apocalypso will turn around and hug you while side stepping to the beats of A New Sky. This Boys in Love is the hands in the air fluro classic that it is, featuring one of the coolest lyrics of the year “We stole the keys to the sky”. Its one of the most euphoric points of the album, and the commercial success it achieved should not be underestimated.
Yippiyo-ay is a 4 and a half minute glimpse into the future of a new genre – electrofunk!. Its got groove and still a dirty beat.

The vampiric opening to Talk Like That is now as well know as the sun rising in the East and setting in the West, you cant turn on a radio without hearing it. Its catchy its got a killer beat which grabs you and refuses to let go and quirky synths scattered throughout -totally irresistible. If I Know You is The Presets in Depeche Mode disguise and my oh my it works it’s the wonky synth combining with Julian’s voice that make this a tale of heartbreak and it still isn’t out of place on such a great dance record. Closing the album is Anywhere. The darkest, moodiest track on the album. The last hoorah, The Presets saying good bye and thank you for your time in their own way.

This is easily my favourite album of the year, perhaps cause of the success it achieved – it was such a surprise . I know that this has won over many of my friends who didn’t really care for The Presets before and that says a lot to me.

The Presets - Yippiyo-ay
Talk Like That


Thanks for reading. Please feel free, we implore you to send us your top 10 of 2008 albums or songs.

In the coming day's myself and Choc will try and post our top 10 song of 2008 also, so check back and please once again send us your top albums and songs of 2008!

Adios!

Here is my top 5 albums of 2008:

5. Kings of Leon – Only by the Night
4. Sparkadia – Postcards
3. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
2. TV on the Radio – Dear Science
1. Little Red – Listen to Little Red

5. Kings of Leon – Only by the Night

A lot has been said about this album and about this band since Only by the Night was released in late September, but the success of the singles ‘Sex on Fire’ and ‘Use Somebody’ truly speak for themselves.

I have been a fan of this band since Aha Shake Heartbreak, and I think that album will always hold a special place in my heart but I am not afraid of change. A lot of long terms fans have dismissed this latest offering as a commercial sellout, a grab for mass appeal, and a push for unnecessary stadium filling power but I can’t blame a band for trying to broaden its fan base, and when they make music as infectious as the tracks on this album it isn’t hard to see why this has truly been the break-through year for Kings. Apart from the obvious top tracks, I think ‘Cold Desert’ is a brilliant final track that makes me want to see the live show more every time I listen to it.

4. Sparkadia – Postcards

Postcards is a fantastic album, and Sparkadia have proven themselves as one of the bright up and coming bands in Australia, backed by exposure in the US and Europe.

Postcards is full of songs that make you want to sing along because they manage to capture so well the challenges of everyday life, and particularly relationships. Highlights for me are ‘Jealousy’, and the softer, slower ‘Connected’.

3. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend

While labels of being preppy, sweater wearing, University educated might have impeded a lesser rock act, Vampire Weekend have risen to the hype that started at Columbia University to become world conquerors in the space of a year.

The self titled album that has introduced the masses to Vampire Weekend combines clever lyrics, afro beats, beautiful string accompaniments, all tied together by an unerring sense of fun and an abundance of confidence. The entire album flows in a is strong, with songs such as ‘M79’, ‘Oxford Comma’, and ‘Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa’ standing out as my highlights – if only for the combination of infectious melodies and creative lyrics in each of these.

2. TV on the Radio – Dear Science

With a Metacritic rating of 88 out of 100, and with almost universal acclaim, Dear Science goes a long way in shifting the perception of TV on the Radio from being indie darlings to their rightful position as rulers of the alternative music scene.

The most exciting this about TV on the Radio from the outset was the incredible amounts of talent pouring from each member of the band, and this new album looks to further exploit this talent, exploring a range of musical influences and genres and harnessing all that has been good about previous releases, particularly the breakthrough record, Return to Cookie Mountain. The highlight of the album is also the biggest surprise – Family Tree. The song reminds me of Coldplay in the emotion and inspiration it conveys, and the lyrics help to paint an incredibly vivid picture.

1. Little Red – Listen to Little Red

If you haven’t heard of these guys, it is your loss – seriously. Get aboard the Little Red train. This young Melbourne quintet has had a steady rise in popularity over the past year, and the release of their debut has helped them become a standard on the Australian music festival scene.
The sound of Little Red harkens back to the simpler, younger days of rock, with the band utilising beautiful harmonies and catchy tunes to best effect. This is an album with no swearing, and no reference to the seedier underbelly of life – a happy escape from the stark reality we are otherwise faced with. The album has great variety, but the highlight for me is still undoubtedly the crowd pleaser ‘Coca Cola’.

Hey thought I might post a nice little poll from Rolling Stone, its their readers top 30 albums of 2008, its interesting to note the difference between the Rolling Stone Top Albums and its readers top albums. Have a look.

Rolling Stone Top Albums of 2008:

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/12/15/rock-list-readers-top-30-albums-of-2008/

Cheers VB

Here is numbers 10 to 6 of my Top Ten albums of 2008 (in no particular order):
Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
British India – Thieves
The Streets – Everything is Borrowed
Coldplay – Viva la Vida
MGMT – Oracular Spectacular


Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

Fleet Foxes debut, self titled album proved to me that there is always new ways to reinvent rock music – in this case by taking down the tempo, latching onto harmonies, and capturing more than just a little of that old-school rock feel.

This five-piece band from Seattle came from virtually nowhere to become one of the darlings of the 2008 music scene, and I am happy to blindly follow the masses in praising their unique and otherworldly sound.


British India – Thieves

Thieves marks the second album for Melbourne based band British India, and is a fitting follow up to their debut breakthrough album, Guillotine. While this album hasn’t yet had quite the number of hits as the previous album, I think over time it will be remembered as a well rounded piece of work. Particular highlights include ‘God is Dead, Meet the Kids’ and ‘You Will Die and I Will Take Over’.


The Streets – Everything is Borrowed

The penultimate album for Mike Skinner and The Streets is a welcome return to form after a celebrity focused and indulgent previous album. While Skinner hasn’t returned to singing about the day-to-day (and is not likely to ever again), the album certainly shows a man who is much more content about his lot in life, with the over-riding theme being reflection on the bigger things in life such as love and spirituality. My favourite track on the album is ‘The Escapist’, the first single, which best sums up the vibe of the entire album.


Coldplay – Viva la Vida

I have loved Coldplay since ‘Yellow’, and Viva la Vida was an exciting album for Chris Martin and Co., with the world’s biggest band (apart from U2) looking to capture that stadium sound they have been working towards for 4 albums.

The album starts strongly and carries this through for the entire album, with tracks ebbing and flowing over the course of the album. The highlight of the album for me is ‘Strawberry Swing’, a song that harkens back to the bands’ softer, quieter days.

Ultimately, Viva la Vida is a success in as much that it makes me want to see how these guys perform this album live, and how they stand up as crowd favourites against classics from the Coldplay stable.


MGMT – Oracular Spectacular

MGMT are the IT band of 2008, and Oracular Spectacular is an album that has slowly but surely infected the masses with its psychedelic sound scape. For me, ‘Electric Feel’ is one of the best songs of 2008 and sums up the general feel MGMT were going for in their debut outing.

However, while songs such as ‘Electric Feel’, ‘Weekend Wars’, and ‘Kids’ are brilliant examples of the potential of these two Brooklyn based boys, the flow of the album isn’t quite perfect, and the end of the album in particular feels a little slow. Despite this slight drawback, the quality of the good tracks makes this a must-have album for 2008.


Coming soon: my top 5 albums of 2008.


CB