There aren't many bands who produce such consistently amazing, beautiful and spellbinding pieces of music as Sigur Ros do.
One fan managed to get some footage from the show and has posted it on YouTube. Use the following link to check it out:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=eAm5Fr-gbmQ&feature=related
Absolutely brilliant...
]]>And this got me thinking of other things that are also under-rated, such as the movie A Life Less Ordinary. Naturally, it wasn't long before I got on to the subject of music. Here are a few albums I have in my collection that, had I listened to critics or other people, I wouldn't have had the pleasure of listening to.
"Second Coming" - Stone Roses
Lambasted by critics and even some fans for being different to their classic debut and seen as the beginning of the end for one of Britain's best bands. But all they did was discover blues rock and added it to their funky guitar pop to create an astonishing, powerful record.
And songs such as Begging You, Love Spreads, Breaking Into Heaven, Driving South and the lovely Ten Storey Love Song easily compare with anything they did before.
"New Adventures In Hi-fi" - REM
When REM went 'back to their roots' for the previous album Monster, they lost a lot of casual fans who had only been interested in the band's more commerical work. But they're the idiots as this turned out to be a beaut of an album.
Engaging, interesting and startlingly lovely, it also contains one of the most gorgeous and my personal favourite REM song, Electrolite.
"Hail To The Thief" - Radiohead
Talk about a no win situation. Some said they were merely covering old ground, others expressed disappointment that it wasn't like their earlier records! Many said it weak.
But if great songs make for a strong album, how can an LP that contains There There, 2+2=5, Go To Sleep, Where I End And You Begin, A Wolf At The Door and Myxomatosis be weak?
"Help!" - The Beatles
I know it seems strange to include the Fab Four in this list but I've always felt Help! is overlooked because it is caught between early Beatles and the start of their mid to late 60s transformation.
But this album is stunning. So many great pop singles. Yeah, yeah, Rubber Soul followed later in the same year but this is where you can hear the first traces of Paul, John, George and Ringo leaving Beatlemania behind and growing up.
"Trompe Le Monde" - Pixies
Ok, so they were on the verge of breaking up and the relationship between members was crumbling but that only adds to the brilliance of this record. It sounds fresh. More like a band on the verge of something bigger rather than the beginning of their end.
I still feel like leaping around like a madman when I hear Alec Eiffel, U-Mass and Planet Of Sound. And they even manage to do the near-impossible - a great cover of a Jesus and Mary Chain track, Head On.
But I had to make a belated comment about Bjork's latest single Nattura, which is delightfully eccentric and ace. It is powered by some incredible tribal drums and sparse electronica which compliments the urgency in Bjork's voice. Oh, and it features a certain musical genius called Thom Yorke doing backing vocals.
It has been recorded to benefit the Nattura campaign which has been set up to seek ways to improve the Icelandic environment.
All in all, it is an amazing track. But I've come to expect nothing less from her. Check it out yourselves...
]]>Of course, you'll have heard of Youssou Ndour and rapper Akon. You may have even heard of Baaba Maal. But I hadn't so I was delighted to unearth this little laid back, soothing gem. Just a pity I don't understand what he's singing about! But I love the tune and when I listen to it, I close my eyes and am taken back to the gorgeous beaches I was on less than a week ago. You can hear it at:
While I was out there I bought myself a little bongo. When I've mastered how to play it properly I might even start my own band...
]]>These included some moronic In-Ger-Land supporters booing Ashley Cole after he made a mistake and the stadium announcer bellowing out "Substitution for England, replacing number seven Theo Walcott is number 15, David Beckham..."
But the worst thing, by far, I heard at Wembley during the game was that poxy brass band. I love hearing music in most situations. But who on earth told them they were welcome? Who encourages them to go to every game? Why hasn't anyone banned them?
Every time they strike up "The Great Escape", "Self Preservation Society" or "God Save The Queen" (the national anthem too, they don't even try to redeem themselves by playing the Sex Pistols song) I want to scream. Humphrey Lyttleton they ain't...
Euro 2008 was a great tournament and this was enhanced because, as England didn't qualify, that stupid band was left at home too. Perhaps if England were to fail to qualify for the next World Cup, it wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.
]]>Gee, I bet imaginary Frank is delighted. Of all the Hip Hop superstars he could have been pals with, he gets "Puffy". Don't think it'll be too long before Pretend Ol' Blue Eyes is P Doff with that "collaboration"...
]]>Of course, I didn't really mean it. As we had a Commodore 64 when I was a kid, I remember the arguments about which computer was the best and I was just trying to wind Speccy owners up by labelling the machine as the worst. And boy did it work. I was inundated with angry Spec heads (well, three of them) accusing me of blasphemy.
But, regardless of which machine you had, weren't those days great? Don't you get all nostalgic and misty-eyed when you are transported back to the 80s? For me, having a Commodore goes hand in hand with watching Top Of The Pops when it was still good, reading my sister's copies of Smash Hits and Look In, taping songs such as "19" by Paul Hardcastle off the Top 40 countdown on Radio One and eventually falling in love with Kylie Minogue as she belted out "I Should Be So Lucky" in 1988.
Yesterday (October 10) saw the first anniversary of "Radiohead Day" where people were able to download their "In Rainbows" album for whatever price they wanted. An incredible and startling event. And obviously something that could never have happened in the pre-internet days when Commodores and Spectrums ruled most households.
Yes, technology has moved on and it is amazing. But despite the improvements - and maybe this is just the sad old git in me wearing rose-tinted specs - I think I preferred having to wait ages for a computer game to load on the tape deck or going into a proper record shop to buy vinyl or cassettes when I wasn't taping the songs off the charts...
***** Commodore 64
**** Atari 400
*** BBC
** Commodore Vic 20
* Sinclair ZX Spectrum
"The Bones Of You" - Elbow
Obviously a cash in of their thoroughly deserved success at last month's Mercury Music Prize awards.
But why not? It's a lovely rollercoaster of a song which shows exactly what impressed those judges.
****
"Love You Anyway" - Boyzone
See, the easy thing here would be to trash Boyzone. So I say, why make life difficult? Desperately trying to ride in on Take That's comeback success but, unlike them, Boyzone have not improved.
Why did Keith Duffy leave Corrie to to return to this?
*
"Girls" - Sugababes
Get "Here Come The Girls" by Ernie K Doe for a real, classy soul tune but this is a fine cover nevertheless and a great pop song.
Possibly their best effort post-Mutya. Although expect to be sick of it in no time as it will no doubt be played to death.
****
"So What" - Pink
While this isn't bad, I can't see why some people seem to be raving about it.
It's typical angry Pink telling people to accept her for who she is (again).
***
"He's A Rocker" - The Vines
Wow, The Vines are still going?! Saw them in their "Highly Evolved" days and they were mental.
But, sadly, this is a little plodding and doesn't really standout like their old stuff.
**
"She Made It Easy" - Kotchy
Stumbled across this tune purely by accident and, boy, am I glad that I did!
A shot of eclectic, eccentric electronica - not too unlike Beck - and a real treat. Single of the week for me.
*****
***** Jamie and the Magic Torch
**** Jamie Lee Curtis
*** Jamie Redknapp
** Jamie Oliver
* Jamie Cullum
"The Shock Of Lightning" - Oasis
Previously on this blog, I've been quick to bash Oasis and dismiss them as has-beens. Well, serve up that humble pie for me because this is quite good!
Not sure I believe the claims that this is practically the demo, but it is a a pleasing taster from the forthcoming album, which also sounds like it could be their best in 13 years.
****
"Another Way To Die" - Alicia Keys and Jack White
What's with the hysterical, adverse reaction to this? I actually think they work well together to deliver a theme in the tradition of the classic James Bond songs.
Plus it has Alicia Keys on it. And the mere mention of her name is enough to make me go weak at the knees, so I'm happy!
****
"Dull Flame Of Desire" - Bjork
Almost everything Bjork touches turns to gold and this is no exception. A dark, brooding duet with Anthony of Anthong and the Johnsons which has a real cold beauty to it.
Look out too for a couple of ace remixes by Modeselektor which give fresh twists to the song. Brilliant.
*****
"Love Lockdown" - Kanye West
Blimey! This is a real Marmite effort from Kanye - you'll either love it or hate it.
Credit to him for trying something very different from his previous work but, sorry, this sails a little too closely to Craig David territory for my liking.
**
"Angel Of The Night" - Basshunter
Hasn't anyone else noticed that this sounds the same as all their other tunes? Come to think of it most dance music from the last couple of years of so sounds the same, whether it's by Basshunter or anyone else.
They are simply the Vengaboys without the tongue-in-cheek fun. Horrible, repetitive Europop/dance drivel.
*
"Seven Lives Many Faces - EP" - Enigma
They have always made excellent chillout electronica and I'm happy to say this return sees them still producing the goods.
All five tracks on this EP are worthwhile but the beats of "Superficial" and the sheer beauty of "The Language Of Sound" stand out for me.
****
Firstly, there's no point me getting excited because the tickets will probably sell out within a nano-second of going on general sale. In these cases I ALWAYS miss out (White Stripes in Wolverhampton 2001, Glastonbury 2003 and Sex Pistols in Birmingham earlier this year, to name three).
And secondly, do I really want to see a band potentially sully their legacy with shows not up to their records. Yes, their O2 shows were well received but those were supposed one-offs - could they sustain it over a number of shows, up and down the country?
Unlike the Rolling Stones or Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin have not continued to tour relentlessly and the magic of the band has been sustained. I love their records and, sure, would love to have seen them in their 70s pomp but I'd be too worried that they wouldn't match up to my hopes and expectations in 2009. In fact, I've spoken to Dylan fans who saw him for the first time within the last few years and they were left gutted because he clearly wasn't as good as he was back in his prime.
Of course, they could come back and be brilliant. But they could end up being a shadow of their former selves and that would be a terrible shame.
]]>***** Star Wars
**** Starman
*** Stars In Their Eyes
** Stars On 45
* Five Star
"Paper Planes" - M.I.A.
This is a re-release of a song out last year but, quite frankly, she could re-release it every week and I'll never tire of it. Absolutely brilliant and superb sampling of "Straight To Hell" by The Clash.
If you haven't listened to it before then, well, what have you been doing? And if you listen to it and don't like it, then you really shouldn't be allowed to have ears.
*****
"Pretty Please" - Estelle
This is another fine effort from Britain's "Nu Soul Diva" and, whisper it quietly, as good if not better than "American Boy".
Not too unlike Chaka Khan and it has a great classic soul feel to it.
****
"Changes" - Will Young
Please, someone slap me. Very hard! I am not going to give a Will Young song more than one star. I'm just not. I can't, can I?
But the thing is, I heard this and thought it was quite decent and THEN I was told it was by Will Young. So I was conned into liking it. I don't like it at all really...
***
"Naked On The Dance Floor" - Towers Of London
This is totally beyond a joke now isn't it. I mean, I smiled at first but now this is getting horrific. Awful with a great big capital A.
Really, isn't there a law preventing this sort of thing happening?
*
"Alice" - Five O'Clock Heroes
This bounces along nicely and has a slight Pogues-ish vibe to it as well.
Not the most spectacular thing you'll ever hear and I dare say you'll forget it once it finishes it. But you certainly won't mind it.
***
Bolan, born Mark Feld, was a genius. Born to be a star. After leaving his hippy, acoustic days behind in the 60s, he became the biggest British music sensation since the Beatles, in the early 70s with his group T-Rex.
If you only ever listen to one T-Rex LP, it would almost certainly be their best and most famous, Electric Warrior, which features Get It On, Jeepster and my favourites Monolith and Cosmic Dancer. But it's follow up, The Slider, isn't too far behind (Metal Guru, Telegram Sam, Chariot Choogle, Baby Strange).
Even as his star started to wane as the decade wore on, he continued to record and still produced a few gems. Songs such as Solid Gold Easy Action, Children Of The Revolution, Venus Loon, Teenage Dream, Sound Pit, New York City and Dandy In The Underworld, for example, sound as great as most of his work during his "glory" years.
But then in 1977 he was gone. What adds to the tragedy is his stock was reportedly on the rise again and he was set to tour again. He'd even been fronting his own music show which showcased a variety of acts, including a host of young punk bands, who saw him as a forefather type figure. Very apt.
Understandibly, T-Rex were labelled Glam but for me, Marc was far too versatile to be pigeon-holed. He was way before my time and I'm sad to admit I only got into his music after it was used in a TV commercial for jeans in the early 1990s. But now I'm eternally grateful I didn't go flicking the channels when the adverts came on.
RIP Marc.
]]>***** Heathcliff
**** White Cliffs Of Dover
*** Cliff Lazarenko
** Cliff Barnes from "Dallas"
* Cliff Richard
"Inner Mer Syngur Vitleysingur" - Sigur Ros
As with any of their songs, when I listen to this it's like I've been dropped in an ocean of sheer loveliness and happiness and beauty.
A departure from their back catalogue but still uplifting, magical and well, truly stunning. Single of the week, month and probably the year.
*****
"Bat Cat" - Mogwai
Brilliant! Crunching guitars are the main feature of this sheer sonic, heavy metal-ish onslaught.
An excellent way to spend five minutes. Or 10 if, like me, you play it again immediately after listening to it the first time!
****
"C-Lebrity" - Queen
Now, for me, if there is no Freddie Mercury then there is no Queen. But I have to say Paul Rodgers is an excellent stand in and this, well, it rocks.
Sounds like they are having a blast and this will sit neatly next to any classic Queen rocker. Good on them.
****
"Lies" - McFly
How good a footballer is McFly's Danny Jones?! I only watched around 20 minutes of the charity football thing last week and he looked pretty handy. I'll give them a bonus point for his footy skills.
This song is ok I suppose. Certainly better than most of their sugary, annoying singles of the past. Although, they seem to be desperately trying to come up with something like "Shine" by Take That. But fail.
***
"Thank You For A Lifetime" - Cliff Richard
There should be a cull of all those nutters (Cliff fans) who are buying van loads of copies of this just to make it go to number one. And the song is just embarrassing. I don't care if he is a "national institution".
And too right he should thank all those idiots who have kept his career going beyond the 70s. I'm going to put Sigur Ros back on to stop me headbutting a wall.
*
Have to admit I haven't listened to it yet but, if their past work is anything to go by ("Asleep In The Back" is a cracker) then this is long overdue recognition and praise for a talented band. And the fact they dedicated it to their late friend Brian Glancy made it rather emotional too.
You can catch them live at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall on October 15.
Some might say Noel paid the price for not looking back in anger as the assailant pounced from behind to push him over. He has even postponed Oasis' next Canadian gig to show he isn't prepared to roll with it (ok, enough song title puns already).
I've rubbished the elder Gallagher brother elsewhere on this blog but I certainly don't condone the attack because Noel could have been seriously injured and it's because of idiots like the stage invader that lead to security staff being over zealous at all shows.
But I have to say I smiled because I thought it was ironic that Liam had just been wailing "wake up, wake up" as the band were in the middle of the song "What's The Story Morning Glory", when Noel was shoved. Perhaps if he had been more alert...?
And then we have little Liam's involvement in the whole episode. Watch the video on YouTube and you'll see he is pretty quick to skip out the way of Sullivan until he is brought under control by three security staff. It is then "brave" Liam decides to stick up for his older brother and take a cheap shot or two by punching Sullivan as he is being restrained.
So the question is if Sullivan is a vicious thug who deserves punishment then surely Liam is no better? Here's hoping charges are filed against him too. After all, assault is assault.
And if you want to see it, follow this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ8bUiZv4XI
]]>