This year should be an ace year for music with lots of big albums. "But which ones will be awesome and which ones will be gash?" you ask. Have no fear JP and I have done the work so you dont have to. This is the first of a few album previews.
The GO! Team: Rolling Blackouts – 31st January
In 2004 The GO! Team released their much celebrated and aptly named debut album, Thunder, Lightning, Strike. A funky fusion of hip hop, thrashing guitars, trumpets and heavy drums knitted together by a diverse selection of samples. At the core of this chaotic mash up style is a non-stop effervescent energy. It’s sad then that their second album was a complete dud- the musical re-enactment of a classic Alan Partridge scene with Michael the Geordie hotel handyman, “I’m sorry that was just a noise”. The band have put forward the idea that they play their very own style of ‘schizo music’ and like to ‘flip fidelity’ within a song. From first listening, it seems that in Rolling Blackout they have created an album of hazy retro vibes, mixed with some slower instrumentals and a healthy serving of Soul. Ready Steady Go, Voice Yr Choice and Apollo Showdown sound stand out but only further listening will reveal whether this album is a flip of a flop. – JP
Listen to the whole album now, then buy it! Dammit!!
THE GO! TEAM – ROLLING BLACKOUTS by thegoteam
Cut Copy: Zonoscope – 8thFebruary
Cut Copy’s last album “In Ghost Colours” probably slipped your radar, but its never to late to look them up guys! That was their third album and is beautiful. Check them out if you like the sound of an Australian version of Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem, CSS or Neon Neon. Boom!
Zonoscope is due for release at the start of February and we can expect some big poppy moments and a 16 minute epic tune called “Sun God”
You can get a free copy of album track “Where I’m Going” by clicking on the link below.
You love it you slags!!!
The Streets: Computers and Blues – 7thFebruary
Mike Skinner aka “The Streets” has been a pioneer of the UK urban scene ever since his first album “Original Pirate Material” came out in 200X in the midst of the short lived UK Garage Scene. My initial thoughts were “what the fuck?” when the lead single “Has it Come to This?” was released taking him for another garage also ran. I still maintain that “Has it Come to This” is one of my least favourite Streets tunes. That said OPM is a genius album and delivers lyrically each time.
Mike excelled with the social commentary content of the lyrics. I say excelled because the problem that seems to befall many social communitarians is that their lyrical content in the early years is relevant and inspiring. When you listen to them you think “I can relate to that!” or “He’s just like us, but on the radio”.
The problem with this is that as their success and fame increases the more they alienate the initial fanbase. This is most evident on “When you wasn’t Famous” the lead single from the third album, which was a bit gash. Who gives a fuck that he can’t pull famous girls?? The same problem has befallen such artists as Arctic Monkeys, Oasis and The Stereophonics who each managed to become more and more gash with each release. I’m really hoping that Jamie T can buck that trend
Fourth album “Everything is Borrowed” relied less on his own life and was a big step back up especially with tunes such as “Edge of the Cliff”
Acording to Mike “Computers and Blues” will be his final swansong. I heartily doubt (apparently he has already recorded another album “Cyberspace and Reds” that apparently makes no sense and is apparently unclear as to whether it will be release) that this is true but if it is I hope he steps out on a high. He has it in him.
K*
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