CSS have been trekking up and down the country this month on their Christmas tour. A grandiose way to end what has been a fantastic year for them. With a stage garnered with Christmas trees and tinsel, not to mention a rather festive outfit from Lovefoxx it looks like our photographer Valerio Berdini had a whale of a time as the band played the Cambridge Corn Exchange earlier this week. Enjoy the pictures in all their black and white glory below. Continue Reading

As you know, for the past week or so we’ve been listing the favourite records of 2007 by various record label luminaries, musicians and TLOBF writers in our Class of 2007 feature. Well, the time has come to give a defintive run down to reveal what has been voted as the album of 2007. Our very own Jude Clark got busy with her spreadsheets and came up with a highly mathematical scoring procedure which is far too complicated to go into here…

Remember, you can re-visit all of the Class of 2007 posts here to grab sample mp3’s of some of the albums featured. And if that isn’t enough free music for you - there is always our maginificent year end playlist End Of Radio. Which features 18 of our favourite songs of the year.

We are aware that there may be a few albums in the top 70 that weren’t necessarily released this year, that may be compilations, demos or that havent been officially released yet. The list is simply a culmination of everything mentioned in our previous Class of 2007 feature with points applied according to how many times it was voted for. If you want a definitve list, head on over to Pitchfork or something. Ok? Cool, let the countdown commence!

70. 31 Knots - The Days and Nights of Everything Anywhere
69. Babyshambles - Shotter’s Nation
68. Maria McKee - Late December
67. Parts & Labor - Mapmaker
66. Explosions in the Sky - All Of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
65. Pissed Jeans - Hope for Men
64. Climax Golden Twins - Five Cents a Piece
63. Kemialliset Ystavat - Kemialliset Ystavat
62. Group Doueh - Guitar Music from The Western Sahara
61. Trencher - Lips

Continue Reading

The Duke Spirit release their eagerly anticipated second album Neptune on February 5th preceeded by the single “The Step And The Walk” on January 28th. Today the band have put up a sample of seven tracks over on their website. To listen, click here. On the first few listens it’s all sounding quite marvellous. Punchier, and more immediate than their debut. Only time will tell but I’m guessing this will end up being a definate highlight of 2008. Well, round my house anyways.

The eagle eyes amongst you might even spot a few of my photographs of the band from their recent Norwich show flicking past on the sampler page. Not that I’m bragging or anything.

Watch a video below of the band recording the album out in Joshua Tree Park, California.

You always have to worry a little, when you turn over the back of a CD to look at the tracklisting and discover that the one song you know, and undoubtedly love, appears first. You instantly wonder, can the rest of the album follow suit or will it end up being a damp squib? That was my initial thought when I first listened to this, the debut from Miami born, Manhattan raised singer songwriter Sarabeth Tucek. Although 34, she is a relative newcomer in the world of music - having sung backing vocals with Smog, Will Oldham and Brian Jonestown Massacre she certainly has good pedigree. This self-titled album however, is her first foray into the treacherous world of solo work. The (in)famous opener “Something For You” had everyone from Time Out to the Times literally wetting themselves over it in February of 2007. The NME claiming that, “If you don’t think ‘Something For You’ is the most beautiful record released this year, then you might as well fuck off and die”. Who ever said the NME had a tendency to overreact? To put it plainly, Tucek’s tender delivery seemed to touch everyone that stood in its path. Including me. Continue Reading

This is the news I’ve been waiting for all year. The mighty Death Cab For Cutie return next spring with their brand new record. Details are very sketchy at this point, the only information being available is via a 2 minute long video that was posted on their official site which features behind the scenes footage mixed in with a dark and gloomy bass heavy instrumental track. Click here to view it. More news as we get it. Enjoy a seasonal treat from Death Cab below.

mp3:> Death Cab For Cutie: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

In our final installment of 20 Questions for 2007 (quick, someone pass me a tissue) we grabbed Young Husband (aka Euan Hinshelwood) by the scruff of his neck to answer our, by now legendary questions. And thank god he did! Otherwise, we’d never have found out about his 12th nipple. Where would you be without us supplying you with this vital information?
If you haven’t already sampled Young Husbands delightful psychedelic indie then head on down to the bottom of this post where you can pick up a live performace of “Painted Pictures”. Expect more 20Q’s in the new year with House of Brothers and The Twilight Sad to name just a few.

Continue Reading

Some albums roar out of the speakers and tear at your guts. This timidly creeps out like a fluffy little kitten. But you just want to scoop it up and cuddle it all the same, making encouraging goo-goo noises and patting its pretty little head. Or maybe that’s just me then. Ames Room is a restrained album largely formed of understated vocals cooed over a threadbare but melodic and perfectly formed sound collage - delicate and wispy as spun sugar. It somehow seems appropriate at this time of Christmas wonderment, evoking thoughts of twinkling fireside reflections and giving in to the nagging lure of winter slumber.

Silje Nes is a Norwegian multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter who grew up in the small community of Leikanger on the banks of the stunningly scenic Sognefjord, before moving to the comparative metropolis that is Bergen. The natural beauty of her surroundings infuses her work. Songs are breezy when upbeat, rumbling like distant thunder when brooding, and beats land like drops of snowmelt. She began by recording onto her laptop no more than a couple of years ago, with no previous experience of any instrument other than piano - thus often stumbling across unconventional sounds. Apart from the opening track, this debut release is entirely self-recorded and produced. The wealth of sampled musical noises include mechanical typewriters and blown bottles. She does perform live, though quite how she can capture the atmosphere here is only to be guessed at.

Imagine Bjork with a chill pill. Words are often hardly discernable: her voice used as texture not a mere means of delivery, but it just sounds lovely. Only “Giant Disguise” has a menacing shadowy fist of a repeated riff - but wrapped in a velvet glove. “Bright Night Morning” is wilfully hazy and charmingly stumbling with a hypnotic chorus, while “Dizzy Street” and the title track are pure ethereal pop distilled almost to nothingness. There are a trio of wordless soundscapes - not usually something to hold my attention, but here they fit into the bigger picture without being disruptive. At times they have something of Sigur Ros about them, with drunken brass and slow paced acoustic guitar.

Ames Room has been sneaking its way onto my playlist a whole lot recently. This is definitely a case of less is more, and bizarrely an album which makes a virtue out of making you feel drowsy. I’m left all Norwegian blue and pining for the fjords, and wondering just what will come from Silje Nes in the future.
78%

Links
Silje Nes [official site] [myspace]

It comes as no surprise to learn that Susu, a Brooklyn-based three-piece, have recorded their latest work, this three track EP, with sound engineer Martin Bisi at B.C. Studio’s in New York. It’s seen the presence of such noise-rock greats as Sonic Youth and Swans. Once you’ve pressed the play button, Susu remind you of all those great bands and more. The problem is you spend most of your time playing spot the influence than actually enjoying the music.

The thirteen minutes that pass during “Anarchitect”, “Part Not Bloodhound” and “Hands Up (The Race)” do so with a surge of fuzzed up guitar, dueling male/female vocals and a barrage of drums that initially strike you as pure Sonic Youth. And it never quite escapes it. Sure Michael Andrew’s vocals sound a touch like Gareth Liddiard from The Drones, but otherwise it’s a Thurston Moore / Kim Gordon tag team.

The opening track contains the refrain “It’s not that interesting, but it is happening” and that, unfortunately, sums up this EP. It’s hard to see where Susu fit in. There are plenty of bands that make the same racket, but do it better and with a touch more imagination. It’s not bad; it just lacks anything that makes it stand out.
50%

Links
Susu [official site] [myspace]

Neil Young is confirmed to play a series of dates in March 2008 that represent his first UK shows since he toured in 2003 in support of the Greendale album.

Next year’s gigs promise to be a special occasion as Neil Young will perform two sets; the first an acoustic performance and the second an electric set backed by a full band consisting of Ben Keith (guitar), Rick Rosas (bass) and Ralph Molina (drums). The tour also has an exciting support artist in the shape of Young’s wife Pegi, who recently released her self-titled debut album, and will be performing with Anthony Crawford.

Neil Young’s recent stateside shows have received universal acclaim with a set list that featured a mix of his best loved songs and some rarities. A review from The Boston Herald stated that Young possessed “as much bluster and energy as anyone making music today.”

March
03 Edinburgh, Playhouse
05 London, Hammersmith Apollo
06 London, Hammersmith Apollo
08 London, Hammersmith Apollo
09 London, Hammersmith Apollo
11 Manchester, Apollo
12 Manchester, Apollo

Tickets go on sale from Friday 14th December at a priced of £55-£75 for London, £65/£55 for Edinburgh and £65 for Manchester. They are available from the box office numbers listed above or online from www.livenation.co.uk.

UPDATE: Due to a ridiculous demand for tickets. Two extra shows have just been added to next years tour. Those being - 14th & 15th March at Hammermith Apollo. Tickets are on sale now, so stop reading this and get ordering!

As 2008 hurtles towards us at a, quite frankly, scary speed, we thought we’d mention a couple of bands and artists we think you should look out for next year.

These articles can be a bit of a poisoned chalice. We can name a couple of bands who we think will be huge next year only for them to disappear behind the sofa quicker than spare change… But, we’re brave, and here’s some acts we recommend you check out.

Los Campesinos!
We’ve championed these guys quite a bit this year, but with the release of their debut album in February, recorded with Broken Social Scene maestro Dave Newfeld, it could be THE debut next year. Recent video for lead single “Death To Los Campesinos!” hints a bit more rounded, bombastic, BSS-like approach which, as long as it’s not TOO copybook, could be a thing of beauty.
mp3:> Los Campesinos!: “Death to Los Campesinos!”

Fuck Buttons
Listening to Fuck Buttons is like being sucked through a vortex of sprawling noise, feedback and delicate dribbles of sound. Sure, the name will ensure a lack of airplay on Radio 1, but BBC’s 6Music is making a good fist of it. A tentative release date for their debut LP is February… let’s hope it can deliver on the promise of their early EP’s. They blur the fine line between noise and tunes whilst driving guitars, synths and general madness through a tight funnel to produce something completely fresh and challenging.

The Wave Pictures
We’ve had the Wave Pictures album here for a couple of weeks now and it’s great. Like a twee-Fall, their twisted, whitty and moving lyrics take in all our favourite stops on the route to indie-pop greatness. The album may have a hint of the home-made approach in it’s production, but it only adds to it’s appeal. Expect “Leave The Scene Behind” to be filling dancefloors in the coming months. As a bit of taster, we’ve got an exclusive MP3 below:
mp3:> The Wave Pictures: “Now You Are Pregnant”

Vampire Weekend
I don’t think there’s going to be a “Pick for 2008″ list without these guys in it. Sounding like a metal / goth act, it’s quite surprising when you hear the jangling rhythms and World-y approach to their influences. In fact, they remind me of David Byrne’s World / Pop music cross-over albums like Uh-Oh. It’s smooth without being faceless and it sounds quite unlike anything else.

Pete & The Pirates
I was blown away by these guys at a gig recently. It’s as if British Indie-Pop has finally found its voice. There’s a hint of naivety about their lyrics, but there’s something everyday about them too. Their songs remind me of carefree days where all I did was drink, party and then sleep off the resulting hangover whilst worrying about girls. Brilliant.
mp3:> Pete & The Pirates: “Not A Friend”

British Sea Power
Yes, I know they’ve been around for a while, but 2008 is going to be THEIR year. I’ve heard Do You Like Rock Music? and it’s an epic, heaving beast of an album. Combing the spikeness of their debut with the cultured song-writing of their sophomore effort, it’s pretty much perfect. There’s waves upon waves of great guitar riffs all topped off with Yan’s peculiar vocal style and lyrics to bring a smile to your face and a warming to your heart. Do not be surprised to see this at the sharp-end of 2008 lists.
mp3:> British Sea Power: “Atom”

So, do you have any tips for next year? Make a comment below!

UPDATE: We’ve had the official press release through this morning, the album will be called The Seldom Seen Kid. 

After two years recording in our studio in Manchester we have finally finished album four which will be released in March. In honour of the new album we have decided to embark on our first UK tour since February 2006.
We would like to give you an opportunity to buy tickets before they go on general sale. Tickets will be available via our website www.elbow.co.uk just for you on Monday 17th December.

To whet your appetite there is also an audio clip of one of the new album tracks ‘The Bones Of You’ at www.elbow.co.uk do let us know what you think and we will see you in April.

Love,
Elbow

First impressions of “The Bones of You” are good - lots of acoustic guitar with a hint of gospel all wrapped in quite a glossy and rich production. It feels like a natural progression from their previous albums. Nothing to worry about just yet…

April
05 Carling Academy Newcastle Newcastle
06 Leeds Metropolitan University Leeds 
08 Carling Academy Oxford Oxford 
09 Colston Hall Bristol
10 Carling Academy Birmingham 
12 The Octagon Sheffield
13 Manchester University Manchester
14 Rock City - Over 14’s Only Nottingham 
15 Carling Academy Brixton London

With two such wildly differing bands, tonight was always going to be about subtlety and aggression; serenity and conflict. This scenario slowly plays out before our eyes but with more passion and intensity than we could possibly have ever expected.

The joss-sticks are lit and Pelican hit us with their instrumental brand of guitar-driven post-metal, opening with “Dead Between The Walls”; undoubtedly the star of the new album. Trevor De Brauw, strikingly reminiscent of a young Bryan Adams, is rapidly forming complex shapes with his fingers whilst across the stage Laurent Lebec pounds his head back and forth like a chicken as he loses himself in the song. “Bliss In Concrete” follows before they launch into the 11-minute epic, “March Into The Sea” in which the band impressively change tempos as one, slowing the pace to a plodding march before winding it up to a galloping roar. The two leads never seem to play the same chord at the same time, constantly harmonising over the driving bass. Continue Reading

Alone - The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo has now been given a confirmed release date of 4 February 2008 (Geffen).

The Weezer boy had a few words to say about it’s release:

This is a CD of my favorite home demos from ’92 to ’07 featuring a lot of never heard before songs, a few covers, a few songs from my unfinished rock musical “Songs From The Black Hole” and my original demo for “Buddy Holly.”

Alone - The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo tracklisting:

1. Ooh 
2. World We Love So Much 
3. Lemonade 
4. The Bomb 
5. Buddy Holly 
6. Chess 
7. Longtime Sunshine 
8. Blast Off! 
9. Who You Callin’ Bitch?
10. Wanda (You’re My Only Love) 
11. Dude We’re Finally Landing 
12. Superfriend 
13. Lover In The Snow 
14. Crazy One 
15. This Is The Way 
16. Little Diane 
17. I Wish You Had An Axe Guitar 
18. I Was Made For You 

If you ever need cheering up I can recommend one thing: Minus The Bear. I’d never had the chance of catching them live before this, and they didn’t disappoint. Jake Snider and his eccentric bandmates stood around casually for ten minutes or so before bursting into song. I’ve never heard an audience that loud at a venue that small before, the cheers and applause after the first song sounded more like a tyrannosaurus rex than four hundred or so music lovers. Three minutes in and everyone already knew it was going to be an amazing show, “The Fix” was up next, a perfect rendition, sounding similar to the studio recording, but with a lot more edge and a lot more energy. Dave Knudson wrapped up the song nicely with a solo which sounded much more raw and organic than the version found on Menos El Oso. The first half of the set also saw them play Menos El Oso’s “Memphis And 53rd” and “Drilling”, two of the records strong points. Continue Reading

Fyfe, Greig, Aristazabal and MClordmagrao will be returning to the live arena in March next year. Tickets go on sale on Wednesday 19th December.

Guillemots will be playing three dates across the UK:

March
09 Ritz, Manchester
10 Academy, Oxford
11 Shepherds Bush Empire, London

Tickets cost £12.50 plus booking fee (except London, £16.50 plus booking fee) and will be available at all good outlets from Wednesday, December 19th.

I was introduced to Ox in the same way I am introduced to most new music - via a cyber-friend who shares my taste in music (well, our last.fm taste-o-meter is ‘high’, anyway). Ox are from Canada, though they play music that could easily be called Americana, or indie-folk, or just flat-out ‘kick you in the head’ awesome. The band consists of four core members with a flurry of musical friends helping out here and there. Ultimately, though, Ox is the brainchild of Mark Browning, who handles co-producing, songwriting, singing, and playing about half a dozen instruments.

Ox’s most recent release is last year’s American Lo Fi; it was my first taste of the band and grabbed me so thoroughly that it very nearly made my end of year Top Ten Albums list, even though I didn’t hear it until sometime in November. The title itself does a terrific job of summing up the album’s personality - it’s an 11-song lo-fi look into being on the road, country music promotion, a president who eschews civilization for war, all the while referencing a handful of American cities: LA, Sacramento, Des Moines, and Hollywood. They even included a Woody Guthrie cover.

It’s difficult not to sit up and take notice of the opening chords of “Miss Idaho”, which are followed closely by Browning’s twangy proclamation: “I been on main street, I been on every street, I been high and I been low more“. Album opener and standout track “Miss Idaho” is the embodiment of everything Ox did right; it’s sparse without feeling empty and Browning’s vocals are laden with exhausted emotion. You should download the MP3 and then promptly head over to Weewerk to buy the album.

mp3:> Ox: “Miss Idaho”
[From American Lo Fi; Out now Weework]

Welcome, welcome. Happy Christmas to all you fine TLOBF readers. The festive season is upon us and what a fine year 2007 turned out to be, my good colleagues have eulogised over their top picks of the year, but I will spare you mine.

And what of the news from Cymru? Well the Pop Factory hosted their Welsh Music awards just as the last bulletin from Wales was posted on TLOBF so apologies for the tardiness of this news. It was a pretty uninspiring list so don’t feel like you have been missing out. The Manics, Stereophonics and Funeral for a Friend all managed to win awards. Fear not friends there is decent music being made in Wales and I bring you news of some of the top live performances that are worth spending your hard earned cash on, over the coming weeks.

January promises to be a good month for the metal fans of South Wales, Korn will be at the Cardiff International Arena, Bullet for My Valentine at Newport Centre and Hundred Reasons at The Point (Cardiff). Cardiff Hardcore act Shaped by Fate play Sin City in Swansea along with fellow Welshies and brilliantly named Brutality Will Prevail (amongst others). Guerilla Monsoon, a Bridgend act of great potential, are busy in January playing Blackwood, Neath and Swansea (check out their Myspace, for more details).

Local stalwarts The Jan Watkins Band belatedly welcome in the new year at the Cardiff Barfly (4th January) but the rest of the month could be a case in point for S.A.D syndrome at what should be a top venue for aspiring talent.

The GLC are still going strong and will be performing their usual Parental Advisory set at Clwb Ifor Bach on 17th January. Finally Cardiff University will be hosting Athlete on the 20th….did I say it was going to be a good month for live music???

On 3 March 2008 former ex-Pavament mainman Stephen Malkmus and his band The Jicks are to release a new album on Domino.

Called Real Emotional Trash, the album was recorded in Montana by TJ Doherty, whose credits include Wilco and Sonic Youth.

The 10 track album features the following songs:

‘Dragonfly Pie’
‘Hopscotch Willie’
‘Cold Son’
‘Real Emotional Trash’
‘Out of Reaches’
‘Baltimore’
‘Gardenia’
‘Elmo Delmo’
‘We Can’t Help You’
‘Wicked Wanda’

2008 is shaping up nicely for records to look forward to…

UPDATE: The lovely people over at Domino have sent us a link for the track “Baltimore”, which you can download below!
mp3:> Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks: “Baltimore”

We are aching to hear the debut from Los Campesinos! here at TLOBF. So much so that it’s starting to hurt a little. The new video for the very Broken Social Scene-alike (no bad thing) “Death to Los Campesinos!” has just hit the interweb, and even after one listen it has only fuelled the fire of desire for the new record, entitled Hold On Now Youngster. It will be released by Wichita on 25th Febrauary. Not too much longer to wait..

Tracklisting is:
Death To Los Campesinos!
Broken Heartbeats Sound Like Breakbeats
Don’t Tell Me To Do The Math(s)
Drop It Doe Eyes
My Year In Lists
Knee Deep At ATP
This Is How You Spell ‘HAHAHA, We Destroyed The Hopes And Dreams of A Generation of Faux-Romantics’
We Are All Accelerated Readers
You! Me! Dancing!
…And We Exhale And Roll Our Eyes in Unison
Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks

We had a little chat with the band a few months ago. Read what we got up to here.