Due to an ever growing demand we’ve finally taken the plunge and started our very own message board / community / forum type thing -whatever you kids call it nowadays. It’s brand new – we launched it today so it’s going to take a little while to warm up.. That’s why we need you – sign up, get posting and get talking – it’s YOUR board people. We made it for you so it’d be rude not to use it.

There will be features added to it over the next few weeks that will tie TLOBF.COMMUNITY in with the main site a bit more – it is still a work in progress and will be for a while, but it works. And thats all that matters huh?

So what are you waiting for? The address is http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/forum – or you can click on the TLOBF.COMMUNITY logo at the top of this page.

We hope to see you there soon. If you have any questions, or any suggestions on how we could improve it email me: ret@thelineofbestfit.com

If you’ve got five minutes spare and fancy a laugh, pop over to Channel 4′s new project Find Your Tribe.

After answering a few questions about where you’re from, what you get up to in your spare time and what kind of music you’re into, you’re asked to say what brands you love or hate and then dished up a short film about your ‘tribe’. It covers classics like Goths, Townies, Indie Kids and Chavs, and more recent tribal appearances like Indie Scenesters, Hipsters and Craft Kids. There are 26 in total.

FYI, various members of The Line Of Best Fit staff have come out as Indie Kids, Indie Scenesters, Hipsters and Craft Kids…

Guilty as charged.

So have a go on the quiz at www.findyourtribe.co.uk, and post up your results below if you feel like it. And we’ll mock you fiercely basically.

For those of you who subscribe to The Line Of Best Fit via RSS will need to update their feed address to the following:

http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/feed

Or simply click on that big orange RSS logo on the top right hand corner of the site and it will do it for you. This message is applicable to anyone who previously subscribed to http://feeds.feedburner.com/thelineofbestfit

If you don’t change your RSS reader address NOW you most probably won’t get any more posts from us. Ever. And that wouldn’t be good would it?

Thanks!

As of today The Line Of Best Fit is part of the freshly launched Mog Music Network, or MMN for short. This is a venture in which various third-party music blogs/web-zines have teamed up with the hugely popular social networking site mog.com to create a more comprehensive online music community. TLOBF were asked a few weeks ago to be one of 30 launch partners in the venture. So we said yes. Want to find out more? Check out this quick write-up about the initiative over on Wired for more details.

TLOBF as you know and love it will stay the same – there may be a few extra adverts on the site etc, but we’ve all got to make a living you know? Plus – we’re picky buggers and will only advertise products we like.

We’d like to welcome any mog readers visiting us for the first time and for those of you who are unfamiliar with Mog, I’d urge you to go check it out – it’s a very cool site and even Ben ‘Death Cab’ Gibbard has an account – so you know, it must be good.

Quite an interesting article via the Guardian this morning. So, if any of you download hooky albums then beware! The government are going to hunt you down and string you up by the short and curlies!

We of course, at TLOBF wouldn’t even know how you would go about doing such a thing..

Internet service providers have struck a deal with government and the music industry to help clamp down on illegal downloading.

The deal, to be announced later today, is thought to include an agreement for ISPs to send out hundreds of thousands of letters to account holders responsible for illegal downloading.

The memorandum of understanding, struck with the BPI, the body that represents record labels, and the government, will be announced today ahead of the launch of a consultation on the introduction of legislation to clampdown on offending.

The memorandum of understanding has been struck with the UK’s six biggest ISPs – BT, Virgin, Carphone Warehouse, Orange, Tiscali and BSkyB – and includes a deal for all parties to work together to develop ways to deal with repeat offenders.

The agreement has been reached ahead of an announcement expected later today by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform of a consultation on regulatory options to punish ISPs if they fail to take action against the illegal downloading of music, films and TV programmes.

“We have looked to ISPs to acknowledge their responsibility to help deal with illegal filesharing, engage in communicating the issue to their customers, and put in place procedures necessary to effectively tackle repeated unlawful filesharing,” said a spokesman for the BPI.

“Achieving this would represent a significant step forward and demonstrate clearly the collective will that exists to tackle this serious issue.”

It is thought that BSkyB’s announcement of a digital music joint venture with Universal Music earlier this week – the venture has no name, no pricing and no launch date – could have been a move to prove that ISPs are supporting new, innovative, legal digital models ahead of the announcements today.

In February, the culture secretary, Andy Burnham, raised the possibility of introducing legislation to crack down of illegal filesharing as part of a wide-ranging strategy paper designed to look at ways of supporting the UK creative industries and digital intellectual property.

At the time Burnham said that the government preferred to find “voluntary, preferably commercial, solutions” but that it would look to introduce legislation next April if necessary.

The strong stance by the government has alarmed ISPs, which believe that regulation is a step too far.

Wank-tastic. Klaxons - winners of last years award.

It’s that time of the year again… Whether anyone actually cares about the awards or not is open to as much debate as the worthiness of the nominees themselves. But, no matter – here is the shortlist in all its glory. Just one thing though – where the hell are Portishead and Frightened Rabbit?!

Cripes.

Leave your thoughts and annoyences and predictions in the comments box below..

My vote goes to Neon Neon. For what it’s worth.

ELBOW ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’
‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ is Elbow’s fourth album since the band formed in Bury in 1991. Recorded at the band’s own studio in Salford and produced by Elbow’s Craig Potter, it was released in March 2008 on Fiction Records. The album includes the track ‘The Fix’ which features Richard Hawley.

BURIAL ‘Untrue’
‘Untrue’, released in November 2007 on Kode9′s Hyperdub label, is the second album from South London artist Burial and follows his eponymous debut in May 2006. Burial is a pioneering dubstep maestro who prefers to remain anonymous…

RACHEL UNTHANK & THE WINTERSET ‘The Bairns’
Sisters Rachel and Becky Unthank grew up in the North-East of England and were born into a family tradition of sea and border songs. They formed their band in 2004, releasing a debut album ‘The Cruel Sister’ a year later. ‘The Bairns’ is their second album and includes the group’s own compositions as well as arrangements of traditional songs.

RADIOHEAD ‘In Rainbows’
‘In Rainbows’ is the seventh studio album by the Oxford-based five-piece. The number one album was originally released as a download in October 2007 and later as a CD through XL Recordings.
It was produced by Nigel Godrich and features the singles ‘Jigsaw Falling Into Place’ and ‘Nude’.l

ESTELLE ‘Shine’
‘Shine’ is 28-year-old Londoner Estelle Swaray’s second album and was recorded with John Legend as executive producer.  ‘Shine’ also features contributions from artists such as Kanye West and Wyclef Jean. The album includes the single ‘American Boy’, which was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic.

BRITISH SEA POWER ‘Do You Like Rock Music?’
British Sea Power is a four-piece band comprising brothers Yan and Hamilton Wilkinson, along with Matthew Wood and Martin Noble. Formed in 2000 in Cumbria, the band are now based in Brighton. Their third album for Rough Trade, ‘Do You Like Rock Music? features the singles ‘No Lucifer’ and ‘Waving Flags’.

NEON NEON ‘Stainless Style’
Neon Neon features Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals and producer Boom Bip. Guests on the album include Welsh singer Cate Le Bon. ‘Stainless Style’, released in March 2008 on Lex Records, is a conceptual album based around the controversial life of automobile mogul John DeLorean.

LAURA MARLING ‘Alas I Cannot Swim’
Reading’s Laura Marling, 18, released her debut album ‘Alas I Cannot Swim’ on Virgin Records in February 2008. She learned to play guitar at an early age and her talents have led to recent collaborations with The Rakes and tours with Rufus Wainwright and Devendra Banhart.

PORTICO QUARTET ‘Knee-Deep In The North Sea’
Formed in 2005, the four-piece group, all in their early 20s, were discovered after regularly busking outside the National Theatre in London and signed to The Vortex label in 2007. Portico Quartet make unique use of the hang, a recently-invented Swiss percussion instrument which underpins the album’s double bass and saxophone-driven melodies.

ROBERT PLANT & ALISON KRAUSS ‘Raising Sand’
Released in October 2007, ‘Raising Sand’ is a collaboration between Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant and multi Grammy Award-winning country singer Alison Krauss. The album – instigated by Plant – has gone platinum in the UK.

ADELE ‘19′
‘19′ is the debut album from 19-year-old Londoner Adele Adkins. The album, on XL Recordings, went to number one on its release in January 2008 and has since gone platinum in the UK. ‘19′ features the hit singles ‘Hometown Glory’, ‘Chasing Pavements’ and ‘Cold Shoulder’.

THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS ‘The Age Of The Understatement’
Alex Turner from Sheffield’s Arctic Monkeys and Miles Kane from Wirral-based band The Rascals, both aged 22, have collaborated to form The Last Shadow Puppets. ‘The Age Of The Understatement’ was produced by James Ford, who also worked on the Arctic Monkeys last album. This album, released by Domino, reached number one on its release in April 2008.

You might think two consecutive posts about The Acorn may seem a little excessive. Well… it’s tough – they rule. And besides, this one is for a good cause..

It has been brought to our attention that The Acorn have been nominted for ‘Best Canadian Act’ and ‘Best Canadian Album’ over at The Verge internet radio station. The combined prize for said awards is a healthy $50,000. Nice. Help them pick up the prize by clicking here to cast your VOTE! They are up against some steep competition… Pretty much every other Canadian indie band to be fair, but they could still win it with your help… Go on! VOTE!

So, what is Verge? Well, it’s a internet radio station which highlights new and emerging talent from Canada – so essentially its a bloody great listen. For Example – an upcoming show is a track by track with Brendan Canning where he talks his way through the new BSS presents… record. The Verge awards are basically to highlight the best band and best album of the year from Canada.

If we’re to quote The Cranberries (and why shouldn’t you?), “Everybody else is doing it, so why can’t we?”. As we’ve past the halfway point in this year of 2008, it seemed like a good time to look back. What have been the musical higlights of the year so far? We’ve had some absolutely corking albums released, from Fleet Foxes genre defying debut, to Elbow’s continued cultured and heartwarming release. It might surprise some of our readers what’s ended up on this list but one thing this exercise has made us realise, is that come the end of the year, there’s going to be a big pile of albums under the ‘Excellent’ heading…

So how did we decide on the final 10 albums? We asked all of our writers to email in their favourite 5 releases of the year thus far. Each album voted for was then given a point and entered into a highly technical spreadsheet – which left us with the following records…

The Wave Pictures Instant Coffee Baby [TLOBF Review]

Indie-rock as witty and consummately British as the erection you’re creepingly becoming aware of as you sit drunkenly a bit too close to a pretty girl on a couch.
Tom Whyman

This album still entrances, amuses and delights me, seven months after first hearing it. The naïve-yet-profound lyrics have a unique charm, perfectly matched by their jangle-indie setting. One of the most refreshing releases in many a year: wonderful stuff.
Jude Clarke

Instant Coffee Baby is the album that has probably received the most repeated plays so far this year. The songs are packed with witty, lyrical nuggets – with each listen you pick out ones you’ve previously missed. Perhaps not a perfect album (it could do with a couple of songs shaved off the end) – it is still totally satisfying, and one of the best indie pop records you’re likely to hear this year.
Rich Thane

Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes [TLOBF Review]

Quite extraordinary, otherworldly lay ‘hymns’ from an amazing new act that are unlikely to be 5 minute wonders. This album beautifully showcases their gorgeous sound-drenched sound.
Jude Clarke

I have no doubt that in years to come, this flawless debut will appear amongst Revolver, OK Computer and Nevermind in those annoying ‘Best Album of All Time’ lists that crop up year after year. A band hasn’t excited me this much since…well, I really can’t remember. It truly is a work of art and without doubt, one of the greatest debut albums I’ve ever heard – and what excites me more, is that I strongly believe they have so much more to offer. Go and buy the album, see them in concert, buy the t-shirt. Whatever. Just let them into your life. Now!
Rich Thane

This is, without doubt, one of the best albums ever, let alone this year. An offering from a band that have found a huge place in my life.
Rich Hughes

Frightened Rabbit Midnight Organ Fight [TLOBF Review]

So, what’s so great about yet another white, male, 20-something, indie rock band, then? How about: Great production decisions, a concentrated lyrical direction, stellar songwriting, Scott Hutchinson’s voice walking the line between warble and sublime melody, melody and lyrics walking the line between bleakness and euphoria? My favourite music makes me giddy, supremely confident in myself, and in love with life, in all it’s ugly, beautiful, dreadful glory. And, I suppose, all of that is what makes Frightened Rabbit and The Midnight Organ Fight so great.
Simon Gurney

Utter perfection. These guys deserve to be fucking huge. But the foul language and dodgy subject matter will always prevent that from happening. Maybe that’s the point? The album also has my favourite lyric of the year so far: “You’re the shit and I’m knee deep in it”.
Rich Thane

Bon Iver For Emma, Forever Ago [TLOBF Review]

What more can I say about this mysterious, mystical, raw, emotionally epiphanical dream of a record? Its popular resonance has single-handedly revived my faith in the essential goodness of humanity – a sentiment I’m sure its creator would agree with.
Emily Moore

So I’ll forgive and forget the fact that it manages to sit next to Bon Jovi on my ipod. I’ll even forgive the fact its only 37 minutes long. Which may be a good thing, as the delicate, claustophoic beauty of this album has been unequalled by anything else so far in 2008, and is all the better for its brevity. No fancy tricks or gimmicks, just great songs packed with emotion and a fizzling intensity.
Simon Reuben

There are less than a handful of records from this decade that I could happily choose as a desert island disc. The fact that two have been released in 2008 (the other record being Fleet Foxes) that I would literally die for proves this year has been the best year in music in – well, god knows how long. For Emma, Forever Ago is a work of unadulterated genius. The sincerity and honesty within it’s nine songs floored me from the very first time I heard it – that was nearly 12 months ago and even now I’m still finding new sounds and textures and emotion to wrap myself up in. Justin Vernon has created a stone cold classic, and easily one of the greatest records of the 21st Century.
Rich Thane

Elbow Seldom Seen Kid [TLOBF Review]

Oh my. What an album. Has there been a more consistent band in recent times? Guy Garvey’s found love and want’s to tell the world about it, but he’s also lost a friend and discovering Richard Hawley’s perfect croon. This is an album to fall in love with everytime you listen to it. It’s not here for the shorthaul, but, like the rest of their material, it’s here to amaze and touch you on each repeated play.
Rich Hughes

Johnny Foreigner Waited Up Till It Was Light [TLOBF Review]

Best indie-pop record since Slanted & Enchanted or (at a stretch) Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone? And plus it manages to take in Cap’n Jazz too. I literally couldn’t ask for more, which is why I gave it (sort of) 100%. 100% is a score I suppose usually reserved for shimmering brilliance but to my mind its equally applicable to this sort of joyous, perfectly imperfect shouty pop amazingness. ” CAN’T LOOOOSSSE YOU IN CROWDED ROOMS!” etc.
Tom Whyman

And I thought they were amazing live! This is all that the Los Campasinos! album should have been. Full of energy and youthful vigour, I felt 10 years younger just listening to it. This is everything an indie-pop album should be about.
Rich Hughes

Bonnie Prince Billy Lie Down In the Light

Going back to the country, the bonnie prince lightens up and delivers an understated masterpeice.
Ro Cemm

It may have been released to a distinct lack of fanfare, and it’s no I See A Darkness. But it’s an intricate, warmly rewarding album, and an eighth note from Will Oldham is worth a career’s worth of songs by most bands around today.
Emily Moore

Sun Kil Moon April [TLOBF Review]

Mark Kozelek’s style of songwriting, from the early days in Red House Painters and then this most recent Sun Kil Moon album April, has always sounded to me like the aftermath of a broken nose. As strange as it may seem, that is always what his music evokes for me; a heady, muffled and painful throb. His soft, weak (but not in a bad way) voice dipping away into the rest of the instruments, guitar repeating it’s litany, calling to mind the slow powerful transformations found in minimalism, a thrumming quality that overtakes my mind, a style that gives me a temporary head cold, where just the music and melancholy survive, everything beyond that is a haze.
Simon Gurney

The Red house painter man returned to form on this melancholy work, the guitar work is right up there with his best work for a while, and moved away from the cover versions he had been known for.
Ro Cemm

Mesmerisingly beautiful. That’s all I’m going to say.
Rich Hughes

Beach House Devotion [TLOBF Review]

An otherworldly album that manages to wonderfully create its own atmosphere and feel. Shimmery summery haze-pop of the highest order.
Jude Clarke

In an age where second albums suffer from lack of ideas, imagination and focus – Beach House returned in 2008 with a renewed sense of vigour for their sophomore effort. The original ‘Beach House’ bluebrint still remains, but this time with an added pop sensibility and a more luscious production that you want to dive into and wallow around in for hours. When it comes to dream pop – nobody does it better than Beach House.
Rich Thane

Keyboard Choir Mitzen Head To Gascanane Sound

[TLOBF Review]

Like the sound of a thousand planets crashing into one another, this is one of the most adventerous and thought provoking debuts of the year so far. Their intelligent use of samples, spoken word interludes and their own sense of brooding power combines wonderfully to create an album that could best be described as a more accessible Fuck Buttons. But that does these guys an injustice. They’re their own band, creating their own fantastic sound.
Rich Hughes

Honourable mentions:
Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks Real Emotional Trash [TLOBF Review]
The Silver Jews Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea [TLOBF Review]
The Duke Spirit Neptune [TLOBF Review]
Los Campesinos Hold On Now Youngster [TLOBF Review]
HEALTH Disco [TLOBF Review]
El Perro Del Mar From The Valley to the Stars [TLOBF Review]
These New Puritans Beat Pyramid [TLOBF Review]
The Black Keys Attack and Release [TLOBF Review]
Portishead Third [TLOBF Review]
White Denim Workout Holiday [TLOBF Review]
Fuck Buttons Street Horrrsing [TLOBF Review]
British Sea Power Do You Like Rock Music? [TLOBF Review]
M83 Saturdays = Youth [TLOBF Review]

You can buy any of these albums, plus a whole load more in our brand spanking new online store. Click here to visit.

On the 11th March 2002, the BBC launched its first new national music station in 32 years. That station was BBC6 Music, and with it came a slogan: “Closer To The Music That Matters”. The station was to be a sister station to Radio Two, and was supposed to provide an alternative to the more mainstream, youth orientated Radio One. Often featuring archive recordings from the BBC’s extensive collection, or championing new talent in live sessions, many saw the station as carrying on the tradition of the great, sadly missed John Peel. The stations reputation quickly grew, with presenters who were consider knowledgeable in their field, be it funk, reggae, indie rock or ska. As it approaches it’s 6th Birthday listening figures are at a record high, showing an increase of 110,000 year on year. As digital radio receivers become cheaper, these figures look set to continue to rise. Yet beneath the surface, it appears all is not well with the station.

In late 2007 6Music was embroiled in the BBC’s competition rigging scandal when it emerged that producers had played the role of competition winners on Liz Kershaw’s show. It was later revealed that there were problems with quizzes on Tom Robinson and Clare McDonnell’s shows as well. As a result of this the stations head of programming, Ric Blaxhill resigned his post. His position is yet to be filled and leaves the station in the hands of Lesley Douglas, the controller of both Radio 2 and 6Music. Many questions have been raised about Douglas, not least the question of why one person should be able to control two stations. Douglas has already proved to be a controversial figure, appointing Chris Evans to the drive-time on BBC 2 in 2006 and her equally controversial decision to give comedian and Big Brother presenter Russell Brand his own 6Music show in March 2006 before catapulting him over to BBC 2 in November of the same year. Many of her appointments have been high profile ‘celebrity’ disc jockeys, seemingly moving away from the knowledgeable remit of 6Music and moving towards a ‘dumbed down’ station that Radio Four’s own ‘Feedback’ programme dubbed “Radio One and a half”. The shifting of emphasis to celebrity should not come as a surprise from Douglas, who seems to rely on established celebrity to boost ratings, rather than bringing people through from the grass roots (it was she who purchased ‘Bob Dylan’s Theme Time Radio Hour’, and who brought in Brad Pitt to voice a documentary on Nick Drake). It is one of her most recent appointments, however, that has become a pressure point for Douglas, and has seen listeners moved to bombard the BBC’s messageboards, create petitions and generally cause discomfort to the BBC’s top brass, drawing attention from the likes of the Media Guardian and various online publications in the process. The person in question? George Lamb.

Before embarking on his media career, George Lamb had been a manager of both Audio Bullys and a fledgling Lily Allen. Since deciding a media career was more his style, Lamb has quickly grown into a presenting phenomenon, appearing on television on TMF, E4, as the host of ‘Celebrity Scissorhands’ and reality show “The Restaurant” on BBC2. Like fellow Lesley Douglas appointees Shaun Keavney, Nemone, Dermot O’Leary and Russell Brand, Lamb is represented by the John Noel Agency (the agency who deals with Big Brother related minor celebrities, and also with the Friday Night Project. It is also worth noting that Noel’s son Nik Linnen also represents Douglas appointees Queens of Noize). Even regular ‘stand in’ presenter, comedian Alan Carr, is part of the Noel stable. When asked for an explanation as to why so many appointments had come from one agency, and whether Lesley Douglas has any link with the John Noel Agency, the BBC did not respond.

It has also become apparent that Douglas has been using 6music to ‘groom’ her talent for the higher listenership and more mainstream content of Radio Two. First Russell Brand was given a show on 6Music, only to jump ship to Radio Two months later. Both Shaun Keavney and Nemone have also been filling an ‘understudy’ role at 6Music’s sister station. It has been suggested that George Lamb will also shortly be ‘acting up’ also, either to Radio Two or Radio One, with many suggesting he is being groomed to fill the large gap that will be left when Chris Moyles hangs up the microphone on the stations flagship Breakfast show. The increasing use of 6Music to act as a breeding ground for the BBC’s other music channels has led to the channel losing its sense of identity. The station no longer seems to provide the educated, informed, music related commentary that it had become known for. The replacement of Gideon Coe with George Lamb seems to have been the final straw for many listeners.

Lamb brought with him to the mid-morning slot a ‘posse’ of friends, not seen since the dark days of DLT. Gone was the knowledgeable, music based chat, to be replaced with inane banter, catchphrases and features about who is, or isn’t, wearing the right ‘clobber’. Although the quality of the guest artists has remained the same, Lamb comes across at a loss, either through too little research or merely being out of his depth as an interviewer. After one ‘catastrophic’ interview with Super Furry Animals, the internet began to simmer with dissent about Lamb’s show. By November 2007 there was already a Facebook group dedicated to the dislike of Lamb’s show. Message boards began ringing with criticism of Lamb’s style as “sub-Whiley “Wow, that’s amazing” and sub-Moyles “Aren’t these people idiots”, describing the show as “Heat or Nuts on the Radio”. It was also observed that Lamb’s show seemed to consist of more chat and ‘features’ than music. The underlying feeling in all these comments is that Lamb will undoubtedly be a success elsewhere, but that he does not fit within 6Music’s remit. Still, the show goes on, and Lamb continues to rise heckles. The 6Music website has been so besieged by criticism of Lamb that moderators were forced to consolidate all the criticism of Lamb into one group, stating: “We will not tolerate people being rude or offensive about any of our presenters.” Tellingly the first response to this posting was “will you still tolerate any ‘rude and offensive’ presenters?” As the listeners campaign continues, other media have begun to cover the story, with Media Guardian running coverage of the campaign. Lamb’s show, meanwhile, has started hosting “Cravat Wednesdays” and asking it’s audience questions such as “who would win a fight: Chuck Norris or a Honey Badger?” A new dictionary of “Lamby’s Lingo” was added to the BBC website, to enable the listeners to decipher the ‘banter’ on the show. This dictionary features explanations for such ‘choice’ phrases as: ‘wafty’, ‘wackola’, and most tellingly ‘New’, which in Lamb’s lingo is a “ derogative term for something insignificant.”

A petition started at www.getlambout.org.uk claimed that Lamb’s show stood “ against what we believed 6Music stood for — i.e. quality broadcasting, cutting edge music, insightful interviews and knowledge of music…[we] hope that this isn’t an indication of where 6Music is headed in the future.” A brief glance at Lamb’s BBC website, which fails to mention music once on it’s homepage, favouring instead subjects such as ‘Estate Olympics’ and downloadable catchphrases for your mobile phone, is enough to make you question whether the show is fulfilling the 6Music remit. In early February 2008, the anti-Lamb petition hit 1000 signatories. In the same week station controller Lesley Douglas appeared on Feedback, Radio 4’s version of ‘Points of View’, to defend the station against accusations of ‘dumbing down’ in order to chase ratings, with George Lamb’s show in particular a subject of discussion. Sadly, as always seems to be the way, Douglas was on the defensive, claiming “Developing a new show is always going to take a long time. We have received positive and negative comments about it. I don’t think I have ever launched a new show when that has not been the case.” However, what followed this defensive statement may well prove to be just as provocative as Lamb himself.

During the interview, Douglas claimed that in employing Lamb she was trying to redress the gender balance of the station, and to try and make it as open to female listeners as it is to male. Claiming that “Men tend to be more interested in the intellectual side of the music, the tracks, where albums have been made, that sort of thing”, where as women connect more with the emotional side of music, Douglas seemed to suggest that by changing the way in which it talks about music the station would be able to attract more female listeners. The appointment of Lamb, and his nods to fashion and celebrity gossip is a part of this process it seems. Unsurprisingly, Douglas’ use of casual gender stereotyping has caused uproar amongst the very people the interview was supposed to placate- in fact, if anything, it has increased the pressure on 6Music. Once again the BBC’s message boards are awash with criticism for the station. A typical example from the ‘Feedback’ message board reads: “Lesley Douglas is way out of touch with 6 music listeners. I am an avid music listener and am appalled that she assumes females aren’t interested in the minutiae of music and all things related to music… Daytime radio on 6Music is pretty much unbearable at the moment, George Lamb being the most moronic presenter to date.”

If Douglas is really trying to attract more women, it appears going for the ‘celebrity’ market and the 90’s lad style of George Lamb simply isn’t going to cut it with her existing audience. Perhaps it would benefit Douglas to cast her eye over the 6Music messageboards and see the suggestions that her supposed target market are making; if you want to attract female listeners, find some intelligent female presenters, and put them on at times when people can actually listen. It would also seem that the listeners don’t care if it is a man or a woman, as long as they provide a good mixture of music and a minimum of ‘chat’. After all, the stations tagline is ‘Closer to the Music that matters’, not ‘closer to the gossip’.

Sadly it looks like Lesley Douglas will be taking no heed of the complaints of her listeners. A recent interview with The Independent on Sunday seems to suggest that 6Music will continue down the celebrity path. During the interview, Douglas sited the appointment of Russell Brand as the turning point of the station claiming “people started to think it could be more than ‘music experts’”. It also seems that Douglas will continue to rely on pre existing celebrity, rather than encouraging new talent to the station, claiming the only change she would make to the 6Music line up would be to bring in Never Mind The Buzzcocks host Simon Amstell. Despite all the criticism of recent months, it looks likely that Lesley Douglas will continue to move 6Music away from its roots as a station of music for music’s sake ,and that the station will become yet another Radio 2: A station that favours celebrity over broadcasting talent, and comedians over people with a passion for music.

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

60. The Cribs – Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever
59. Shrag – Six Songs By Shrag
58. Shellac – Excellent Italian Greyhound
57. Common – Finding Forever
56. Kanye West – Graduation
55. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Is Is
54. Grinderman – Grinderman
53. El-P – I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead
52. Les Savy Fav – Let’s Stay Friends
51. Bjork – Volta

50. Super Furry Animals – Hey Venus!
49. The White Stripes – Icky Thump
48. Robert Wyatt – Comicopera
47. Bowerbirds – Hymns for a Dark Horse
46. Grizzly Bear – Friend EP
45. Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam
44. Yndi Halda – Enjoy Eternal Bliss
43. Von Sudenfed – Tromatic Reflexxions
42. Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna Are You The Destroyer
41. Band of Horses – Cease To Begin

40. A Studio – Yearbook 1
39. Deerhunter – Cryptograms
38. Cats on Fire – The Province Complains
37. Holy Fuck – Holy Fuck
36. Various – Do The Pop!
35. Broken Family Band – Hello Love
34. Khe Sanh Approach – The Extraordinary Rendition Of…
33. The Royal We – The Royal We
32. Various – Truck 10
31. The Wave Pictures – The Wave Pictures

30. Aerogramme – My Heart Has a Wish That You Would Not Go
29. New Pornographers – Challengers
28. Menomena – Friend and Foe
27. Emmylou Harris – Songbird
26. Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
25. The Twilight Sad – Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters
24. Devotchka – How It Ends
23. Nina Nastasia and Jim White – You Follow Me
22. Okkervil River – The Stage Names
21. Augie March – Moo, You Bloody Choir

20. Jens Lekman – Night Falls Over Kortedala
19. Loney, Dear – Loney, Noir
18. Alberta Cross – The Thief and The Heartbreaker
17. The Kissaway Trail – The Kissaway Trail
16. The Hold Steady – Boys and Girls in America
15. Ryan Adams – Easy Tiger
14. The Decemberists – The Crane Wife
13. Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
12. The Good, The Bad, and The Queen – The Good, The Bad, and The Queen
11. Radiohead – In Rainbows

10. Yeasayer – All Hour Cymbals
9. Battles – Mirrored
8. St Vincent – Marry Me
7. Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha
6. Miracle Fortress – Five Roses

5. LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
4. Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew – Spirit If…
3. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
2. PJ Harvey – White Chalk
1. The National – Boxer

View the complete Class of 2007 feature
Download End Of Radio: TLOBF 2007 Playlist

I hate making lists, and at the same time feel totally compelled to every time the year rears it’s festive head. The fact that we are running this as a feature this year kind of forced me to come up with something. Even though this year has been a phenomenal year for new music, especially stateside, the following ten were fairly easy to choose – to say they are the best of the year is purely a matter of opinion, but they are the records that I have cherished, and lived with for the past 12 months. You’ll more than likely agree with some of them, and others think “what the hell is he talking about?”. There may even be a couple in there you haven’t heard yet, which is why we’ve added mp3′s for your listening pleasure. Because, lets face it, discovering new music that shakes you to the core is one of lifes true pleasures – and that’s ultimately what we’re here for.

Broken Social Scene Presents…Kevin Drew – Spirit If
Is it a Broken Social Scene album? Is it a solo album? Does it really matter? No, of course not. The debate on whether this was self indulgent twoddle totally overshadowed the fact that it is a colossal record. Packed full of life affirming songs, that have pretty much been the soundtrack to the second half of this year.
mp3:> Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew: Back Out On The …

Jens Lekman – Night Falls Over Kortedala
What can I say? The perfect pop album of 2007 and certainly the masterpiece that Lekman has always promised. They should employ the songs contained on this record in schools up and down the land to illustrate how to write a perfect song. In my day, my music lesson consisted of analysing “Yellow Submarine”. Fuck Ringo – I want my kids to get to the very core of “Friday Night at the Drive-In Bingo” – It defines pop music. The man is a legend, pure and simple.
mp3:> Jens Lekman: Sipping On The Sweet Nectar

Loney, Dear – Loney, Noir
My love affair with Emil Svanängens music continues. By far my artist of the year, the past couple of years in fact. There isn’t much I can really say about the music that I haven’t already said on this site in the past 12 months. Loney, Noir and indeed the previous three releases have been on constant rotation ever since I heard a live session on Gideon Coe’s 6music show back in the summer of 2006. And, after seeing them live every chance I could get this year it’s fair to say no other music around at the moment touches me in the same way as Loney, Dear does. There is nothing more I can really add to that.
mp3:> Loney, Dear: Carrying A Stone

Alberta Cross – The Thief & The Heartbreaker
An absolute belter of an album, even though it is painfully short. An Anglo Swedish duo that embody the spirit of The Band and the reverb drenched americana of Band of Horses. Vastly overlooked in this country, hopefully a newly signed deal with Geffen in the States will bring these guys to the fore in 2008.
mp3:> Alberta Cross: The Devil’s All You Ever Had

The Kissaway Trail – s/t
This album kept rearing its ugly head – every time I was trying to come up with a short list for the year. Sure, it is derivative of a lot of other stuff that’s out there at the moment – Arcade Fire predominantly. And it’s certainly not perfect – but when it hits the mark, it hits it good and hard. The songs have an incredible addictive quality about them which has made it an album I’ve returned to more than any other this year. Quite simply, it just makes me feel really good inside. Call it life affirming if you will, they are just really really good songs delivered with such a wide eyed sense of optimism and hope it’s hard not to fall for them.
mp3:> The Kissaway Trail: Eloquence And Elixir

The Hold Steady – Boys and Girls In America
Is there any other band on the planet that enjoy themselves more than the Hold Steady? I doubt it. The joy that they get through playing with each other (no jokes please) is carved into the very core of this record. From start to finish, Boys and Girls.. is an absolute pleasure to listen to. In an album where quick fire lyrics are at the forefront; “She was a really cool kisser and she wasn’t all that strict of a christian” also has to be hands down my favourite of the year. A very, very special band indeed.
mp3:> The Hold Steady: First Night

The Good, The Bad & The Queen – s/t
This album single handedly restored my faith in British music. I think I heard it back in January and instantly knew it would be a favourite of the year. This record simply has it all – fantastic songs, beautiful dynamics between the musicians and a dark brooding atmosphere that takes you to another place when listening to it. Damon Albarn is quite simply, a genius.
mp3:> The Good, Bad & The Queen: Kingdom Of Doom

Ryan Adams – Easy Tiger
Sometimes, all you really want is fucking good songs. Delivered in a direct way with a no frills approach. That’s what Ryan Adams and The Cardinals achieve on Easy Tiger. An amalgamation of all his past work, repackaged and condensed into a perfectly formed and easy to swallow 38 minute mouthful.
mp3:> Ryan Adams: Two

Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
Wilco have always had a certain knack of polarizing their fans with the release of each album. Generally because with each release they have become more and more experimental, shaking off the shackles of their country rock roots. Never ones to disappoint, they changed up the formula again, though this time it was totally unexpected. Ridding themselves of the electronic drones of A Ghost Is Born and opting for a more ‘easy listening’ approach. Although I can’t help but think the current line-up is somewhat wasted on here, the songs stand up and speak for themselves. And, as always, they are still a colossal live force to be reckoned with.
mp3:> Wilco: Hate It Here

The Decemberists – The Crane Wife
It feels like this record has been around forever. It finally saw a UK release at the beginning of the year, after coming out in the States in October ’06. By god it was worth the wait though. Colin Meloy is at his creative peak lyrically, the band seeming more electric and experimental. “The Crane Wife suite (1,2 & 3)” is sheer perfection and the dizzying prog romp of “The Island” will leave you pissing your pants with glee (maybe not literally, but you catch my drift).
mp3:> The Decemberists: The Crane Wife 3

*MP3s posted at this site are for evaluation purposes only. If you like them, please support the artist and buy their releases. Contact us if you are the copyright holder and want the files removed.

Read more Class of 2007 lists and download our 2007 Playlist here.

If you know me at all, you’re more than aware of my distant relationship with summer (yes, the season). We go back a long way but we’ve never gotten along. Spring, winter, autumn, bring them on! But summer, well, I’ve never been the biggest fan. I don’t tan. I burn. As a young’un the heat and humidity during any given New England summer made for many a bad hair day, too many allergies to sneeze at, more perspiration than a young girl should have to admit to and a yearning for a certain solstice to be made illegal, banned all together. (I was a kid! What do you want ?!)

Moving to NYC only reassured me that summer was a cruel joke. Between the oppressive heat and humidity combined with tall buildings, concrete, constant traffic (creating more heat and humidity) and the stench that rises from the piles of garbage and other unidentifiable waste on every street, it’s nauseating. God forbid you should have to take the subway as air circulation on the platforms is not a priority where temperatures can, and do, rise up over 100°F daily. Some of NYC’s homeless community take it underground turning train tracks into their toilet so you can imagine, after a hard day’s work, what you’re up against once you descend those formidable stairs to where your carriage awaits or is it you that’s left waiting, sweating, desperate for a breath of fresh car fumes and trash… Yes, I love NYC but sometimes it’s not easy.

The National, South Street Seaport NYC. Photograph by Jamie Kleiman

Luckily there was a bit of respite a few Fridays ago as Brooklyn boys, The National, cab’d it to South Street Seaport in lower Manhattan for a free show on the water with support from The Forms and Takka Takka. “They go on promptly at 8” said Jon so I took hede, took out my umbrella and met he, Katherine and Greg at the Heartland Brewery across the street from the seaport and waited out the passing rain, more or less. The clock strikes 8. Cool breezes, a sea of umbrellas and 5 men (actually 6 now) who know how to pour on the good stuff, it’s show time! And great it was. With backdrops of the tall ships, the edge of Brooklyn staring back at you and the National on stage the night took on a dreamy, playful cast. Song after song wooing the crowd, the mood was set. For 45 minutes you barely noticed the weather and then the band and the rain stopped and said good night.

Upon the release of For Western Violence and Brief Sensuality on their own High and Dangerous Records, Pearlene stomped into town for a rousing couple of shows as only they can do it. We caught them at the Knitting Factory and let me tell you, I’ve seen them pretty much every time they’ve come to New York and they keep getting better and better. Hard to do when your fucking brilliant already but they blew me, along with the rest of the crowd, away. This swingin’, stompin’ sexy, delta blues with the best mix of personalities you can imagine makes for not only a fantastic band but one of the best live shows you’ll ever witness. All the way from Cincinnati, Ohio Reuben Glaser and Jesse Ebaugh started small but couldn’t keep it that way as the music poured from their souls bringing on drummer Andy Jody, Andy Higley on keys with Beth Harris and Kristen Kreft on gorgeous back up vocals. Quiet and almost shy off stage, their first notes strike a chord in all of us and we can’t escape. We are hypnotized, all consumed and transformed. It was more a gospel reunion than a rock show.

Our hearts and hands raised we all testified and you will too. Check out Pearlene here and you WILL be saved!

One thing never lacking in New York is noise. Continuous traffic (from my apartment window I can hear the Bee Gees blaring from someone’s car stereo on the highway a few blocks away), honking horns, helicopters and jet planes flying over head, the screeching of metal on metal as the subway train pulls into each respective station (heard from street level), never ending construction replete with orchestras of jack hammers, dump trucks, cement mixers and workers yelling commands to colleagues and pedestrians alike, not to mention the odd crazy and or homeless person squawking like a chicken or begging for money. It’s enough to make your head spin, or at very least turn your iPod up a little. In an effort to regain a little sanity and perhaps feel a little more in control of my listening options I trot myself down to Webster Hall for a night with Black Rebel Motor Cycle Club. I was not disappointed. For an hour and a half, give or take, I basked in this guitar saturated aural glory at decibels high enough to certainly damage my hearing even more. Smoke machines blasting out enough smog to make you think they might’ve lifted the smoking ban we all left smelling and feeling like the old days when rock shows weren’t so “clean and safe” (Ha!).

The band, with an added guitar player on a few tracks, were better than expected playing many of their older hits as well as lots off the new album, “Baby 81”. Receiving mixed reviews on their latest release I have to say live there’s no room for discussion. They are great, old and new alike! My recommendation is get your tickets and judge for yourself. Check out www.blackrebelmotorcycleclub.com for tour dates and new.

Loney, Dear came home, I mean back to NYC, this past week and graced us once again with their dreamy, melodic, euphoric presence. Someone said seeing Loney, Dear is like going to church as they inspire something of a little higher power in all of those who experience them. Earnest and unjaded (if that’s a word) their zest and passion for what they do, along with the ability to write brilliant songs, puts a little life back into us cynical New Yorkers. Knowing them as well as I do they seemed a little tired after being on our hard, American roads for over 3 months but fear not! Emil and his band of merry Swedes did nothing but make us smile, dance and sing along. Ett sådant uppträdande! Tre skål att Loney, Dear! Hip, Hip Hooray! Hip, Hip Hooray, Hip Hip… Go to www.loneydear.com for more about this wonderful band.

The Loney’s are finishing their US tour tonight at Union Hall in Brooklyn, with the Silent League. I’m sure it will be a night to remember. ‘Til next time, vi ses senare!

The Line Of Best Fit Top 25 from 2006

25. Loose Fur – Born Again In The USA
24. The Rapture – Pieces Of The People We Love
23. What Made Milwaukee Famous – Trying To Never Catch Up
22. Stars Of Track And Field – Centuries Before Love And War
21. Mystery Jets – Making Dens

20. The Dears – Gang Of Losers
19. My Morning Jacket – Okonokos
18. The Futureheads – News & Tributes
17. DFA – The DFA Remixes: Chapter Two
16. CSS – Cansei De Ser Sexy

15. Belle & Sebastian – The Life Pursuit
14. Fionn Regan – End Of History
13. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Show Your Bones
12. My Latest Novel – Wolves
11. Brakes – The Beatific Visions

10. Loney, Dear – Sologne
9. Howling Bells – Howling Bells
8. Bob Dylan – Modern Times
7. Camera Obscura – Let’s Get Out Of This Country
6. M Ward – Post War

5. Band Of Horses – Everything All The Time
4. Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins – Rabbit Fur Coat
3. The Brother Kite – Waiting For The Time To Be Right
2. The Decemberists – The Crane Wife
1. Midlake – The Trials Of Van Occupanther

Other albums id like to give an honourable mention to are:
The Early Years – The Early Years
TV On The Radio – Return To Cookie Mountain
Josh Ritter – The Animal Years
I’m From Barcelona – Let Me Introduce My Friends
Tim O’Reagan – Tim O’Reagan
Ben Kweller – Ben Kweller
The Elected – Sun, Sun, Sun
Calexico – Garden Ruin
Sound Team – Movie Monster
Portastatic – Be Still Please
My Brightest Diamond – Bring Me The Workhorse
Tapes n’ Tapes – The Loon
Dirty On Purpose – Hallelujah Sirens
The Pipettes – We Are The Pipettes
Centro-Matic – Fort Recovery
The Kooks – Inside In/Inside Out
Beck – The Information
Metric – Live it Out
Forward Russia – Give Me a Wall
Lilly Allen – Alright, Still
Amy Millan – Honey From The Tombs
Cat Power – The Greatest
The Spinto Band – Nice and Nicely Done
Jarvis Cocker – Jarvis
The Strokes – First Impressions Of Earth
Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
Drive By Truckers – A Blessing And A Curse
The Velvet Teen – Cum Laude
Amy Millan – Honey From The Tombs
Snow Patrol – Eyes Open
Be Your Own PET – Be Your Own PET
Fields – 7 From The Village
Golden Smog – Another Fine Day
Grizzly Bear – Yellow House
Secret Machines – Ten Silver Drops
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan – Ballad Of The Broken Seas
Johnny Cash – American V
The Hazey Janes – Hotel Radio
Thom Yorke – The Eraser
Peter Bjorn And John – Writer’s Block
The Raconteurs – Broken Boy Soldiers
The Charlatans – Simpatico
Sufjan Stevens – The Avalanche
Voxtrot – Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives EP
Wolfmother – Wolfmother
Yo La Tengo – I Am Not Afraid Of You And Will Beat Your Ass
Neko Case – Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
The Magic Numbers – Those The Brokes
The Album Leaf – Into The Blue Again

Phew!, what a year. Really any of the albums between 1 and 6 could have been my favourite. All six of them are very very special records that, if you havent already checked out you must do so and quickly!

Some other year end lists from around the globe…..
[I will edit this as more lists are released]

To start things off here is the link for Pitchforks top 25 music videos of 2006. Some pretty great ones are included such as Lilly Allen, CSS, Emily Haines and ofcourse the video that im sure will scoop lots of awards next year Ok, Go.

Watch them here

Some other year end lists worthy of posting:

Amazon.com top 100 of the year
NME top 50 albums
NME top 50 singles
More Cowbell Top 20
Bridgets’ Blog Top 50
Richard Hughes of CD Times top albums of the year
Muzzle Of Bees Favourites of the year