The Top10

I reckon 2007 was a particularly good year for music with most of my favourite bands releasing albums, making the top10 quite tricky. And in many respects, surprising.
This is the first of a few blogs about music as I'd like to discuss/rant about where I see music heading in the next few years, and rant about the stupidity of various people in music.

Firstly the "I can't believe they didn't make the Top10" list, more commonly known as the "I'd like to squeeze in more, but just can't" list.
Marillion - Somewhere Else. An album that polarised fans, more than anything else I can remember. Personally I love the 'trilogy', and 'The Wound' would make it to my top10 Marillion songs. But given the strength of other albums released this year SWE just wouldn't fit in. I still love the band and have pre-ordered Album15 - but am really surprised at this.

The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour. A really cool quirky Canadian band, but their new album doesn't seem as good as the previous two ("Left and leaving" and "Reconstruction site"), so if you want to give them a go, try those two.
Blackfield II and Porcupine Tree "Fear of a blank planet". BF II is a distinct improvement over BFI, the song structure is better and the songs are allowed to breathe. The 'pop' project of Steve Wilson, the hooks in BF are fantastic and thankfully the lyrics, although still melancholic, don't reek so much of teenage angst and emo. The Porcupine Tree offering is good - and in 5.1 surround absolutely astounding for the nuances in the music. Somehow the passion present in other PT releases is missing tho. Possibly it's the subject matter (lost teenages) which at times seems trite lyrically. There isn't really a track that stands out on the album either, unlike say Deadwing with Arriving Somewhere... which sums up everything PT are capable of, both musically and lyrically.
Pineapple Thief"What we have sown" only arrived a couple of weeks ago so I haven't had a real chance to absorb it. I can see it sneaking its way into the Top10, but I also sense a 'business as usual' approach on the album. I think it's better than Little Man (possibly) but it's not breaking any new ground for me at least. For those of you who like melancholic tuneful music (think Snow Patrol, early Radiohead - but more mellow) I would definitely recommend spinning the theif. And supporting indie by buying from the website would be just peachy keen too!

So the top10. In reverse order, obviously, to keep you all guessing. Although most of you will be able to predict the top 2 :) and yes I've cheated in having two 10s.


10= Joe Henry "Civilians" An artist who kinda slides up and knocks you over. I heard some tracks off the previous release (Tiny Voices) and a critic I like raved about it, so on a whim I picked it up. I love that record. So hopes were high for this release, and he delivers. Obviously a bit more label push behind this with (shock horror) advertising present for this release. Musically and lyrically Henry sits somewhere between Tom Waits and Mark Knopfler (his recent stuff), very blues influenced - and you feel yourself sinking down into the music. Highlight of the album is difficult to pick one, it's one of those all or nothing albums. It's all I can do to stop myself pouring a large scotch and finding a cigar... You'll find Joe on the Anti label, who also have Tom Waits, Jolie Holland, The Weakerthans, Neko Case etc. I'm thinking that's a label I like !

10= Josh Rouse - Country Mouse, City House. I bought this without hearing anything due to the number of spins Mr Rouse was getting by Psychochicken. For all of you who think all I listen to is prog (I'm talking to you Invercargill styles...), Rouse is pop. And 70s style pop at that. Really happy cheery stuff in fact (there goes another rumour about me). It's a beautiful album, sunny, happy, wonderful tunes. It's worth spinning a couple of them (there are samples on his website), they are bound to put a smile on your dial.

9 - Grinderman - Grinderman. So what does Nick Cave do when he's not releasing Nick Cave albums, or writing soundtracks? He goes back to his manic roots and effectively jams an album with the core of the Bad Seeds. It's fresh, it's rude, it's rough and I love it. The passion is there, but it's not polished. It's raw and how music should sound. You don't want blues rock to be studio-fied, and you can't accuse this album of being too near a producers badtouch! I have no idea how this sounded for other NC fans, but the Grizzled one and I really rated it. Those of you who liked Nick's earlier work should like this, and it makes a good counterpoint to the highly produced studio work of Lyre.

8- So so modern - Friendly Fires. Short EP from the New Zealand group. Synth-lowfi-pop seems a good enough label for them. A good comparison would be to the UKs "The lost levels" from BurningShed. Happy light fluffy music, still quirky, and doesn't outstay its welcome. Potentially this style could become annoying, synth's have that affect, but nope the band wisely keep the album short. As such its a perfect slice of homebaked pop pie, easily digestible and very very yummy.

7 - Little Bushman - Pendulum. The second of the NZ bands. Their debut was stunning, think a mixture of Led Zep, Floyd with some Hawkwind, but with a musical sensibility harking back to Maxwell's band 'Trinity Roots'. Again long dirty blues based jams, but more political awareness, or rather more overt political awareness on this one. At this stage I like it, a lot. I'm not sure of it's staying power, but the first album has lasted well, so here's hoping. They are currently touring around NZ so I might pop along and see how the new stuff goes live. Lyrically I'm not so sure on LB, I think Warren ends up trying to push too much meaning in his lyrics rather than letting stuff flow. That might just be me tho' as I haven't seen much criticism of his lyrics.

6 - Fish - 13th Star. It seems the big man needs emotional trauma to produce his best work. This is not his best work, but it's a damm sight better than much of his recent output. The first thing that struck me was music, very groove ridden - and it's quite obvious it was written by a bass player! Lyrically Fish is back to his best, which is a refreshing change. Fellini Days (Daze?) wasn't too good lyrically, and best we dont' talk about the music there. Fish has also realised that his voice is better suited to a menacing growl rather than the youthful screaming of say Market Square Heroes. With a great groove rocking along from Vantsis and Fish singing there's a lot to remind me of 'Do not walk outside this area". Lyrically it's up there with Sunsets, Vigil and Raingods. Musically Vigil and possibly Sunsets are better. Stand out track? Manchmal. Fantastic heavy groove track. My one criticism is that Fish has taken to putting too many ballads in, sure they are nice (and there's nothing as painful as Tara on this one), but they do become tiresome.
I'm truely impressed by this album, I never thought I'd see the day when a Fish album easily outranks a Marillion one. Go the big man!

5 - Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos. My first iTunes download purchase! Yes even I move with the times and be hip with da yoof. I chose this album for a first online purchase as I wanted to hear it, but wasn't keen on paying local prices as their most recent effort (Octavarium) didn't work for me - a huge disappointment after the beauty that was Train of Thought. Expectations were not high for this one. But it's great. Hard rocking, brilliant musicianship, interesting lyrics - a real return to form. Even the weak track 'Repentance' is very good, I just find the whole 'get others to record stuff and put on our album' trick boring, and when it's apologies for stuff, it tires very quickly. Still a good track, and the samples aren't too long and they (thankfully) keep the music going underneath, so it's tolerable. I caught DT on their UK tour and am glad I did, really fun time and as they were supported by SymphonyX (who very nearly made the top10 too) I was one happy camper. It will be interesting to see what DT do next, as they are certainly varied in their albums. I still don't like Metropolis II, but love 6doit (which everyone else seems to dislike) so if they can engender such varied responses then they are definitely still a top band I'll be spending more money on.

4 - The National - Boxer. This one is the find of the year. An indie band from New York. Describing them is difficult, but think indie guitar, vaguely alt-country, with incredible lyrics. Lots of piano, which I like, a voice that sounds Nick Cave, The Killers, Williard Grant Conspiracy and a bit Johnny Cash. I think, in an ordinary year this album could have topped my list. It's had critics raving about it including Scotty Too Hotty, who lists it as one of his fav's too. Lyrically/musically, again Williard Grant Conspiracy, a bit of the Killers and Dredg. The element of alt-country is more the lyrical content rather than the music, which is more indie rock. Fans of Nick, Dredg, Killers should give this album a spin. The more I listen the more I think I'm going to be back catalogue hunting.

3 - Radiohead - In Rainbows. I used their download option to get the album. I wasn't thrilled by Hail to the Thief, but loved KidA so was more than happy with their blip-blip style of recent times. I can't get over how much this album just clicked. I'd go so far as to say it's a more logical progression to OK Computer than HttT (which was touted as such). But still pushing themselves. I'm sure most of the readers who like Radiohead will already have the album, but if you are still undecided, go get it. Those of you who like God's own format, it's on vinyl this month.Possibly even out now! Run run run run run run ....

And now the big two, a few of you will have already guessed what they were going to be, the big question was really what order. I had decided to have PF as #1 on the basis I occasionally drank beer and watched rugger with Luke at the Bodge or JJ's, but that seemed a little unfair to the foreigners. In the end I copped out and gave out a #1= ranking.
The big news? There are three NZ bands in my top10, how cool is that!!!

1= The Phoenix Foundation - Happy Ending. The last PF album topped my list. The new album tops my list. Gotta love consistency. It's less meandering than it's predecessor 'Pegasus' and more alt-country than prog (suggesting Sam rather than Luke was focussing on the music). How to describe the band? Err how about alt-country-prog-pop. It's as good a label as any as there are strong influences of each in the band. There's happy chirpy pop songs (Bright Grey), there's meandering space-prog (Floydian?) stuff (Gandalf, which ya gotta love). The band are now on the Flying Nun label (part of Warners now) and the extra label support has seen more publicity floating around. I'm not sure how sales are on this one, but if there is any justice in the world the album should be huge. It won't be, of course, but those of you who haven't heard PF before should check them out. Happy Ending is getting a US release next month (according to cduniverse anyway).

1= Gazpacho - Night. Ok so as an unsigned indie band who has just released a fantastic pop-rock album (Firebird) what's your next step? That's right, focus the commercial edge and push for a signing. Not the route the Norwegians take if Gazpacho is a guide. Night is gloriously non-commercial, there's no point in singling out a track to sample, it doesn't work that way. This is an five track album, written to be played as an album, immersing yourself in it. Everything, including the kitchen sink and violin have been thrown into the mix. And bloody hell does it work or wot. there are soaring vocals, lush melodies, painfully emotional lyrics, simple melodies between violin and piano, and rock. The whole pantheon. Sure it's prog, but in a good way. Prog in the same way PF "Pegasus" or RH "OK Computer" are prog - refreshing the genre and showing what it's capable of.
Being fully independent finding the albums can be a bit tricky, but there is a store on their website or marillion.com stock them too.

Strangely this year has been less heavy than normal. We'll see what heaviness pops it's way this year. And in the 'I wish I'd found that last year' Scott Walker 'Drift'. The doco on his life was fascinating and led to a lot of music purchases.

Love, B