funny how time flies

These albums are all ten years old this summer:



I remember my first listen to all of them like it was yesterday. Where does the time go?

This also turns ten this year:



For me, it was one of the last times a mainstream US pop album was in on the joke: the right mix of globe crushing success, killer pop songs and a wink to let you know that they knew what was going on. (Christina Aguilera's 'Stripped' the following year upped the ante even further, but since then?) They've been chasing it ever since with little to no success.

Happy birthday.

2011, I hate you and you're bringing me down

So, here we are: a few days left of the fifth month of 2011. Generally one would do a half-year round up after the year was half-over, but there's something special planned for June and nothing on the release calendar we haven't already heard so we might as well get this over.

The new music brought to us so far this year has been - to be polite - less than spectacular. With one notable exception - I bet you can guess what it is - every album I've bought this year has at best left me with a feeling of "is that all?", at worst the realization that it's time to check out of a long-followed career.

So where to begin?

Fuck you, Polly Jean Harvey. As discussed with a friend, we already have one Joanna Newsom and she's fucking awful, we didn't need another. That's over simplifying, obviously, but what the hell? I was willing to give you one album of dressing in a Victorian-style wedding dress singing like a child while playing an instrument you hardly knew what to do with, a second album of similar nonsense is just testing patience now. (That's what those unlistenable John Parish collaboration albums are for, right?) That 'Let England Shake' is earning the best reviews of a career full of (admittedly at times) blind admiration is just more infuriating, and I can't even talk about the crushing disappointment of the live show yet. (How, I ask, does one make "The Sky Lit Up" so. fucking. dull?) We're officially broken up.

Elbow, you're also on my shit list, but we've talked about that before. Don't play it so safe next time and everything will be alright. (Unless, of course, it's not.) We're not over - not by a long shot, I hope - but we've certainly had our first big fight.

The Kills - THE KILLS! - what happened? Thanks for nothing, Jack White. 'Midnight Boom' was obviously was going to be a tough act to follow, but applying what you learned from your time in the Dead Weather was not the right way to go, Allison. A couple of great moments shine through: "Future Starts Slow" starts things off on a promising note and the one/two punch of "Heart Is A Beating Drum" and "Nail In My Coffin" pick things back up after the snorefest of "Satellite" - wrong lead single alert! - but after that it's a slow slide into mediocrity. Shame. (Apparently the live show is still shit hot so I'll have to see about that.)

The Gruff Rhys record has grown on me for what it is - a mid-tempo rehash of ideas explored throughout the SFA records - and it is still perfectly listenable in its own right. More a gentle reminder from Gruff that "yes, I can still do this" after the disaster of 'Dark Days/Light Years' than a classic in its own right, I'll take it for now. (That said, I really wish the - er - phantom of 'Phantom Power' would stop hanging over every single SFA/Gruff Rhys release.)

Hunx, Hunx...the novelty was cute at first but the schtick is starting to wear. (Remember what happened to Gravy Train!!!!? Change it up a bit before it happens again.) To be fair, I've only given 'Too Young To Be In Love' a curiosity once-over but I also haven't felt terribly compelled to return to it.

R.E.M. - really? Really. Oh well.

Dear Sound of Arrows: don't fall apart yet. You'd better have more tricks up your sleeve than a fucking Tiesto remix after making us wait this long.

Which leaves us with:

Duran Duran! Yes, we've talked about this before and, yes, 'All You Need Is Now' is technically a 2010 album, but it's still a blast. So thank you for that, but enough with the £350 special editions and making us go to a zillion different retailers to buy the album multiple times to get everything. (I give the early iTunes release a pass because they were upfront about it and, frankly, it's the best version of the album as far as a listening experience goes. However, you shouldn't need a chart to keep track of what physical format has what.) Also, "Leave A Light On" is a poor, poor choice for the third single.

Boxer Rebellion! A slight step back from the masterpiece of 'Union' but still a solid effort. You're another one that needs to watch your formatting, though - hopefully you learned something from the iTunes fuck up.

There's a 3-track Kenna EP that kind of came out of nowhere and it was a welcome surprise. I'll reserve judgment until I hear more but it's looking good.

And, the winner so far...



Duh. As far as I'm concerned, this is the only album that has landed this year without a whiff of disappointment, a fully-formed debut that delivers on the promise of early material and then some. Thank you also for the lovely 7" singles with complimentary artwork with album-quality b-sides and for generally getting it right.

That said, you also really need to quit it with the formats - it seems every month since its February release there has been another version of the album with some new bonus track and/or disc - and, more importantly, STOP SHOVING THAT FUCKING LAURA CANTRELL VERSION OF "LOOK AT ME" DOWN OUR THROATS! It was terrible the first time we bought it, you can understand why we'd be bitter the third time. In fact, once you've put a track or mix out on something, please try your best to not make us buy it four more times. (How many copies of the Belbury Poly Remix of "Lights and Offerings" does one really need?) I still love you but it's starting to get a bit annoying. Please and thank you.

Also, US tour?

Advance alert: the Battles record is a grower but ultimately pretty great.

poor 'Reproduction'

Let's talk for a minute about the current remastering craze. We've talked in the past about good remasters - last year's sprucing up of a-ha's 'Hunting High And Low' by Rhino - and inexcusably bad remasters - EMI's massacring of the Duran Duran catalog, also over the course of 2010. Today, though, I'd like to address a remastering of a different kind - one that is done well and a sonic improvement over any previous version, but one that is still a bit of a detriment to the overall album.

From the image, you can obviously tell that a discussion of The Human League's debut 'Reproduction' is forthcoming. So here we go:

A few years ago - I don't remember exactly when - the Virgin-held Human League catalog was given a digital once-over with a series of very nice CDs. ('Hysteria' might not have been part of it, I'm not sure.) Anyways, the remasters are one of those increasingly rare cases of a "job well done" - levels were boosted to modern times without sending everything pounding into the red, each album had a nice selection of period-bonus tracks - many previously unavailable on CD - and they all look nice on the shelf together. However, I argue - particularly in the case of 'Reproduction' - the remaster harms the total effect of the record. It's too cleaned up.

I much prefer a vinyl pressing of the album, especially the kind of poor US edition. When listening to the LP, there's a faint buzz of background noise through the whole thing, kind of like you're listening to it on an AM radio station...and it works. The album itself is dark and moody on old, out of date equipment and has a bit of a science-fiction feel running through the lyrics. Or, at times, they're totally deconstructing the idea of a pop song at the time by stretching out "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" to a 9+ minute slow-as-molasses dirge - which, by the way, is one of the greatest cover versions of all time - and it all benefits from a nice hum. Especially with all of the muffled discussion samples doing on between tracks, it just works. Similar to Kraftwerk's 'Radioactivity', the more layers you have to peel away with your ears before you get to the music, the better. (Side note: 'News' is one of the most terrifying pieces of music ever. I still can't listen to it in the dark without getting the feeling I'm being watched.)

Does that make sense? It did to me when I sat down but I'm not sure I got the point across. I'm certainly not suggesting you run out right away and get the remaster if you don't already have it, because you absolutely should. It's not necessarily better or worse, just a different way to hear the album.

That said, you haven't really experienced the album until you've put the needle on the record, so to speak.

a pain that I'm used to

Where to begin?

The whole project reeks of: "we need something to put out with minimal work".

The single alone is an exercise in pointlessness. Not only was exactly no one shouting out for yet more remixes of 'Personal Jesus', the best you can do is Eric fucking Prydz? (I had hope for the Alex Metric remix - because he's pretty fantastic - but even he sounds like he phoned it in.)

Don't even get me started on the remix album itself and it's insane number and configurations of digital only bonus tracks. Wasn't the internet supposed to make record collecting easier?

If this is all you've got left in you, it's time to pack it in, boys.

beat deluxe

And just like that, 'Beauty and the Beat' is 30 years old. To celebrate, we are getting a 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition on May 17th, featuring the original album - remastered for the first time since its 1986 debut! we're told - on disc one and a 17-song live set recorded in Boston in 1981 on disc two. While I'm no great Go-Go's historian, I imagine there has to be some kind of previously unreleased material or period rarities lying around to boost that first disc a bit. But whatever - it looks like a lovely set and I'm more than happy to have it.

Even better - we're also getting a pink vinyl reissue. Yes, pink. Lovely.

If "We Got The Beat" doesn't make you smile, check your pulse because you're probably dead:



(Like I needed to include a video of that one. Side note: why does pretty much every cover version of that song totally suck?)

My pick for best track, though, is non-single "How Much More":



See? There's more stuff they could add. Oh well.

For whatever reason, nothing any of these five ladies did after this album - together or on their own - even came close. Except, of course, Jane Wiedlin's appearance in the greatest movie of all time:

false alarm

"You chose complete shipping for the delivery of your order by Standard Mail, this now completes your order.

Shipped Items:

1 x 2751065 The Sound Of Arrows - Nova 5.99 GBP per unit

Items Total:	5.99 GBP
Postage and packing:	4.25 GBP
Total:	8.70 GBP"

Whew.

(And, really, I just wanted an excuse to use that image again. Gorgeous.)

the sound of delays

"Dear James,

Update on your order number: xxxxxxx

Unfortunately there has been a delay in obtaining one or more of the items you have ordered and this is holding up your order.

The item(s) we have not yet been able to obtain are shown below:

The Sound Of Arrows, Nova, 5.99, 1

If you would like us to send you the items that we have in stock,
please send us an email with 'release available items' and your
order number in the subject line and we will cancel the items
that are holding up your order.

Unfortunately, we are not able to split orders and send the available
items now and the rest later. If you still wish to receive the items we
have not been able to obtain, please place a new order for these.

If you would prefer to wait and recieve all of the items you have
ordered together, you do not need to reply to this email. Please
check again in 14 days

Thank you "

Pull it together, boys. I had faith in this actually happening.

we're in the same band

Music-friend Dean alerted us to this recently: Ultrasound have reformed. And not just reformed - fully reformed, all original at-one-point-not-speaking-to-each-other band members and all.

You remember Ultrasound, right? Gave us one overblown, totally beautiful album and then splintered into oblivion? Gave us some of the most OTT pop singles of the late '90's, such as this:



And this:



And their best, for my money, THIS:



Yes, we'll they're back and working on album number 2 - as perfect as it was that they only ever gave us one album, it's even more perfect that we're threatened with a second one 12 years later.

This isn't really new news as apparently they played a bunch of shows last September/October in the UK, but it's just getting to our ears now. Even though we never dared hope for it, somehow our wildest dream has come true.

Welcome back.

(With Suede on the reunion cycle and now Ultrasound, is it too much to hope for a Geneva reunion? Please please please?)

it's all too much

As (long) promised, this week brought us the physical release (and digital re-release) of last December's shockingly amazing 'All You Need Is Now' from Duran Duran - also known as the band who refused to die. ("Planet Earth" came out 30 years ago - THIRTY YEARS - and they're still here. Whod'a thought?)

The good: it's still incredible and "Girl Panic!" will go down as one of the greatest songs of the decade, mark my words.

That out of the way, they've totally made a mess of the entire thing. First off, as feared, they've made the album too long by mixing in five new songs with the original nine. (9 tracks is the perfect length for a Duran Duran album as the first three LPs - and 'Notorious'-minus-"Winter Marches On" - will attest to.) That's not to say the new songs aren't quality. We've had "Medeterranea" as part of an EU-only iTunes EP since the album came out and it's still great in it's second-side-of-the-first-LP kind of way. Even better is the fantastically titled "Too Bad You're So Beautiful", which is essentially "Girl Panic!"'s twin sister - one wonders if I would be raving about it as much as "Girl Panic!" if it had appeared in the original track list. My guess is yes. There's also "Other People's Lives" which is yet another track that would have sounded very comfortable on 'Seven and the Ragged Tiger', so a win. The last two are orchestral interludes based on the title track arranged by Owen Pallett, which are fine but a bit pointless - this is a Duran Duran BIG pop album not some epic concept album that needs pallet-cleansers (see what I did there?), so they do drag things down a bit.

The big culprit, though, is the formatting. What a fucking disaster. For years, fans have been "rewarded" with different bonus tracks being available through different distributors or distribution methods but this has to be the worst case of fucking the fans over by far. Depending on where you buy the album in the UK, you get either the 14-track expanded album, one bonus track and a bonus remix, a different bonus track, yet a different bonus track, or the first two bonus tracks plus a bonus disc with two additional remixes. In the US we're slightly luckier with only four options: the straight-up 14 track album, a 15-tracker with one of the UK bonus tracks, a 16-track CD with the same bonus track and one of the remixes from the UK bonus disc (but NOT the one from the bonus track/remix pairing in the UK - got that?), or a 17-track disc with all three studio bonus tracks but no remixes only available at Best Buy. (This is, as far as I can tell, the only way to get two of those tracks on CD as they're digital only in the UK.) The other two remixes are MIA as of now in the US, as is the mentioned-by-name-by-Nick-Rhodes-in-an-interview fourth bonus track entitled "This Lost Weekend" which is on none of the myriad of options presented above for either country. (Fitting, I suppose.) There's a DVD with some of those different configurations up there with your typical EPK type crap plus a band commentary on the main 12 tracks of the album, but that gets kind of lost in the bonus track mania.

*deep breath*

Not done yet. Best Buy has the best option, so off I go to do some shopping. Well, someone somewhere fucked something up and there are multiple SKUs for the album in their system - as best I can tell, for the 14-track version, the 15-track version and the exclusive 17-track version. The 17-tracker + DVD is being advertised in their ad for $11.99, which isn't terrible in this day and age, and when I show up in the store at 10:05 on Tuesday morning there's only one version on the shelf - 17 tracks but no mention of the DVD, though the packaging looks like it could be holding one. I don't care too much about the DVD - right? - so I'll take my chances. When I get to the cash register it rings up at $13.99. I feel a bit silly arguing over $2, but at this point I have already bought the album once back in December and am feeling a bit put out by this bonus track nonsense so I bring it to the cashier's attention. We have to go back to the shelf to look at the shelf-tag and the SKUs don't match - ugh. I point out this is clearly the version being advertised in the circular - hoping she won't notice that the DVD isn't explicitly mentioned on the packaging, which she doesn't - but she has to call her supervisor over to ask. Fine, I work in retail I get it - but then she gives me the run around for a good five minutes about how it's a different version (it's not), that it's not the one being advertised in the ad (which is the same argument, and it is) and we putz around on the computer for a while trying to figure it out. She eventually begrudgingly gives it to me for $11.99 - along with a side dish of attitude - and pulls every other copy off the shelf to "try and figure out what's going on". I've read and heard similar stories so way to stay on top of things, Best Buy. (Granted, I'm sure the new Duran Duran album is not their top priority, but if you're going to be the exclusive retailer of something you really should get your shit together.) There also is apparently a pressing issue with some batches of the Best Buy version where the last half of the album is riddled with digital noise but I thankfully didn't experience that. There's commentary on the decline of the music industry somewhere in there but I can't even be bothered at this point.

So now we get the three bonus tracks and how are they? Bonus track-y. "Too Close To The Sun" is pure 'Astronaut' - fine by me, I still maintain it is a fine album - sounding a bit like one of the dubbier mixes of "(Reach Up For The) Sunrise". That said, it is a bit out of place with the rest of the album. "Early Summer Nerves" sounds to me like what I wanted 'Red Carpet Massacre' to be - a modern update of 'Notorious' - so I love it, even if it is a bit short and also out of place. "Networker Nation" - the bonus track that appears on the most versions of the album if you're trying to keep score at home - is the one true mis-fire, with it's mention of "Facebook friends" and terrible modern club beat. Ugh. If I recall, none of the three were part of the sessions with Mark Ronson that produced the main album, being completed with different producers after the fact and it really shows. (It also doesn't bode well for the future, but we'll worry about that when we get to it.)

End result? Still one of my favorite albums of the past few years and one that I have a feeling I'll be coming back to for a long time to come. Your best bet is to keep at least a playlist with the original 9 track running order and then play around with the extra tracks to make a solid companion EP. And, while I don't generally condone this kind of thing, steal the fuck out of whatever bonus track(s) your edition doesn't have because this is bull. shit.

Duran Duran have no right to be this good in this day and age, but that's what makes the whole thing so fun. I really, really wish I had been able to get tickets to the show at the Phoenix in Toronto next month - it's going to be a total blast.

build a disappointment boys!

The new Elbow album leaves me underwhelmed, and that makes me sad.

Now, let's be fair - it's been out for only a few weeks so this is first impressions and all. That said, this is the first time in five albums that I feel like something is missing. What's that something? I don't know, but it was something of which the other four have plenty to spare.

It brings me back to my first listen to 'Cast of Thousands'. It was possibly my most anticipated album of 2003, following the note-perfect 'Asleep In The Back' as it did, but I was also a little nervous, as it was following the note-perfect 'Asleep In The Back'. The digital release of "Ribcage" ahead of the album was the first time I paid for a download and I remember being incredibly impressed, a bit confused and sort of disappointed in it all at the same time. Certainly not an easy track for a comeback single, but after a few listens it sunk in and revealed itself to be the stunner it is. Then came the album and I had a similar response - not as good as 'Asleep In The Back'! But, it wasn't trying to be. It's a completely different beast and that confused me. Repeated listens over the next few days brought me around to it but, right or wrong, that initial impression still shapes my feelings about the album. Forced to pick, I rank it as my least favorite Elbow full length. (Or, rather, did.)

That initial insane expectation shattered and somewhat met, 'Leaders of the Free World' and I had an easier time on our first meeting. Then came 'The Seldom Seen Kid' and it was quickly apparent that this was the album they had been trying to make for the past two but hadn't quite been able to reach. They'd arrived and created their second masterpiece.

Which, of course, gives us new troubles for 'build a rocket boys!', following the (almost) note-perfect 'The Seldom Seen Kid' as it does. (Its flaws - tiny as they are - are part of its charm.) It's hard to pinpoint what it is about the album that doesn't sit well with me, especially because every time I think: "this isn't working", I realize that it was a brave move on their part and I appreciate them more for it. (Right? Right.)

There's one thing that I know for sure does not work for me and it was painfully obvious on my first listen to the track: "Neat Little Rows" is not very good. Here's why: it is little more than an attempt - conscious or not - at a "Grounds For Divorce" retread, itself not their finest single. It starts out well enough with its driving bass line and treated vocals, but the chorus brings it to a grinding - or should I say - pounding halt. It's all "bang bang bang bang" while the descending piano line really drags the song down with it - a bit like driving a car at top speed during the verse and then slamming into the brick wall of the chorus. All of this isn't helped by the immediate recall of the perfection of "The Bones Of You" with the lyrical imagery - not the same sentiment by any means but I instantly go there when I hear it and/or see the single sleeve. I hate to say it, but it's the first not good Elbow single. *tear*

As for the rest, here's where it gets tricky. It's all a bit flat, but that probably wasn't the worst idea after the bombast of "The Seldom Seen Kid". This, of course, is going to make the album more of a grower than a shower, but continued attempts to pull more out of it reveal little to nothing. It starts out promising enough - epic opener "The Birds" takes the swamp-rock "Grounds For Divorce" admirably attempted but came up a tiny bit short and runs with it for 8 minutes without overstaying its welcome by a second. Even though it could only come first, it doesn't really play nice as an opener and sets up the very strange flow of the rest of the LP. "Lippy Kids",while lovely, is too much of a whisper to follow such a shout and feels a bit wasted as the second track, and the jarring transition into the more upbeat "With Love" lessens the impact of both. (Also: poor use of the choir in "With Love" - it sounds cheap rather than uplifting.)

"Jesus Is A Rochdale Girl" sits uncomfortably in the middle, being even more subdued than "Lippy Kids", and no amount of Guy Garvey's way with a turn of phrase can hide that there's no tune here. "The Night Will Always Win" stretches a good idea out for too long, repeating an amazing sentiment - "I miss your stupid face" indeed - to the point where it ruins the impact. "High Ideals" does similar, except even after a dozen listens I can't recall a single line, just a slightly out of place mariachi band and orchestra arrangement.

Following that, though, is the stunner for me. "The River" is a bit like a fleshed out "Our Little Boat" and is totally gorgeous. It is as long as it needs to be at under 3 minutes just as "The Birds" needs all 8 of its minutes and there's not an extra note or voice to be heard. It's the "Presuming Ed (Rest Easy)", "Crawling With Idiot" and "Some Riot" of this album and, as of now, the only thing I truly love on it.

Up next is "Open Arms", such blatant attempt to re-write "One Day Like This" that it is very little surprise that it has been earmarked for second single. I don't think I'd go as far as saying I hate it, but - like "One Day Like This" and "Grace Under Pressure" before that - it is an Elbow song that is not meant for me. This fades to a bit of a pointless reprise of "The Birds", sung by an older man to suggest the passing of time that the album is (apparently) obsessed with - or something like that - but it comes off a bit hokey. The album closes with "Dear Friends", which is pleasant enough but certainly not strong enough to end the album.

It's heartbreaking, really, that this album does very little for me. Much like the mess of a PJ Harvey album, if the name wasn't attached to it I'm not even entirely sure I'd have made it through an entire listen. I realize I'm being incredibly nit-picky and am, perhaps, expecting a bit much from it, but they've shown in the past they are more than capable.

I see it (but I'm not sure I believe it)

The Sound of Arrows just posted this picture to their Twitter. While it in no way guarantees that we will actually be getting an album during the 2011 calendar year, it does show that one exists and increases the possibility of it coming some time in the near future. If it all goes tits up - which is still has the possibility of doing, lets be honest - there's something to search for.

(Of course, we also know a third JJ72 album exists and they've somehow managed to keep that one under wraps for all these years.)

Color me (incredibly) cautiously optimistic. And to think all of this excitement stems from a 2-year old 3:45 single that I didn't even like that much at first:



You've got a lot to live up to, boys.

let England stream

NPR is streaming the new PJ Harvey album this week ahead of its release. Despite what the glowing reviews are saying it's not terribly good, however a mediocre new PJ Harvey is better than no new PJ Harvey I suppose. ("In The Dark Places" has a bit of an "It's You" vibe going for it and the title track thankfully does not have that stupid "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" sample in it, but that's about all the good I can pull from it for now.)

Far more interesting is 'Hotel Shampoo', the new LP from SFA's Gruff Rhys which is also streaming this week courtesy of his website. I haven't been able to drum up much excitement for this one for some reason - still a bit burned from 'Dark Days/Light Years' I guess - but the album continues in the breezy pop vein of 2007's 'Candylion' and is pretty solid from start to finish. (I'm personally waiting for the lo-fi follow up to 'Yr Atal Genhedlaeth' but I might be alone on that one.) It's definitely the better bet of the two, but truthfully both are probably just force of habit at this point.

in for the overkill

The machine has kicked into overdrive and there is yet another version of the La Roux album is coming our way.

I suppose that's not entirely fair as the album itself hasn't been re-packaged and re-sold to us numerous times, just the singles. (How many "In For The Kill" and/or "Bulletproof" remix packages are there?) According to the official site, February 8th will bring is the digital-only release of the Gold Edition - to tie in (a bit late) to the Gold Tour, I imagine. While they get points for not making us buy the album again for the bonus material, they lose points for attempting to re-sell us a number of tracks we've bought numerous times before. The track list will be:

01 In For The Kill (featuring Kanye West) [I really hoped this was one going to disappear...]
02 Finally My Saviour [aka "Saviour", which we had to re-buy the album on iTunes to get, grumble grumble]
03 Under My Thumb [which we bought the 'Sidetracked' compilation for, and it's not even that great in the first place]
04 I'm Not Your Toy (Jack Beats Remix) [possibly not released in the US before, I forget, but we've still got it a few times over]
05 In For The Kill (Skream's Let's Get Ravey Remix) [STOP! IT! WITH! THIS! REMIX!]
06 Quicksand (Boy 8-Bit Remix) [also possibly not released in the US before, but it was the only reason we bought the re-release of the single]
07 Bulletproof (Zinc Remix) [while not as bad as the Skream "In For The Kill", we've bought this one many times over already]
08 Tigerlily (Demo) [THANK YOU! Something genuinely new.]
09 Bulletproof (Intimate Session at Abbey Road, Acoustic) [this could be nice - it works surprisingly well acoustic]
10 In For The Kill (Vevo Lounge Version) [this is really nice as well]

I understand that there is a limited amount of material to work with AND I would also much rather see them flogging the same old same old in an attempt to get a bigger market share than to completely disappear into oblivion, however it really is kind of insane how many times they've re-packaged some of these mixes. I'm not really sure who this is aimed at either - those who obsessed over each and every single as they were coming out (raises hand) are going to be pissed they have to buy this all again for a few new treats, those who came later to the game and want to go obsessive can still very easily track down most of these on their original homes, and those who thought the Kanye West version was a good idea don't care about the rest of this.

Ahh, well. As long as there's the option to pick what you want rather than having to download the whole thing, I guess it would be worse. They really need to go away and start working on LP2, though.

That Vevo Lounge Version of "In For The Kill":



Surprisingly lovely, yes?

mirrorsmirrorsmirrors

Mirrors have finally announced details of their debut album...sort of. You can piece together all the information from various places.

Anyways, it's called 'Lights And Offerings' - which was kind of an open secret, the band had never really confirmed it yet there were samplers with the title and tiny versions of the artwork on various promo mix CDrs that were out and about - and Recordstore is reporting it is 10 tracks long. 10 tracks is the perfect album length - 5 songs on each side - so that's very exciting. Also, "Lights And Offerings" itself is not amongst the 10 tracks - I love when title tracks appear as b-sides so I'm a fan. These songs are in the line-up:

01 Fear Of Drowning
02 Look At Me
03 Into The Heart
04 Write Through The Night
05 Ways To An End
06 Hide And Seek
07 Somewhere Strange
08 Something On Your Mind
09 Searching In The Wilderness
10 Secrets

If you're crafty you already have 8 of the 10 tracks up there in some version or another so you know this has the potential to be an album of the year. Recordstore is offering signed copies with a free mixdisc but the band mentioned a fancy deluxe edition on their Facebook so I'd hold off on the pre-order for a bit. (There also HAS to be an LP release. There just has to.)

The video for "Into The Heart":



Fantastic. I'm so excited for this one I can hardly stand it.

2011 Q1 shopping list

2010 saw me spending a lot of money. Paired with that, while going through album purchases at the end of the year to make a year-end list, I came across many things that I had bought but listened to maybe once or twice - not necessarily because I didn't like it, more because there was so much to take in - and, in a few cases, things I had totally forgotten I purchased. So I decided to take the month of January off from purchasing new music - partially to pay the bills, partially to further explore some forgotten 2010 releases, partially to go through those massive fan-made Blur deluxe editions. (I cheated a little. I have some credit at the iTunes store so I bought the Anna Calvi single after reading about it - the blatant PJ Harvey-isms are a bit distracting, but at the same time she apparently isn't interested in making an album like that any more so it's good someone is - and then there's the use-it-or-lose-it credit on eMusic, but no new money has been spent so far.) Anyways, it wasn't that difficult as not much has come out this month that was really all that interesting - there was the Klaxons deluxe edition this week but there's only two tracks on it I don't already have so waiting isn't that difficult, next week is the Fujiya & Miyagi album but I'd like to wait to hear some more of it before I commit, and the Anna Calvi album came out but I really can't decide - so it appears to have been a good month to do that. However, the calendar is quickly filling up for February and March with lots and lots of really, really good stuff. Let's take a look.

02/02:
Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo - Japanese CD with 2 bonus tracks (from the UK 12"/DL singles that aren't available in the US - grrr)

02/07:
PJ Harvey - The Words That Maketh Murder - 7" (Already available as a download in the UK sans b-side - the US got "Written On The Forehead" for some reason, despite it already being available as a free download from Polly herself. Fuckers.)
The Boxer Rebellion - Step Out Of The Car - 7" (Exclusive b-side not on any of the myriad of formats of the album.)
The Boxer Rebellion - The Cold Still - UK CD release (Recordstore is offering signed copies to the first 100 orders while HMV has an exclusive 4-track bonus CD.)
02/08:
The Boxer Rebellion - The Cold Still - US iTunes download with 3 bonus tracks, none of which overlap with the HMV bonus disc, which is both nice and obnoxious. (Is there a physical version planned for the US? I can't seem to find one.)
Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo - US CD for those who don't want to go the Japanese route.

02/14:
Mirrors - Into The Heart - 7" (No word on b-side yet, but Richard X produced single version!)
02/15:
Mirrors - Into The Heart - US download (I'm assuming, though no one actually has it listed yet.)
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake - CD/LP (Second US vinyl release in a row for PJ - hooray! Also, the iTunes pre-order bonus track is the b-side from the 7" so no need to go that route.)

02/21:
nothing of interest
02/22:
Designer Drugs - Hardcore/Softcore - CD (Good remixers don't always equal good album artists, but this is worth investigating.)

02/28:
Elbow - Neat Little Rows - 7" (Finally, new Elbow!)
03/01:
nah

03/07:
Elbow - Build A Rocket Boys! - CD (And, I'm assuming, LP. No word on a US release yet.)
03/08:
R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now - CD (Could be iffy but worth checking out.)

Also somewhere in there will be the physical release of Duran Duran's 'All You Need Is Now' with extra tracks - please don't fuck it up, it's pretty perfect as it is - and the single release of the title track from last year's Manic Street Preachers album. Also possible is the first single from The Whip's second LP due in the Spring, long-awaited new material from Battles, a dub version of Steve Mason's 'Boys Outside' LP called 'Ghosts Outside' and a single from the Kills record that is out on April 4/5. Active Child is in the studio working on new material though no release has been set, Hunx & His Punx have a proper full-length in the works, Florrie as a second EP and Annie collab in the works (which may or may not be the same thing) and Björk may or may not deliever LP7 in the first half of the year - and which point I may or may not care, she's burned through A LOT of good will over the past five years or so. Also, in the "I'll believe it when I see it" category, that stupid Sound of Arrows album is supposed to be out in the Spring but it may have been delayed - again - the Fall. So I'll see you in 2015 to discuss that one.

All in all, 2011 is shaping up quite nicely. Anything I missed?

five re-issues from 2010 that tickled my fancy

It is becoming increasingly more common for album re-issues to be as exciting - if not more so - than new album releases. 2010 was no exception and delivered a number of highly anticipated, long-overdue album remasters (sometimes for the worse) and expansions (always for the better). Here are the five I enjoyed the most in 2010, listed alphabetically by artist:


a-ha - Hunting High And Low (Remastered and Expanded)

First off, Rhino takes the remaster crown of 2010 for delivering three of the five packages on this list - and a number of others I had interest in but not the cash to support. (Rhino Handmade ain't cheap, folks.) First up is a gorgeous sounding 2-disc expansion of a-ha's fantastic debut. Disc one contains a lush-sounding subtle remaster of the album proper followed by a period remix of each of the 4 singles, some making their CD debut. (The ones that aren't were previously available on tricky to track down Japanese EPs, so essentially they're all making their easy-to-obtain CD debut.) The second disc starts out with a demo version of each of the album's tracks in the original running order, followed by the period b-sides and a selection of never further-developed demo tracks. (Most of the b-sides were from that batch so it all goes together well.) It's understandable why the band is viewed as a one hit wonder in the US, but this really is a spectacular debut - "Take On Me" really is one of the weakest tracks on it - and should be in the collection of anyone that is a fan of the period. Thanks to Rhino, you now have the definitive version of the album as a one-stop go-to. (Follow-up 'Scoundrel Days' got a similarly structured expansion, but I've never been as big a fan of that one outside of "Cry Wolf". It didn't stop me from purchasing it, of course...)


The Cure - Disintegration (Deluxe Edition)

Rhino contribution #2. To be honest, 'Disintegration' is far from my favorite Cure album - I can rarely make it through the entire thing in one listen, it's just. so. heavy. - and the bonus material on these Cure reissues hasn't exactly been anything you need to listen to more than once. That said, this thing is jam-packed with pretty much all the 'Disintegration' you are ever going to need. The set itself contains a disc for the album, a bonus disc with the now-standard home and studio demos with a few obligatory never-fleshed-out demo ideas and a third disc with the 'Entreat' live album expanded to cover all of the album's tracks. Thanks to the wonder of the internet, we also got another pair of virtual bonus discs in an alternate set of demos and rarities that streamed from the official site and another live run through of the album captured in Dallas on the album's tour. A lot of overlap - and, perhaps, more than a touch of overkill - but you can't say they skimped on extras for this one. Now give us 'Mixed Up' and I can stop buying these stupid things. ;)


Duran Duran - 'Duran Duran', 'Seven and the Ragged Tiger', 'Notorious' and 'Big Thing' Deluxe Editions

We've talked about these before, but I think it's safe to say that 2010 was the year of the return of Duran Duran. (Well, I suppose it started in late 2009 with the 'Rio' reissue.) Anyways, these were obviously going to be here so we'll move on.


The Monkees - The Birds, The Bees and The Monkees (Rhino Handmade Edition)

Rhino delivers again with another long-awaited expansion. (Technically this came out before the a-ha reissues, but as far as this list is concerned they fall after.) Anyways, Rhino did 2-disc deluxe editions of the first four Monkees albums - containing even more newly unearthed rarities as well as the mono mixes of the LPs - a few years back, but the campaign totally died leading up to the important one. Long the holy grail of Monkees collectors, the mono mix of their fifth LP was the last to be produced - and in very small numbers - so not many had heard it. It also featured some pretty substantial differences from the stereo mix that were in danger of being lost to time. Apparently the hold up was a mix of soft sales for the first four - it was far from the first time they had been reissued and they weren't exactly cheap, to be fair - and the missing master tapes for the mono mix. In swoops the Handmade division with a minty copy of the LP to do a vinyl transfer of the missing tracks, more period rarities than you can shake a stick at and a lavish lenticular box to throw 3-discs worth of late-1967/early 1968 period Monkees in. Probably not as overkill as the Cure set but you also will never need another version of "Lady's Baby" as long as you live. (Later in the year, Rhino Handmade delivered a 3-disc expansion of 'Head' - which sounded and looked great at the time. However, stretching six songs worth of alternate material over the course of 3-discs proved to be a better idea in theory that execution - and that is even after filling the third disc with a period radio interview. They did a bang-up job on the box, though, replicating the reflective mylar cover for the first time since the original Colgems LP. They definitely get an "A" for effort.)


R.E.M. - Fables of the Reconstruction (Deluxe Edition)

The R.E.M. remaster campaign continues with a fresh look at their third LP. I'm no R.E.M. expert by any means so I'll leave the commentary to others, but this set is both an improvement, a no-change and a step back from the first two. Improvement: the second disc contains a demo run-through of the album plus three - two songs that eventually found homes on later albums and one genuinely unreleased song. No-change: the mastering still kind of sucks and this doesn't sound very good. Step back: the packaging! Yes, it's nice, but it doesn't match the previous two and that's annoying.

And that, as they say, is that. I'm finally ready to fully embrace 2011 - and only eleven days late!

the 12 releases that make up my 2010 top 10

Nothing's ever simple, right? Anyways, the following are the twelve releases that make up my 10 favorite albums of 2010:


Honorable Mention: Ash - The A-Z Series
Key tracks: "Arcadia", "Space Shot", "Instinct", "Binary", "There Is Hope Again"
Ash has always been a singles band at heart, so for them to attempt 26 singles over 52 weeks made sense. Obviously it didn't turn out as perfect as it sounded - the quality expectedly dropped off a bit in the back half of the project and not every track was really single-worthy - but that they could carry it through to the conclusion AND get such a relatively high success rate made the entire thing worthwhile. Plus, it was super fun getting a new Ash "single" every other Sunday.


Honorable Mention: Alphabeat - The Beat Is...
Key tracks: "The Beat Is", "DJ", "The Spell"
Released at the end of 2009 as 'The Spell' in native Denmark, Alphabeat's dance-pop-tastic second album saw a delayed release in the UK in March with a name change, slight track order re-jig and obligatory bonus track. If the self-titled album was a throwback to 80's Europop then "The Beat Is..." has both feet firmly planted on the early 90's dance floor, taking inspiration from Snap!, C+C Music Factory, Technotronic and the like - "Always Up With You" even features the cheesy house piano at the intro. The revolution didn't quite take off as the album was a bit of a dud everywhere except its home country - and my iPod, obviously - but it was a worthy effort.


10: Prince - 20Ten
Key Tracks: "Laydown", "Compassion", "Lavaux"
Yes, really, a Prince album and - despite the terrible album art, stupid distribution and Prince's paranoid/insane ramblings that "the internet is over" - a really good one at that. His best album since...well, that's kind of pointless, but it is worth noting that it's his most solid album effort as a whole since he decided to stop fucking around with free jazz and instrumental improv and get back to business with 2003's 'Musicology'. The re-introduction of the Linn drum machine didn't hurt either - "Compassion" comes out of the gate sounding like a '1999' out-take and the album never lets up from there. It is hurt a bit without a "Black Sweat"-sized JAM - though "Lavaux" is essentially a "Mountains" rewrite for a mid-album high - but we've got his most thoroughly enjoyable album in quite some time.


09: James - The Night Before
Key tracks: "Mother's A Clown", "Crazy", "It's Hot"
The James revival carries on with a fantastic mini-album. Part of a two mini-album set - the second, "The Morning After", didn't quite reach the heights of this one - it is helped by its brevity as it doesn't run out of steam by going on too long like the otherwise excellent 'Hey Ma!' did. It's a bit annoying that the album's best track was only available as a low bit-rate download to purchasers of the album - I'm all for bonus tracks as downloads, but 128kpbs mp3s? Really? - and then didn't reappear on the US compilation of the two albums later in the year. (To be fair, the other bonus track only appeared on the iTunes version - as an album-only download, of course.) Formatting frustrations aside, another excellent addition to the James discography.

(The US totally got the better artwork:

Mirrorball Kitty Attack!)


08: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today
Key tracks: "Round And Round", "Menopause Man", "Can't Hear My Eyes"
I wasn't familiar with Ariel Pink before a demo version of "Menopause Man" appeared on the 4AD Record Store Day 12", but I was instantly enthralled with the odd mix of hi-fi pop and lo-fi bedroom recording the track presented. Proper lead single "Round And Round" was another instant love, even with it's odd song structure and sound a little too close to 70's soft rock, and the album is a fascinating hodgepodge of genres thrown together that somehow manages to hold together as a cohesive whole.


07: The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night
Key tracks: "Chicago Train", "And This Is What We Call Progress", "Albatross"
Shoegazing is alive and it lives in Montréal. OK, not really - the shoegazing tag gets thrown around so much these days that it's essentially useless - but this is one captivatingly beautiful record of woozy guitar noise and boy/girl vocals. I don't even remember how I was introduced to it - I saw the album sleeve image somewhere on line and was taken in by an absolutely glowing review - but I am very glad it has cast its spell on me. (On a side note - and nothing against the previous records on the list - but its a bit ridiculous that a record this great can only sit at the 7th spot on the list. 2010 was a gooooood year.)


06: Erykah Badu - New Amerykah: Part Two (The Return Of The Ankh)
Key tracks: "Window Seat", "Turn Me Away (Get MuNNY)", "Gone Baby, Don't Be Long"
It didn't arrive on time - obviously - but it was well worth the wait. She couldn't make a record more extreme than '4th World War' so what was one to do? Go back to the past and make her warmest record since 'Baduizm', that's what, but mixed with the immediacy and at times uncomfortably personal feel of the first volume. A bit like her 'Lovesexy' to '4th World War''s 'Black Album' - oh, yes. (It even gets away with a Wings sample - WINGS!) Next time, please don't stay away so long.


05: Steve Mason - Boys Outside
Key tracks: "Understand My Heart", "Am I Just A Man", "Boys Outside"
I was never really a fan of The Beta Band and therefore certainly wasn't familiar with the following solo material under any number of monikers, but throw in a Richard X production credit and I am all ears. (Also, Joe knows what I like all too well.) The definition of a grower, Steve Mason's solo debut under his own name is one gorgeous, soul bearing singer/songwriter/downtempo-electro record. (Kind of. Right?) It's a bit front loaded with the more uptempo numbers - "Am I Just A Man" is straight-up Tears For Fears, or maybe that's just me - which makes the back half seem to sag a bit, but once it sinks in it's there for good. I am very excited for the dub record in the coming year. (Also, I know finances and everything were involved but I was massively disappointed that the North American acoustic tour was canceled. And don't get me started on how the singles were released/formatted/distributed - although big points for 4 singles off a record. The perfect example of how digital distribution has made collecting harder rather than more convenient, and for seemingly no reason at all.)


04: Duran Duran - All You Need Is Now
Key tracks: "Girl Panic!", "Being Followed", "Blame The Machines"
Yeah, it's been out for less than a month at this point so maybe this is excitement talking, but Duran Duran are back in a big way with this one. And not just any Duran Duran - because, let's be honest, they've been a number of different bands over the years. This is, as promised in the almost year-long lead up hype, a classic Duran Duran record to sit alongside the first three LPs, the alternate follow-up to 'Rio' that Mark Ronson promised. (Even if it does sound more like the alternate follow-up to 'Seven and the Ragged Tiger' to these ears, but I've always been partial to that one.) There's no doubt they're borrowing from the past here - closer "Before The Rain" does more than borrow from "The Chauffeur", "The Man Who Stole A Leopard" is a fleshed-out "Tel Aviv", "Being Followed" borrows the melody from the chorus of "Last Chance On The Stairway" and I wouldn't believe that "Girl Panic!" wasn't a lost 1981 Night Version if I didn't know any better. And so on and so on. The important thing, though - and what makes the record an absolute blast - is that the band sound like they're having fun. They know this is the record their fans wanted - and bless Ronson for getting that message through to them - and they sound more than happy to deliver. I can't wait for the tour.


03: These New Puritans - Hidden
Key tracks: "We Want War", "Attack Music", "White Chords"
This was unexpected. I was a big fan of 'Beat Pyramid' when it came out - and think it has gotten better over the years - but that album was in no way a preparation for this. While I won't say that this sounds like nothing else out there today as others have - because I'm sure that's not true - I will say that TNPS conviction to turning a pop record on its ear is the strongest I heard from any band this year. Because let's be honest, this is a pop record at heart - albeit it one orchestrated by children's choirs, full orchestras, brass ensembles and melons being crushed with sledgehammers to sound like heads being crushed, all anchored by a 7-minute lead single with a mind-warping video. Pretentious? Yes. But as a means to an end to creating an amazing album, there was - ahem - nothing else quite like it this year.
(Side note one: While the lead-up to the album was perfect - the single! the album mega-mix! they even chose the right second single! - they totally shot the campaign to hell afterward by making the absolute worst decision whenever possible. The "Attack Music" video looked like a Placebo single sleeve come to life - not pretty - and no physical single was weak. Then a bunch of shit MC remixes. Then an era-wrapping remix 10" - inappropriate format, really - that contained said shit MC remixes and a pair of remixes we already bought at least once while there were some decent ones waiting for a proper release. Who's in charge, here?
Side note two: Records 3, 2 and 1 are all pretty much tied and were pretty much the sound track to my 2010. You need them all.)


02: School of Seven Bells - Disconnect From Desire
Key tracks: "Heart Is Strange", "Dust Devil", "Camarilla"
Ahh, yes. The record that turned me into a 12-year-old in my anticipation. I can safely say that I haven't looked forward to a record as much in a very, very long time and it did not disappoint at all. It's really hard to talk about this record without gushing - why stop now? - but I think it's safe to say that this is as close to the pure School of Seven Bells vision as we're ever going to get, especially with Claudia leaving the band under mysterious circumstances earlier this year. Even a completely heart-breaking tour couldn't ruin it - though every time I listen to it, I can hear how it should have sounded live and it re-opens the wounds a little bit. If this is the end of the road then we ended with perfection.


01: Active Child - Curtis Lane EP
Key tracks: "I'm In Your Church At Night", "When Your Love Is Safe", "Wilderness"
Kind of cheating being a 6-track EP and all, but nothing got me as excited this year as discovering Active Child. (Thanks again, Joe.) The songs here all sound like they've been a part of me for years - they feel lived in and comforting, like climbing under a blanket to drift to sleep on a cold winter's day...and if that sounds like a bunch of overdramatic bullshit, then so be it, but that's how it is. I absolutely cannot wait to see what comes next.

So there it is - 2010 in record form. 2011, you have some mighty big shoes to fill.

ten(ish) records I enjoyed in 2010

End-of-year-list-making-a-few-days-too-late - hooray! The first - of probably many - is of 10 records that I highly enjoyed in 2010, however for some reason didn't feel compelled to include them in my 10 favorite records of the year. There could be many reasons - perhaps I didn't spend enough time with it as I was busy with something else on repeat, perhaps the rest of the record didn't shine as brightly as *that* single, or perhaps it was all around enjoyable but just not as enjoyable as 10 other records during the year. Whatever the case, I'd highly recommend checking out any and/or all of the following releases, which are presented in alphabetical order:


The Chemical Brothers - Further

The Depreciation Guild - Spirit Youth

Florrie - Introduction EP

Grinderman - Grinderman 2

The Hundred In The Hands - The Hundred In The Hands

Klaxons - Surfing The Void

Liars - Sisterworld

Manic Street Preachers - Postcards From A Young Man

Maximum Balloon - Maximum Balloon

Team Ghost - You Never Did Anything Wrong To Me & Celebrate What You Can't See EPs

More year-end madness to come.

2010 according to last.fm

That looks about right - kind of surprised Prince managed to overtake School of Seven Bells at the end, and once again I thought Ash would finish higher.

Here's to 2011 and new LPs from Elbow, The Whip, Boxer Rebellion, PJ Harvey, Dragonette...