Arfur

on October 15th.

The mark out of ten is, sadly, about right, but you wouldn't review a Radiohead album and coat them off for being too serious would you?

is amazing.

and I'm a fan- the only person on the planet it seems who actually liked 'Love Made Visible'.

...but I agree with a 6. I suspect it was released as a tax fiddle though- a live studio album flogged at gigs so it probably cost fuck all and it's all money in their pockets. They've held back songs like 'Even The Stars' until they get a proper deal.

They're one of those odd bands that sound miles better live than they do on record.

but upon arrival we were informed that the girl was ill and it would be a DJ set by that matey with the big nose. Great. She didn't look very bloody ill to me, flouncing about backstage with a can of Stella in her hand.

it would actually be an improvement.

That gobshite Martin's remarks about Jay-Z being the best rapper in the world also demonstrate that the silly tosser has caught the worldwide celebrity disease for talking loudly about things you know nothing about.

they don't list Joy Division as an influence. They need to get real.

I quite like George Lamb.

to De La.

It does y'know...

Discuss.

...is miles better than Elton John. He has started to resemble an enraged London cab driver though.

...Jeff Tweedy and Glenn Kotche's side project with Jim O'Rourke is absolutely brilliant. 'Born Again In The USA' (love that title) was miles better than the latest (possibly last?) Wilco album.

Bit like Pitchfork but not as intimidatingly dense.

...literally.

...plays on the Modest Mouse album is how I've wanted him to play for years, and judging by his ill-judged Healers project, it's probably the way HE has wanted to play for years. He just needed the right band to play with and the right songs to play. Isaac has definitely given him that. I've seen them live a couple of times this year and the sound has been a bit dodgy, particularly at the RAH.

I've loved MM for years but I think the latest record ranks among their best, in fact I can't believe more fuss hasn't been made about it in this country.

The Transformers: The Movie soundtrack IS the best OST of all time, closely followed by the Top Gun soundtrack, which helpfully points out just how homoerotic that ridiculous volleyball scene is by having 'PLAY-ING- PLAY-ING WITH THE BOYS!' blasting over the top of it.

...were one of the best live acts around C5 years ago, but last time I saw them they appeared to be going through the motions. Understandable perhaps, and they did well to retain their edge for as long as they did.

...bloody hopeless.

That gobshite Borrell is complately dillusional. That he can call himself a genius and compare himself favourably to Bob Dylan and somehow convince the odd punter that he's right is proof positive that the public really does want what the public gets.

Sometimes I wonder if he's actually for real, or whether he is, in fact, Britain's greatest living satirist. That a prick this colossal can exist in our universe is almost inconceivable.

I don't know who's worse, him or Doherty.

Although the matey I was arguing about it with in the pub on Sunday didn't. Obviously.

This fella writes superb lyrics. The Iron & Wine geezer that is, not the lad in the pub on Sunday.

...is the most overrated songwriter in the history of music. The Frank Lampard of rock, if you will. The Libertines first album showed some promise, but nothing more, and everything he's done sense has been lad-rock toss.

...be a touch of inverse snobbery now that they have attained undreamed-of commercial success?

'Oh Inverted World' is still regarded by many to be their best record, and I suspect that this may be because of it's lo-fi, indie feel and slightly ropey production values, rather than in spite of it.

To be fair it does contain 'New Slang' and 'Caring Is Creepy', which are two of the most astonishing songs I've ever heard, but I reckon 'Saint Simon' and 'Phantom Limb' are in the same league as those.

Interesting that that album has retained it's indie credibility despite the 'Garden State' stuff.

Or perhaps the relatively lukewarm reception amongst long-time admirers is due to Mercer's involvement with Gap and McDonalds?

...the constant complaints about the latest Shins album. As far as I'm concerned it's their best yet, and with songs like 'Sea Legs' (which sounds like Beck) and 'Red Rabbits' they really have 'upped the ante'.

I don't really know what people want from them. Seriously- someone explain it to me.

...is meaningless as far as artistic merit is concerned. M-People won it.

...but that's no longer the case. Must have had an off night.

Oh, and 'Wincing...' is anything but humdrum, IMHO.

I thought that despite the reviews, 'Love Kraft' was their worst album, but the new album is their best since 'Radiator' and ( thus is a bald statement...) I reckon you could make a compelling case for saying that SFA are the most consistently brilliant British band of the last decade-and-a-bit.

...the line about 'a God-shaped hole' in 'Misunderstood' is amazing, he's just got old and comfortable- it's amazing he's been so good for so long really.

...saw them at Shepherds Bush and they were note-perfect and fantastic. The album started to make a bit more sense after that too.

...and Jeff Tweedy is something of a hero of mine, but I'd have to agree with this review, including the bit about the vocal. Imagine someone like Richard Hawley singing this song.

The album generally is pleasant but underwhelming, and I can't help but wonder if Tweedy's best days are behind him.

...is bloody terrible.

Around The World In A Day is his best IMHO.

The guy has gone from writing 'I stand accused/ just like you/ of being born without a silver spoon' to writing shit like 'Money To Burn' about how loaded he is.

The Daily Mail is vile. I wonder if he's ever read it?

which can't be a bad thing.

He's playing a fucking ukelele throughout, but halfway through there's a bloody great distorted guitar coming in. The producer/engineer must have been on crack.

How can a man who was in the best band EVER be so terminally uncool?

...for featuring this band. Magnificent.

If I were the P-Man I'd be having words with my solicitor. He's probably too busy rehearsing or reading the bible to care though.

...I dig the whole country thing though.

I'm looking forward to this.

...what would be a good starting point/

...they're playing in London somewhere tonight.

...and the album's good. I'm glad they're apparently having a bit of success in the US (another band to have done well off the back of being on The OC).

The opening track on the album is immense.

'Elouise' is absolutely immense.

'Generation' is the best record I've heard in about five years. Bradfield is promising as a producer too- his Motown obsession was put to excellent use here at any rate.

You're not wrong about the Guildhall being dreadful- the sound is awful unless you stand directly in front of the mixing desk.

...completely agree about the improvement in their live performances, they were a rablle the first couple of times I saw them but have been excellent both the times I've seen them this year.

...but all their albums are equally brilliant, in my humble opinion, and the fragile, ethereal majesty that defined their mind-blowing debut is seldom far away. If I were to pick my twelve favourite Shins songs to form one album, I'd probably have close enough to four from each record.

...are there really enough people with taste in my home town of Southampton for old Richard to fill the Guildhall?

I would suggest not.

...are the best band on planet earth right now. In fact I'm not even sure that James Mercer is FROM planet Earth, or at least not the 21st century version. His lyrics are like romantic poetry that could have been written at any time in the last 300 years.

...commiserations.

should have been in there, no diggity.