Violator

As for the album, it's very decent - really catchy too. I like it and that's cool because I like being surprised sometimes and I didn't see this one coming.

12" is no good to me. Am I being stupid?

I have listened to this album about five times already and as it's not been officially released yet I'll wait to read what Drowned In Sound have to say about it before I give it a write up, so to speak.

All I will say is that I really like it. It's probably more accessible than Because Of The Times - which was a departure for KOL in a way, though I am steadfast in my admiration of it - it is a great album. This by comparison may appease those who thought the Followills had abandoned those earthy classic rock sensibilities. I am really enjoying it.

And 'Sex On Fire' may not appeal to everyone as a song title but by God does it sound cool when you're singing it as a chorus!

Anyway I'll watch this space and see how others react to it after it's release.

I don't understand this general consensus here. Surely Lust, Lust, Lust is clearly the most complete and accomplished thing the Raveonettes have ever done? It's a really decent album - solid all the way through. Don't get me wrong, I do like Chain Gang Of Love, Whip It On and Pretty In Black (though the latter is a cumbersome album if you ask me) but they're not as good as their recent effort.

Lol!

I only heard about this band and the hype connected with them yesterday and have listened to the album today. How did I miss that - from what I've read the drum roll for Glasvegas has been nothing short of obscene with expectations far exceeding that of the first test at CERN today. Nonsense.

After two listens (and a bit) I thinks its actually rather good. It's big and atmospheric in production and despite the protests of some I've read, I love the drumming. I'm suspicious the quality of this album has a lot to do with how noisy they are. It's a bit like Psychocandy in that it doesn't really work as a set of individual songs because they all sound rather similar - and I think that's intended. It's the sheer aplified experience of the whole album which is what Glasvegas/ Mary Chain have succeeded in creating. The comparisons with regard to this album shouldn't be taken too far. For a start off the recording on my CD of Psychocandy is dismal where as this is clean and the volume is nice and high. I agree with the suggestion that it is more alike to stadium U2 in effectiveness.

It's not a masterpiece, but then neither is Psychocandy or for that matter any album U2 have ever written. The 'Ice Cream Van' finale is disappointing and Stabbed is overindulgent s**t - frankly that is all I can say about it.

The lyrics are perhaps going to be the albums most sustaining feature if anything at all. There is the feeling that although the songs are really catchy and enjoyable, they're just too facile to be taken seriously but they're actually decent (Flowers & Football Tops is apparently influenced by the brutal murder of Kris Donald). The tragedy is you can't easily pick out what is being sung as the accent (which I really admire and like) is a little impenetrable for me.

Still, this album is neither the Second Coming nor a premature ejaculation. It's good and in a way kind of reminds me of how I used to feel listening to bands when I was 15. I DO agree with the comparisons with the Raveonettes and especially Lust, Lust, Lust which is a deeply underrated album and superior to this if we are to truly accept that Glasvegas are the Mary Chain-resurrection.

S**t name for a band name though. I'm sorry, but it's risible - end of story.

I have Mystery Jets 'Twenty One' and the Foals 'Antidotes'. I cannot honestly say that I think that much of either of these. The Foals in particular were fairly underwhelming next to the Cribs as a Bloc Party support act. Street Horrrsing is a very interesting album but that doesn't necessarily make it a good one. I think it's probably a triumph of style over substance - of sound over content.

The rest was easy - it's a toss between P.J's White Chalk and Third by Portishead. Both of these albums are intense, cold and sometimes disturbing examples of music. They're beautiful but much like a frozen arctic landscape is beautiful. There is something dangerous and captivating about them and also very haunting. If I'm to reflect on my top ten favorite albums, all would carry a similar description. The basic truth is that 'fun and jumpy' is great but true brilliance lies in the dark and brooding atmosphere that only great albums can create.

Batman is cooler than Superman, and there's a reason for that.

Anyway, I've decided to vote for Portishead because it's got 'Small' on it.

Hold on...White Chalk has 'The Mountain' on it... Doh!!

Silent Alarm: 9.5 (it has a weakness - the album version of She's Hearing Voices is terrible compared to the EP version).
AWITC: 9
Intimacy: 8
Another Weekend In The City: 7
Bloc Party (EP): 9
Little Thoughts (EP): 9 (Skeleton - still one of the best songs Bloc Party has ever done).
Two More Years (EP): 8

By the way, the B-side to Mercury, 'An Idea For A Story' is a very good track indeed.

I'm sorry but I really don't know how anyone could type this while maintaining a straight face. Have you listened to any of Muse's recent material? They sound like they're a poor copycat of their former selves. Now as for meaning - Muse are easily the complete opposite of Okereke's lyrics. Where as he is at times childishly honest about his feelings and opinions, Muse are more than likely to vanish up their backsides. The effect should quite simply defy physics.

But let's be fair, not everyone needs to agree about music - except where Muse are concerned. On that issue it is quite simply a measure of character.

I really like the way AWITC divides opinion. It's clear the reviewer here was not at all as impressed by it as they felt their colleague had been. I read Pitchfork's review of that album too and the criticisms seemed quite similar. It seems a lot of people felt the latter half of the album was poor if not pedestrian. Well I respect that opinion but I'm sorry, it was those songs (from Kreuzberg) which provided me an access point to the album which eventually enabled me to love it from start to finish. Sunday just blew me away - I'm sorry to say that, but it's still arguably my favourite track on the album. And SRXT is 'anti-climatic'?!! What? I'm sorry but I'm truely puzzled - what is anti-claimatic about it. It finishes with a such a crescendo of emotion and a simple final line that leaves me moved everytime I listen to it.

But as I say, the fun thing about AWITC is that it seems to court debate which is a good thing. Who wants music that stimulates the same response in everyone who listens to it? Isn't that supposed to be pop music's virtue, not indie.

I have been listening to Intimacy at least two times a day since it's release and it's growing on me with each listen. I like different songs each time I come back to it which is a good sign.

As for Okereke's lyrics I am uncertain as to what one can say. They're not amazing, very subtle, or spell-bindingly poetic in nature but I have come to find them quite personal. They're certainly honest I think and perhaps the most refreshing thing in a meduim which involves hiding your meaning, is just advertise it. The line about taking your watch off seems contrived but perhaps it isn't to Okereke nor to a thousand other people. To them it might be a part of a foolish but tender memory they have. Love is a really foolish and silly thing in a way so I kind of like it when romantic songs appear that way instead of grand full of wothiness.

I still say it's a good album. Not sure whether it's a great one but I'm gonna hold out on making that decision for a while.