paulo13

I am looking forward to:

January:
Eels (I'm hoping it's less rocky/more quirky)
Get Well Soon (his 2008 debut was superb. Very much looking forward to his follow-up)
Stars And Sons (I really enjoyed his/their free ep and the gig I saw of them in 2008- an album should hopefully be good to)

February:
Efterklang (I love these guys, but I'm still waiting for their first perfect album I know they have in them)
Shearwater (looking forward to that dual-xylophoning song they have been playing live)
Breathe Owl Breathe (a much ignored/unknown band from Michigan, who have probably made my favourite albums in 2007 and 2008)

It's looking to be a great start to the year for me. Generally the early months seem to take a while to get going, but 2010 looks cool already.

their album sounds quite interesting on spotify, so i'll give them a download on emusic.

someone suggested this to me a couple of weeks ago, and I quite enjoyed it. The album's out now in Denmark, but much too expensive to import from that crazy expensive country, so I'll probably wait til The Leaf Label's release.

not last year.
Wasn't too keen on it myself, but it probably would grow on me some more if I found the time to listen some more. Looking forward to new stuff though.

so am glad to see it's getting another release/ some recognition. Lovely little album.

looking forward to both.
Bought tickets at the much more reasonable ticketweb.

and it's then still less than two pounds a song, and I get to keep it forever too!
If it's some kind of swanky packaging, then that's okay, but if it's £2/£3 more than other cds for no reason then it's just a bit annoying.

but why's it so expensive to pre-order at the moment? £10.99 seems a bit steep to stingy me!

I liked the sound of the review, and decided to download it from Emusic, but it's just dull. The songs sound the same, from one to the next, and it's one of the rare records I buy that I struggle to listen all the way through to the end. Was a bit of a disappointment.

'With its soft harmonies, delicate acoustic guitar and mournful piano'
'song ‘Crooked Lust’, one of the few upbeat numbers on Upper Air, with its bouncy, finger picked guitar and catchy hook'

As far as I can tell, those two are the only sentences that even try and describe any of the album or songs. I don't mind if you don't like the album, but the review is just a bit pointless.

I was quite pleasantly surprised.

The Leeds gig was great, looking forward to seeing it again at the lovely Barbican.

the Soap&Skin album is definitely one of my favourites this year.

and also pleased to see My Latest Novel mentioned also. The album's growing on me more and more, and will probably continue to do so after their great gig yesterday.

rober wadlow

this album is also in the new boomkat sale for about £6 I think.

I'm not too fussed with this album. I love Eels, and all of their albums, but this one is a bit too average. Maybe it's just the guitarry sound throughout it. Hopefully it may grow on me a little bit more, but I can't imagine it ever progressing past the honour of being my least favourite Eels album. Must get around to watching the dvd of it at some point anyhow.

I took a chance on it from emusic, and it just seems to have grown on me. Lots of catchy stuff. Must listen to their other releases also I think.

is the London gig likely to sell out?
I'm driving back from Ireland that day, after a two week holiday (so, technically really driving all the way from Wales), so I fear I may be a bit knackered. But Bush Hall is nice, and the ticket link says that Ohbijou are the support (although mispelt)- and I'll have missed all of their previous gigs! Would be great if I could buy tickets on the door, but they may be gone by then, hmmm.

http://open.spotify.com/user/airboypaul/playlist/1FkODGgUAPsB69FKwjZOGq

Anni Rossi- Wheelpusher
Choir Of Young Believers- Action/Reaction
Clem Snide- Me No
Darren Hayman & The Secondary Modern- Compilation Cassette
Dear Reader- Dearheart
Loney dear- Under A Silent Sea
Riceboy Sleeps- Happiness
Sin Fang Bous- Advent In Ives Garden
Soap&Skin- Spiracle
Sufjan Stevens- You Are The Blood
The National- So Far Around The Bend
The Phantom Band- Throwing Bones
Yeasayer- Tightrope

maybe after about 10 listens, and really loving it. It could be a contender for my favourite album of the year so far.
I'm a bit peeved that I will be on holiday when he's having a gig in London, grr.

more than I thought I would, with some really good songs on it.
Although I think it would have been better if it was snipped by 2 or 3 songs- it feels a bit too long for me.

Her first album is really great also- some brilliant songs on there.
I'm enjoying this album so far, although I think there are a couple of songs (including the last one?) which don't have the same spark/specialness that the rest of her songs have, but maybe they need a bit more time. Lovely voice, and great songs anyhow- especially the first track, and the single.

although the album cover is awful.

dear oh dear. If it's as good as previous years, it will likely be better than the above mentioned festivals. Looking forward to more bands being announced.

I don't think Sub Pop or Domino are on emusic either though are they? (two of the three Independent labels that DiS listed)

I had a few days of listening to spotify when I first downloaded it, but have barely gone back to it.

Does anyone know how good they are on getting new albums on Spotify- that'd be what would interest me most, being able to hear new releases that I'm curious about.

The Second Hand Marching Band- A Dance To Half Death
Bruce Peninsula- A Mountain Is A Mouth
Loney Dear- Dear John (U.S. release, with the UK one out in March I think)

gets a big recommendation from me also.
A big 10+ band from Canada, with cool crazy choir singing. Hype them and make them come to the UK please, thank you.

was a nice read.

That album just grew and grew on me. Lovely.

is on emusic. I had downloaded it a couple of days ago (mostly for Le Loup and Au), but haven't yet listened to it. I think I'm waiting for some of the month to pass by still.
Also, there's a Christmas ep by Gentleman Auction House that I also mean to get/download shortly.

Seeing as I like Why?, Grouper, and The Notwist, I decided to investigate Hauschka, as I hadn't heard of them before. Sounds really quite nice. A bit like Yasushi Yoshida. I shall purchase it now. It's a bargainous £6.98 on amazon.

Still have to decide on my ordering of albums (and still have lots of late additions to buy/listen to), but they would possibly include:

Breathe Owl Breathe- Ghost Glacier
Hjaltalin- Sleepdrunk Seasons
Why?- Alopecia
The Notwist- The Devil, You + Me
Get Well Soon- Rest Now, Weary Head, You Will Get Well Soon
Choir Of Young Believers- This Is For The White In Your Eyes
Shearwater- Rook
Jong Pang- Bright White Light

But there have been oodles of great albums this year.

on Cokemachine, and was intrigued by it.
Have downloaded it from emusic, and am enjoying it so far. Didn't know he was French though.

especially rr vs. d
mmmm

for these types of lists.
Hmmm, had to really struggle to find three.
Shearwater and The Acorn were pretty easy choices. I have El Guincho, but other than the first couple of tracks I haven't been too fussed with it, and so I went for Peter Broderick, due to his Efterklang links and nice album cover. Pretty scientific.

was a bit disappointed about the length of this review- was hoping for something more. Ah well, still glad it got a review (although is it coming out in the UK yet?).

I love this album, and would be one that I'd easily give a 9 or 10. I love me some feyness and whimsicalness. Great live band also.

September seems like a crazy month for albums

Other bands/acts that released albums this month that I liked:

Calexico
Lost In The Trees
Eleanoora Rosenholm
Shoreline
Choir Of Young Believers
Mercury Rev (I am hoping is good, have finally got it today)

Of the mentioned albums, I have The Acorn and Chad VanGaalen (go see the video for his song Molten Light- it's great). Lotsa music!

one of the Menemona videos, where these two little kids start dancing along to it.
I find Menemona a bit hit and miss, but that version of the song is amazing, and with the kids it just is such a happy-enducing thing.

that myspace should be giving any money/ ad revenue to artists/bands.
Bands sign up to myspace to get their music heard, and don't have to pay for the opportunity to do so. They then make money from folk buying cds/downloads based on the music they've heard on myspace. It's what I've done countless numbers of times.

and still maybe am slightly unconvinced, but I love Rook- it's such a great album.
I didn't go to the Bush Hall gig, but went to their instore at Rough Trade East last night, where they played the whole of Rook in order (which was great for me, as it's their only album I have), and then an old song as an encore. I also got a story from Jonathan, who seems like a super nice chap.

should have picked Instant Street for the video. Love the dancing down the street. Sister Dew is great too. In fact, The Ideal Crash is easily one of my favourite albums.
I was quite pleased/surprised with their latest album, as I found Pocket Revolution a bit hit and miss.

Efterklang, The Notwist, Jeffrey Lewis, Tunng, or Noah & The Whale? Hmmph.

will Bowerbirds be on at the w&p gig, do you know?

may be the two bonus songs that are on the US Dead Oceans release? A new version of La Denigracion and a song called Matchstick Maker (I downloaded them from emusic, to save me from having to buy the album twice).

Am seeing these guys on the 19th and 20th, but didn't realise they were playing on the 18th as well. Hmmm, have to decide whether I want to go to that one as well!

Really hope this album gets lots of praise when it's released here. Was disappointed to see teletext's Mr Earls give them an average score recently. But he did the same with Sufjan's Illinois, so I'm not too sure what he can't hear some of the times!

do you recommend turning up to Victoria Park early then? (didn't go last year)

noah and the whale (or one little plane)
pictish trail
emma pollock
tunng
jeffrey lewis- maybe some laura marling
alasdair roberts- maybe some of montreal
efterklang
king creosote
the notwist

and then possibly just hometime after that, as the notwist would be a good band for me to end on. i'm just glad they don't clash with efterklang.

I actually prefer the Mercury list than this one. Not that I particulary like the Mercury list.

I've stopped being bothered with the Mercurys- after the last few years always disappointing me, I've just decided what's the point in being disappointed in it? This year doesn't seem that bad really, and I actually own one of the albums which is a rarity now.

I don't think that we should complain about it not giving more recognition to the small bands/ those sold under a certain amount. I'd prefer that myself, but it's not in the Mercury Prize's criteria (unlike the generally much better American/worldwide Shortlist prize), so it really should just be left to some other prize (if we nearly needed another prize) to celebrate the littler bands.

The fact that you have to pay so much money (for little bands/labels) and provide so many cds seems pretty awful- they must surely rake in a whole heap of money by doing that?! and that's not even includin however much money Nationwide stump up also.

So yeah. That's too many words about an award I'm no longer fussed about

almost tempting to have a holiday to clash with that. Would be great for a London gig of that, or for more great gigs in Denmark around then, hmmm.

Sons Of Noel And Adrian being given the album of the month, wasn't really expecting that.
Shame The Notwist and Sigur Ros didn't make the final 5 (6).

Surprised you didn't mention Get Well Soon though.

Other June albums I am liking (but haven't been reviewed here):

Erik Enocksson- With Its Dark Tail Curled 'Round The Garage
Electric President- Sleep Well
Eef Barzelay- Lose Big
Benni Hemm Hemm- Murta St. Calunga

and I also got new albums in June (released earlier in the year) by Hjaltalin, Jong Pang, and Yasushi Yoshida.

It's been a crazy great (and expensive) month of music for me! I've spent more on cds this month than for the previous five months of the year. It's great, but I have to keep switching which album to focus on.

not sure that I like this metaphor/similie-filled review, but i love this band/ album.
Saw them again at Union Chapel last weekend, and got their album afterwards. It will take a while for me to hear the album as a whole though, having played their ep repeatedly- and those four songs have been included on the album also.
Looking forward to seeing them at End Of The Road again.