Paul McCartney: New

I am a huge Beatles' fan, and I've always been. But I have to admit that, unlike with George or John, I've never really got into Paul's post-Beatles stuff. Nothing that he released either as a solo artist or with Wings did excite me very much, that is, with the notable exception of the 1973 album Band On the Run. Well, to be perfectly honest, it's not like I've listened to everything he's ever released. Not even remotely. Fortunately, though, the release of New has been generating a lot of buzz and I for once fell victim to it.

I am listening to the album for the first time as I am writing this post, because much to my surprise, I have been enjoying it a lot right from the very start. When approaching a record from a music bard like Paul, you do it with a certain idea of what the artist will sound like, and more often than not, he falls right into that box. Not this time around, though, because New sounds amazingly fresh and contemporary from the opening riff of Save Us to the last note of Road. (And then some more...) Yet, this is the same Paul he was when Please, Please Me came out. He's effortlessly a churning out tunes with such an ease in the way only he can, and you will hear hints and echoes of many Beatles' songs, from Love Me Do to A Day In the Life. It's an absolute joy to listen to. The album is a clear statement that the now 71-year-old McCartney has many tricks left up his sleeve and still a lot of things to say.

Best tracks: Alligator, On My Way To Work, Early Days, New

Rewind the Film

Come their eleventh album, most bands would have already started to fade away, went through countless line-up changes or dissoluted altogether. When a band has been together for this long, it usually struggles to come up with something fresh, game-changing, or otherwise significant. More often than not, it sticks to repeating the same old formulas that paid off in the past. Not the Manics, though. Having been together since 1986, they've become quite good at reinventing their sound, and it doesn't seem they're gonna stop anytime soon.

To anyone, who followed this Welsh trio at least vaguely in the last few years, it may come as a surprise that Rewind the Film consists mostly of slower, mellow ballads, and that it even features very little of Nicky Wire's typical electric guitar. Send Away the Tigers and Postcards From a Young Man were both big, stadium rock records, while Journal for Plague Lovers, which was composed entirely of lyrics left behind by the presumably deceased guitarist and lyricist Richey Edwards, saw the band return to its raw, punk rock roots. On the contrary, Rewind the Film reminds mostly of This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours, an 1998 album which included their most popular single to date If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next. It's an acoustic based and melancholic album, full of gentle melodies and featuring some powerful guest vocals. But don't let this fool you, the Manics are as angry and biting as they've ever been.

This is the sound of a band clearly in its prime. The fact is all the more fascinating considering they've released an album like this almost thirty years into their career. Manic Street Preachers are an interesting phenomenon indeed and still a force to be reckoned with.

Rewind the Film's follow up, Futurology, is due out early next year. And it's gonna be a lot more spiky, heavy and guitar driven. Both albums were recorded simultaneously.

Best tracks: This Sullen Welsh Heart, Show Me the Wonder, Rewind the Film

Random Access Memories

Well, well, well. What have we got here?

I am really swamped these days, so I don't have much time to update the blog. Nonetheless, the release of Random Access Memories is a such a big event, that I've decided to be up-to-date at least this one time. Here's my post from under the AP.net review. It doesn't quite embrace the essence of the album, but for now, it's all I can do.

First of all, I don't like electronic/dance music at all. I don't even like Discovery. These things just aren't for me. However, I loved Tron: Legacy soundtrack (I do listen to a lot of film music) and I still spin it fairly often. I even enjoyed the electronic freak-outs such as Derezzed...

...and I have to say, Random Access Memories is a fantastic and groundbreaking record. It's jazzy sometimes, on other occasions it sounds like Dark Side of the Moon, the clean production reminds of Rumours and other great records from the seventies, but at the same it's very contemporary, even futuristic, and yet personal. Though it may seem distant at first, it certainly doesn't lack heart. And if there was one single word to describe the whole album, it would be "timeless".

For me, it's this year's Hurry Up We're Dreaming or The Suburbs, highly accomplished piece of work made with great ambition and incredible (inhuman?) precision. Nevertheless, it took me several  listens getting into, but it was definitely worth it. Favourite songs? I really can't pick a few. Although there is one that stands above them all. Giorgio by Moroder is probably the defining and most quintessential track on the album. 

My copy of Random Access Memories is already on its way from Amazon. That's how much I like it. Honestly, I didn't see this coming, like, at all. Do yourself a favour, don't hesitate a moment and dive right in.

Conventional break-up

It's always sad to see a band go, but it's all the more saddening when it happens to one of your all time favourite acts. My Chemical Romance were never really the "cool" band to listen to, but I did nonetheless, because besides their emo tag and the Kerrang-band stigma, which never did them justice, there was a huge amount of talent and passion to back up the crazy outfits and layers of make-up. My Chem were always the take-it-or-leave-it type of band, and I'm glad I stumbled upon them at the perfect time, after the release of The Black Parade, which then went on to become one of the most influential albums in my life.

I wasn't that much into them the whole time, though. During the long gap that preceded the release of Danger Days, there was a period of time when I thought I had outgrown that kind of music. Thankfully, their Fabulous Killjoys persona and the post-apocalyptic concept completely reinvigorated my enthusiasm. Two years later, My Chem released what had been supposed to fill that gap, and everything fell into place. Most importantly, fans finally had their Conventional Weapons. But what they didn't know at the time, the "new" album was to become a swan song for the band...

According to one of the interviews I vaguely recall from the pre-Danger Days era, Gerard Way & Co. wanted to become a proper rock band. Their uncompromising take on Dylan's classic, Desolation Row, from The Watchmen soundtrack offered a good glimpse at what they had in mind. And really, the first two electrifying tracks of Weapons were very much in the vein of the aforementioned cover. Because above all, the album is pure rock'n'roll. Intense, raging anthems, powerful ballads and black leather jackets. This would have been a fantastic record.

Nevertheless, when compared to Danger Days, it becomes obvious this wasn't the band's true self. They always had to go all Freddie Mercury on everything. The hyperbole and theatrics were an essential part of their catalogue, but never a cheap gimmick. Within the scene and beyond, only they had the guts to go all the way, and enough drive and vision not to stumble in the middle. When all is said and done, this is reason why they'll be missed.

During their twelve-year-long career, they didn't make a bad record. Sure, Bullets was a bit rushed and immature, but still managed to become a landmark album for the genre and a personal favourite of numerous people. That said, My Chemical Romance were only getting better and more interesting with everything they released ever since.

The break-up came out of nowhere. Sessions for the next album were reportedly going great and it was supposed to see the light of day later this year. However, when you read Gerard Way's perspective, it all actually makes perfect sense. One can only admire a band able to step out of the bussiness while they're still at the top. For me, the only possible news worse than this would be if Jimmy Eat World called it quits. Sure, there's always hope. Perhaps, it is all just one big elaborate hoax with the sole purpose of getting out of a label contract, but honestly, I think it sounds too good to be true. I only know one thing. I'll be spinning their albums all week and then maybe some more. And because I could never write something that good myself, I'll leave you with this one last article.

Biffy Clyro: Opposites

Biffy Clyro first came into my attention with their fourth studio album, Puzzle, which turned out to be a huge critical and commercial success and deprived the band of its indie status. At that time, though, it was no more than a random okay rock record for me. I didn't really got into Biffy until I listened to their subsequent effort, even more successfull, Mercury Prize nominated, Only Revolutions. That was the moment when they finally won me over. I spinned Revolutions to death and it eventually came in second in my AOTY list of 2009 and also made me appreciate their back catalague, especially Puzzle.

However, things were never that simple for the Scottish trio. Step by step, over the course of the past three albums, Biffy Clyro were slowly turning into a more and more mainstream act. Whether this was a natural growth in musical terms or they were in it just for the money, only they know. I'm inclined to believe the first, since the same thing has been happening to almost every other band, ever. Nevertheless, it didn't stop their former diehard fans from uncompromisingly branding the band sell-outs and triggerring a major shitstorm all over the interwebs in such a way, that was unparalleled to any other artist. It's a shame, really, because their albums aren't nowhere near as bad by any measures.

Fortunately though, the general public doesn't seem to care, and the critics are generally much more welcoming too. With the release of Opposites, we finally saw the Biff topping the UK albums chart and the continuous rise of popularity will culminate later this year when the band will be headlining Reading and Leeds festivals. But despite being huge on their native ground, Biffy have yet to reach a similar level of stardom outside the UK borders. And that's something the new album should do. So far, it seems like all odds are in its favour.

First off, Opposites is, of course, a double album. But it's shorter than most of its kind. With only twenty songs (twenty two, if you count the instrumental bonus tracks) and running time just under 80 minutes, it could actually fit onto one CD. It also isn't a concept record per se, as the early reports made it look like, although each disc is loosely thematic.

"One's about putting things in the worst possible way and thinking you're getting yourself into a hole. The other looks at things more positively" (Simon Neil)

Experimentation was another important topic during interviews prior to the release; and both the band and the double album format promised no small things. While the first disc, titled The Land at the End of Our Toes, takes a rather traditional approach to songwriting, the second one, The Sand at the Core of Our Bones, is where most of the fresh and invigorating stuff takes place. Still, it wouldn't be accurate to label Opposites as an experimental record, rather, it is something of a missed opportunity. Despite introducing many unusual elements, bagpipes, organ, or even a mariachi band, the band never really strays away from its comfort zone, which is, frankly, one of the biggest drawbacks of the new album. Considering this fact, I can see why some people might find it a bit disappointing. Nevertheless, it deserves your attention.

Opposites is the sort of an album that is best fit for big stadiums and major festivals. The songs are built around huge choruses that are meant to be played in front of as many people as possible and that no small club could contain. Never before have Biffy Clyro sounded so big. The ballads, which the band always does so well, play a minor role this time around, although songs such as The Fog or The Thaw definitely count among the highlights of the album.

My personal favourites, though, come at the end of the second disc. Accident Without Emergency, Woo Woo and Picture a Knife Fight form the monumental and satisfying pinnacle of the album, ending the whole of Opposites on a definite high note.

It takes big cojones to make a double album, "the dreaded D", two discs of worthy material, and few bands did ever really pull it off. In all honesty, I think Biffy Clyro are now among them. They are fearlessly going down the road paved by the likes of Muse and Foo Fighters to become one of the biggest live bands in the world. It's yet unclear whether they'll ever succeed, but Opposites has the potential to get them at least much closer to their destination.

Best tracks, disc 1: The Joke's On Us, Biblical, The Fog

Best tracks, disc 2: Spanish Radio, Modern Magic Formula, Accident Without Emergency

Christopher Owens: Lysandre

First of all, I have to confess that I didn't know Christopher Owens nor was I familiar with his band Girls before the release of his debut solo album. I had little to no idea what to expect and the only thing that made me listen to it was the reviews on pretty much every musical website I follow. It appeared to me that the man must be quite an important and interesting figure to the indie scene.

Well, I soon learned that Girls had released two well-regarded full-lengths and one extended play which gained them considerable fan following. Thus, it was obvious that it would be rather difficult for Owens to step out of his former band's shadow. I'll leave up the question, whether he did or not, to more eligible people, but I certainly won't try to hide my enthusiasm for this particular record...

With its running time of meagre 29 minutes, Lysandre might be the shortest concept album I've ever encountered. And it's a fun ride from start to finish. Consisting of eleven tracks, it is rather fast-paced, deeply emotional, uplifting, quite refreshing and also heavy on flute. It is, surprisingly, about a girl, and, as Owens himself put it, "a coming of age story, a road trip story, a love story", which pretty much says it all.

The record is tied together by the beautiful Lysandre's theme, which appears in various arrangements in most of the songs, and gets me every single time. With his newly acquired freedom, Owens is keen to experiment with all kinds of instruments, although he never really wanders outside the indie pop/folk territory. And it's also immediately clear, that, like with Girls, Owens stays true to the aesthetics of the 1950s, 60s and 70s.

Lysandre is, without a doubt, one of the pleasant highlights of the beginning of the year and it shouldn't go unnoticed by any avid indie pop listener.

Best tracks: Here We Go, Love is in the Ear of the Listener, Part of Me

Lonerism

Few weeks ago, when I was writing about Emitt Rhodes and the uncanny resemblance of his and Paul McCartney's voices, I had no idea I would later discover another John Lennon too. Well, I did, in the person of Kevin Parker, the 26-year-old frontman of an Australian dream pop band, Tame Impala.

Tame Impala came into my attention after the release of their sophomore album, Lonerism, which has been receiving large amounts of praise all over the interwebs and will, without a doubt, be appearing on many upcoming AOTY lists, including mine.

The songs are mostly instrumental, making good use of all the production tools and sound effects a music studio has to offer, and yet, at the same time, they are very guitar-driven. The psychedelic melodies and Parker's ethereal voice only add up to the feeling of a very complex listening experience.



As the album progresses, you start to feel the increasing longing to put on Magical Mystery Tour, but it's also very difficult to let go of such a captivating and absorbing album, that is Lonerism.

Best tracks: Be Above It, Why Won't They Talk to Me?, Feels Like We Only Go Backwards

Battle Born

By the end of 2008, The Killers had released three albums, each one great in its own way. Personally, I've always prefered their sophomore effort to the unbalanced debut. With the excessive amount of massive hooks and infectious choruses, the springsteenesque Sam's Town still remains to be a shining example of a near perfect album to me. Where Hot Fuss loses its breath, Sam's Town shifts  to the second gear and continues to serve one gem after another.

Day & Age, on the other hand, felt at first like a complete misstep. The Killers tossed the guitar-band image away and became a full-time pop act. Many fans were repulsed by the new electronic sound as well as the famously ridiculous "Are we dancer?" line in the lead single, Human. Against all odds, however, Day & Age proved to be a relentless grower of an album and even went on to receive its fair share of well-deserved rehabilitation. Or at least from some people. And with Battle Born, it might be a similar case.

This is a serious contender for the artwork of the year.

Preceding the release, The Killers had promised no small things. They announced a return of rock'n'roll to their music along with the Sam's Town era sound. If that alone hadn't set the expectations incredibly high among their fans, the lead single, Runaways, certainly did. But the band never rests in one place and never makes the same album twice. Thus, anyone expecting Sam's Town Part II will be vastly disappointed. Rather, this is a logical follow-up to Brandon Flowers' solo stuff. The songs might just as well have been taken out of Flamingo and given a full-band treatment. The result sounds bigger and better than ever before.

Every guitar riff, every breakdown, every sound effect, every echo just falls into the right place. As a whole, the record might be the most cohesive work The Killers have ever created. Which is a rather surprising fact, considering how many producers participated in the final product. Furthermore, if it's somehow possible for Brandon Flowers' voice to get even better with time, then it certainly hits its all time high on Battle Born.

Without a doubt, The Killers had a clear vision of what they wanted to say and how they wanted to say it, and released one of the best albums of the year. Battle Born carries a sufficient amount of huge choruses for big stadiums and is still subtle enough for long winter evenings. It's no easy task to pick just a few best songs out of the whole bunch, because every single one of them is captivating in its own distinctive way. With that being said, Battle Born is easily one of the best closing tracks you'll hear this year.

I've spun the album approximately thirty times by now, and still can't get enough of it. That speaks for something.

Best tracks: Runaways, Deadlines and Commitments, Battle Born

Come of Age

What Did You Expect From The Vaccines arrived about a year and a half ago. And although it wasn't all that groundbreaking and innovative in the way of the Arctic Monkeys' or Franz Ferdinand's debuts, it was nevertheless a great fun ride from start to finish.

This time around though, the aim to entertain masses is replaced by musical ambition. The songs are far more sophisticated, both musically and lyrically. The Vaccines have slowed down significantly and settled down for more introspective themes. But that doesn't mean they've lost their natural ability to write extremely infectious tunes. And in the end, Come of Age comes off as the better album.

Most of all, I'm just glad to see that The Vaccines are no one hit wonder. They're obviously here to stay and if they don't lose their creative stride, then we have much to look forward to.

Best tracks: No Hope, Teenage Icon

Handwritten

The brightest and shiniest moment in the band's career is also their biggest setback. The Gaslight Anthem have already released their best album and I don't see how anything they'll ever produce in the future could top The 59' Sound. With that being said, Handwritten is, of course, a great piece of work in its own right.

Their sophomore effort took the world by surprise with its perfect combination of punk rock tools, retro imagery and Brian Fallon's irresistible growl. All its components were refined to the point of near perfection, supplying listeners with a monthly (at least) dose of nostalgia. American Slang only continued the trend, more or less, and so does Handwritten.

The lyrics have never spoken more urgently and the instruments have never sounded better or bigger, as they reliably send shivers down my spine on several occassions (the ending of Mullholand Drive for example).  Handwritten is no short of grand moments as well as honest statements, with themes being more personal than ever before.

However, there are a few obstacles along the way. Using the same old formula, The Gaslight Anthem couldn't avoid repeating themselves. Not that they even tried to, because this is everything the band is about now. Heart on sleeve, catchy riffs and a great deal of sentiment. You either play along, or you don't. But let's be honest, if they'll stick to what they do so easily come their fifth album, there's a chance the audience may become increasingly indifferent.

Pretended or not, the band's sincerity largely makes up for any of the album's flaws or the lack of progression. And while being a bit ponderous at times, Handwritten is still a fine example of good old rock'n'roll craftsmanship. Within the span of the last three albums, The Gaslight Anthem have gone a long way from being punk rock's best kept secret to having #3 album on Billboard and selling out shows across the ocean. Nevertheless, The 59' Sound will remain the band's defining work for a little longer.

Best tracks: "45", Handwritten, National Anthem, (Blue Dahlia - bonus track)

By the way, I just realized, they might as well call themselves ABBA... :)

Living Things

Well, I'm gonna be leaving for another vacation later today, thus I decided to go ahead and post one last thing before I go as a brief goodbye.

I used to totally adore Linkin Park back in the day. Hybrid Theory and Meteora were the jam and the soundtrack to almost any party we threw as kids. Nu metal craze was at its peak (or at least what everyone thought nu metal was) and there wasn't a single kid who wouldn't like one or two LP songs. But the band's omnipresence couldn't last forever and like any other act, Linkin Park slowly started to lose their momentum. Most significantly some time around Midnight.

Minutes to Midnight was supposed to show the band's poppier, more melodic sensibilities and show they're capable of stretching their sound. Linkin Park wanted to become a bigger band, U2 for the 21st century. And the album itself wasn't all that bad, some of its songs belong to the better part of the band's catalogue. Unfortunately, though, it also marked their transformation into a more mainstream and generic act with songs like Leave Out All the Rest or Shadow of the Day. Besides, collaboration with Micheal Bay certainly didn't help. (Not to speak about Chester Bennington's sideproject Dead by Sunrise, what was that supposed to mean?)

So they did what most actual bands would do. With fear of fading into irrelevance, they tried experimental stuff in order to find a new distinct sound, their own thing. And they succeeded. There were a lot of people who enjoyed the hell out of A Thousand Suns. For me, unfortunately, that album was a complete misstep and marked the moment I lost my faith and interest in the band almost completely.

Two years later, Linkin Park released their fifth studio album, named fittingly Living Things, as if they wanted to assure everyone they still exist. And I gotta admit, it came out as a rather pleasant surprise.

First of all, this is their rawest album since Meteora. Once again, the band isn't afraid to let the anger out and show us Chester Bennington's screaming capabilities. He's still got it. As a result, any song from Living Things has more energy than all the tracks from A Thousand Suns combined.

On the other hand, this record isn't the sound of progress. Rather, it's a consolidation of forces. The band took all the ingrediences that paid them off in the past, big guitar riffs, catchy choruses, rap and their newly found electronic self, added them into one mix and voilà, it works pretty well together. However, if you wanna find something even remotely new and unheard, look elsewhere.

Nonetheless, this is a solid record, which, I'm pretty sure, will appeal to most of their old fans. And if that was the goal, then LP succeeded quite well. I must say I didn't expect I would enjoy Living Things so much. I can totally see the appeal to my fifteen-year-old self. Although the days of Hybrid Theory and Meteora are long gone, Linkin Park's latest effort does quite a good job of bringing back the memories.

Best tracks: Lost in the Echo, I'll Be Gone, Castle of Glass

Japandroids

At first, I wasn't a big fan of Japandroids' sophomore record, but eventually, Celebration Rock won me over. Even though after a few tracks the choruses kinda blend together, I can't but enjoy every single one of its humble 35 minutes. This is a straightforward rock album. So much it even makes you wonder when rock bands forgot to record albums like this. There's no catch, no twist, no synths. Just one anthem after another without ever losing pace.

When you listen to the single below, you'll get a good glimpse of what you can expect from the whole record. Your thoughts?

79

Last Days of April, the Swedish indie-pop band best known for their early 2000's emo indie albums on Deep Elm Records that have influenced acts like Charlie Simpson & Fightstar, are back with their newest CD, 79, the bands second since reforming in 2008. While the transition made from the early work of Angel Youth and Ascend To The Stars to the newer work on Gooey is still very visible, we get to see some of the old LDAO songwriting on 79, in particular in the tracks "Lily" and "Where We Belong". With a more indie flare, a dash of twang, and with obvious influence from bands like The Weakerthans, Springsteen, and Band of Horses, Last Days of April have officially merged their early 2000's emo influence into a more robust indie influence, reinventing themselves to a new sound and a new fan base. Below is a sampling of three songs off the new CD:

Rize of the Fenix

Six years after their sophomore album, the D are finally back. Was it worth the long wait?

Well, of course. There are some absolute gems on the record, like the title track, for example. But as a whole, it isn't quite the stunner fans were hoping for. There are some tracks that came out rather boring and left you wondering if they were treated with the same amount of care as the rest. Furthermore, if it were up to me, I'd leave out the spoken tracks for good. Nevertheless, Gass and Black are still both extremely accomplished musicians and when they unleash the guitar mayhem, it's always one hell of a ride. Besides, any '70s metal band would've been lucky to have "Hollywood Jack" on the mic. And then, there's Dave Grohl. The Foo Fighters' frontman adds a whole new layer to most songs with his drumming skills.



This time around, the band moved from their "Led Zeppelin" roots to a more '80s rock sound, adding some synths here and there, bringing a slight change of style. As always, there's a story that pervades throughout the album. As the title suggests, it follows the band as they reunite, after their last album had bombed, and against all odds and in spite of all the evil critics try to carry on their once disrupted quest for world domination. Needless to say, the lyrics are as hilariously inapropriate/borderline vulgar as ever.

To sum it up, there's still some room for growth and hopefully, the D are yet to release their opus magnum. The Pick of Destiny will have to hold the title of their best record to date a bit longer.

Best tracks: Rize of the Fenix, Deth Starr, Roadie

Strangeland

I'm a little behind schedule with these...

After Perfect Symmetry and the Night Train EP, I honestly didn't have high hopes for Keane's upcoming album. I feared they would go even further in terms of experimentation with synths, other weird sounds and collaborating with rappers such as K'naan. I was afraid they would eventually spiral out of my interest like a broken toy (which, I think, was the case with most of their fans). Fortunately, though, as the lead single suggested, they've put the weird stuff behind them, went back in time and released an album that is much alike their first two.

However, the record mixes certain elements from all their previous albums, which gives it a rich, complex sound. The fast and upbeat songs sound fabulous, the ballads are powerful and there isn't one weak track. As a whole, this is a very cohesive effort, not "going bananas" in a studio.

Strangeland is a welcome return to form. Keane is, once again, the band we used to love, fully understanding what their biggest assets are and acting like Night Train was nothing but a bad dream. Some may consider it a step back, a safe return to the comfort zone, but as I see it, fans couldn't expect an album better than this. It's no coincidence the band scored fifth number one on the UK album chart in a row (the EP counts too), an achievement only surpassed by the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, ABBA and Eminem. Hopefully, this is not the last time. Keane put themselves back on the map and showed they are still a force to be reckoned with. While Strangeland might not be a creative milestone for the band, it gives them an opportunity for a fresh start of sorts.

Best tracks: Silenced By the Night, Sovereign Light Cafe, Neon River

Born and Raised

Remember the time before st. tropez started his journey into the history of '90s and '00s music? There was an album we all talked about and were looking forward to... Yes, the latest John Mayer effort. Here are my thoughts. Don't consider this to be a proper review, though, because I'm no John Mayer expert...

Firstly, I just love the artwork.

Anyways, half a year ago, I wasn't exactly a John Mayer fan. The amount of praise his albums were getting repelled the little hipster in me. Besides, this solo singer/songwriter stuff was never my cup of tea. But then a friend of mine forced me to actually give his albums a shot and I did. Well, I didn't love it, but I liked it enough to give it a few spins and enjoy it for the while. Then suddenly, as the release date of his new album approached, I found myself looking forward to Born & Raised.

It's the folkier sound which I find most appealing about the new album. Many great musicians go folk eventually, and hardly ever there comes anything bad out of it. This isn't the case either. Although it wasn't that big of a change for Mayer as he still stays clearly recognisable and never wanders outside his own niche...



...with a notable exception, of course. The song Walt Grace's Submarine Test, January 1967, as st. tropez already mentioned, isn't like anything we ever heard from Mayer. So let's give the man some credit for that. It's a fantastic song. If only he did something like that more often, because it shows everything I miss in the rest of Mayer's music. If only I knew how to put it in words... Stronger melodies? More passion? Probably. Nevertheless, when Mayer hits the strings, you know it's always worth the time. In the end, this is an all-around great record and the folkier sound shouldn't put anybody off.

Best tracks: Queen of California, Shadow Days, Walt Grace's Submarine Test, January 1967

Generation Freakshow

I got into the Welsh rock band Feeder during their Silent Cry era. I loved that album, but I wasn't quite following them since, because, in all honesty, their next output, Renegades, was less than memorable. By the end of April, though, the band came back with their eighth full-length. So, how good is it?



Well, I'm glad to say Generation Freakshow a very solid record and a comeback of sorts. It's perhaps not that daring compared to their older material but Feeder confidently stick to what they do best, and in their early forties, they still do it with passion. The radio anthems Borders and Idaho are certainly the high points there, but the record keeps a very high standart for the whole duration. More then twenty years in their career, Feeder are definitely still a band worth keeping an eye on.

Best tracks: Borders, Idaho, Generation Freakshow

Weapons

Here we go. Better late than never...

I'm far from what you'd call a typical lostprophets' fan. While I enjoy their debut and sophomore albums enourmously, I actually think they were getting continuosly better with time and that Liberation Transmission and especially The Betrayed are the best showcase of the band's capabilities.

But while on The Betrayed the band successfully stretched their range to both heavier and softer, more melodic sound, Weapons marks a safe return to their comfort zone. Lostprohets find themselves right back where they left once the Liberation Transmission tour was over. It's not necessarily a bad thing, though. Weapons is the closest they've been to Start Something, still the most popular album among their fans, ever since it came out. Needless to say, the fans are generally pleased with the newest effort.

The record takes off with Bring Em' Down, and just like we've come to expect from this band, the first track is also the heaviest. Weapons then races on, hardly ever losing pace (perhaps only in the rapping parts on Better Off Dead) and presenting one anthem after another. The band's pop sensibilities come to display on Heart On Loan or Somedays, while their experimental side shows up on the final track, Can't Get Enough. As usually, the closer doesn't quite fit with the rest of the album musically, which only makes it all the more interesting.



If anything, the album proves one thing. When it comes to writing big, catchy, stadium ready choruses, lostprophets have almost no equals. And they're remarkably consistent. They may never get rid of the 'kerrang band' stigma, but they are driven and there's at least the sense of honesty to everything they're doing. And then, there's the sentimental aspect. Lostprophets were one of the bands that helped to shape my taste in music and thus I tend to look past some of their imperfections. I'll always have a soft spot for them.

You shouldn't by any means miss the deluxe version of Weapons, which contains some great bonus 'Garage Sessions' songs. Especially Safe Yourself would make a killer track, had it been included on the regular edition. And if you want to read a track by track guide to the album by Ian Watkins, head over to NME.com.

Here's to hoping they'll tour the continental Europe someday...

Best tracks: Bring Em' Down, Jesus Walks, Can't Get Enough

Some Nights

When fun. released their debut in 2009, the lead singer Nate Ruess had already been a prominent vocalist and songwriter since the days of his former band, The Format. That album, Aim and Ignite, gained them considerable critical acclaim and plenty of new fans. By the end of 2009, it was featured on many AOTY lists and fun. had become one of the most interesting and promising new bands to watch. I was far from impressed, though. Can't say I didn't try to be hip like the other kids and get into the album, but it wasn't exactly my cup of tea. Back then, it was too poppy for my taste and I didn't like any of the songs except for the single All the Pretty Girls.

But I couldn't get over Nate Ruess' skinny jeans in that video... Seriously, who made him wear that? However, years passed and I found myself drawn deeper and deeper into alternative and pop genres. Yeasayer, MGMT, M83... You get the picture.

Anyway, then the lead single We Are Young came out. It was even featured on Glee and it became immediately clear that fun. would go even further into mainstream with their sophomore record. And let's be honest, that isn't the exact way to gain my sympathies. Moreover, having heard of their many hip hop influences, namely Kanye West and his pompous twisted fantasy nonsense, I was ready to hate the hell out of Some Nights.

Nonetheless, upon the first listen, my opinion changed swiftly. Because what I heard was a band expressing pure love and joy of making music. By mixing up their influences, incorporating many new styles and sounds and showing their renowned melodic sensibilities, fun. managed to create an album that sounds contemporary, very poppy and yet progressive. Kind of like what Brian Wilson did with Pet Sounds. And that seminal Beach Boys' album comes to mind several times throughout Some Nights. It's pure pop, but in the best possible sense.

It isn't without flaws, though. While the first half of Some Nights is absolutely stellar, the second one just feels a little bit weaker. It's hard to compete with songs as good as the notorious single We Are Young or the title track, which might be the very best song on the record. And then, there's the much debated, largely unnecessary and almost profane use of vocoder. Nate Ruess' voice certainly doesn't need any tweaking and the efforts to make it sound "better" come out rather unfortunate. However the band had a different opinion and we can't do anything but to respect it. Fortunately, it's featured only a few times throughout the album, which doesn't let it spoil the impression.

After all, with the boost from Glee, Super Bowl commercials, its own qualities and wide accessibility, it's no wonder the album landed on #3 on the Billboard chart. Huge success. Two months in, I think it is already safe to say that Some Nights will become one of the 2012's essential albums.

Best tracks: Some Nights, We Are Young (ft. Janelle Monáe), Why Am I the One

P.S. Don't miss the bonus track Out On the Town.

The Church of Rock & Roll

In 2009, Foxy Shazam released one of the best albums of the year. It wasn't featured on my AOTY list back then simply because I was totally indifferent to the band and all their albums until I heard a song the following year. Needless to say, I fell in love instantly. Overblown production, Queen-esque persona, over-the-top lyrics and outrageously catchy choruses did hit all the right strings in me. During in the following months, the album was on my playlist almost all the time.

But while their self-titled was extremely fun and addictive, The Church is just missing something. As if the songs were afraid to really take off and go all the way to awesomeness. Overall the album falls short of the brilliance of its predecessor. However, it is still a very good record. Foxy Shazam never step twice into the same river with their albums, although their fondness of Freddie Mercury's theatrics stays obvious throughout most of the new songs as well.



Foxy Shazam already found the niche, they're most comfortable with. The Church is the sound of a band that doesn't lack both confidence and determination to make the best rock'n'roll on the planet. They may not be there yet, but at least they make the journey very intresting.