Which albums from the past year flew under the mainstream radar and also deserve to be discovered by the wider world in 2010?
A selection of tipsters from the Sound of 2010 panel have chosen the most underrated albums of 2009, which they believe did not get the critical or commercial love they merited in the last 12 months.
(PHOTO: Jonas Bjerre (vocals) and Silas Graae (drums) of "dream-pop" Danish group Mew, courtesy of BBC.)Which albums from the past year flew under the mainstream radar and also deserve to be... more
Its human nature to try and quantify things, so often we talk of films, actors, TV shows and attempt to fit them into an empirical structure. But If I’ve learnt anything in these fledging years of the internet it is the risk of making a list which toys with the subjective, as you the reader have the ability and the right to hurl abuse at me from the anonymity of your internet persona. So in an act of fairness (cowardice) I’m not going to preach to you a list of the top 5 albums this decade in order, or even try to pretend that this list is anything but a spur of the moment musing. All I will say is that I have attempted here to bring a broad range of music from the decade that summarises its sound, these are not the 5 best perhaps but they are 5 greats that deserve to be remembered beyond the Noughties.
The Avalanches ‘Since I left You’ (2000)
I’ve decided to start this list naturally, at the beginning of the decade, but with a reasonably obscure choice. This Australian electronic outfit are probably best remembered for their zany, comedic effort ‘Frontier Psychiatrist.’ A song which received significant airplay in the wake of this album, causing many to pigeonhole the group as one-hit wonder jokers. But such a judgement is to be made at your peril as one listen to this album reveals a complex electronic masterpiece using a diversity of samples and a neo-psychedelic overtone. The Avalanches here demonstrate a masterful control of melody and mixing.
The Strokes ‘Is This it’ (2001)
Some will speak of this debut from these New York rockers as the beginning of a new era of rock and roll. With their garage sound and post-punk revival elements the Strokes received messianic praise as the saviours of a music scene that had seemed to lose its way (think Limp Bizkit). Hailing from that artistic hotbed that is The Big Apple the band drew comparisons to other musical revolutionaries like the New York Dolls, or The Velvet Underground. Indeed, in the wake of this great album rock music has returned to comfortable stripped down style (in Britain at least), and this album can be seen as an integral part of the foundation, with its DIY style and nihilistic vibe ‘Is This It’ is an album which never gets tiresome and doesn’t fail to live up to its hype.
Burial, ‘Burial’ (2006)
Dubstep is something of an enigma, a breakaway from the UK garage scene of the previous decade it emphasised the darker elements of baseline in dance music. The enigmatic conundrum arises from the popularity of this avant-garde movement in the UK scene. Many are quick to dismiss the genre as the emperor’s new clothes, a faddish culture developed out of mere necessity to be different. But take one listen to this eponymous debut from this East London pioneer and the musical genius of dubstep is instantly tangible. The dark elements and intense baselines remain coherent throughout unlike some predecessors in the genre. Artists like Burial have elevated this style into the critical mainstream, and created the 21st century version of music to scare your parents.
Outkast ‘Stankonia’ (2000)
It seems that in a decade where the charts have been dominated by R & B and Hip Hop numbers it would be ridiculous to turn a blind eye to it on this list. Yes in the realm of music snobbery it may be fashionable to dismiss it. But in this album Andre 3000 and Big Boi produce a diversity of soundscape that makes it unfair to consign it to one genre. Drawing influence from a wide range the album produced classics with polar opposite sounds such as the distinctly Hip-Hop chart topper ‘Ms. Jackson’ or the Fast-paced dance like ‘B.O.B' a necessary listen for any musical epicurean. A demonstration of Hip Hop at its intellectual well constructed finest, as good as what A Tribe Called Quest did for rap in the 90's.
Radiohead, ‘In Rainbows’ (2007)
Yes, I am aware to some that it may seem lazy to end this brief summary of what the decade has to offer with a Radiohead album. Almost every critic everywhere waxes lyrical about this group that it is probably much more enjoyable to read a negative portrayal of their contributions to music. But I’ve decided to bore you anyway. ‘In Rainbows’ deserves a place in a great albums list not just because of the musical content (which is a solid 9.5/10), but also because of the iconic way Radiohead independently released it and asked fans to pay whatever they deemed fit for the album, a revolutionary take on the current music industry predicament and the download culture. Musically the album is exceptional, with a development on the decades earlier classic ‘Kid A’ fusing electronic music with rock seamlessly and with noble beauty. In Rainbows is a must for music fans everywhere.Its human nature to try and quantify things, so often we talk of films, actors, TV... more
Tuesday's edition of my three times a week talk show.Watch the show here on CURRENT TV on Tues, Thurs & Sats.
JOIN ME ON MONDAY'S @ 6pm FOR THE BRAND NEW LIVE SHOW at : http://www.unitedkingdomradio.co.uk . You can join in LIVE by SKYPE,email or telephone.
In today's show :
Is Susan a bully ?
"How long must a heart stay broken ?"
Sad people that think they have power.
The one before the one before Christmas.
Downloading music.
Has anyone used "My Space Music" yet ?
Watch out for the viruses.
The new Shirley Bassey album.
I am still waiting for my 50% from my young nephew.
Do you care what other people think ?
What songs make you cry ?
Cuddling anyone and anything.
CD's are much cheaper now.
There's no excuse not to be clean.
I havn't seen any money yet.
Hairless.
Learning about other people.
They have cool liner notes and big album covers. Artists like them because they're way hard to pirate over the net. Sales are up and they're the next trend.
Have we discovered that technology has gone down the wrong road? Computer manufacturers are battling the poor performance that make computer users so frustrated, always locking up and crashing. Digital content is way volatile. It can be copied or corrupted, even erased. Kindle books just crashed eveyone's copy of Animal Farm because of some legal battle. DRM drives people nuts when they can't recover their music after a computer crash. Banks have total access to everyone's money and statements with direct deposit and online banking. It's becoming an Orwellian nightmare.
Weezer are giving fans an early holiday gift, a bundle featuring their Blue, Green, and Red albums. The band have released the albums as one bundle on iTunes for the low price of only $19.99.Weezer are giving fans an early holiday gift, a bundle featuring their Blue, Green,... more
It's a strange time for the xx. The foursome of 20-year-olds just temporarily or permanently lost its fourth member, second guitarist Baria Qureshi, who claimed exhaustion upon returning to the U.K. after a string of organized and impromptu CMJ performances. Before they even arrived in the States, bassist and vocalist Oliver Sim seemed to foreshadow fame's toll with a single tweet: “[O]fficial jetsetter,” he wrote on September 11th. “[I] dont want to leave my room now let alone the country, reclusiveness just isn't an option anymore.”
It sure isn't, but there seemed to be a smile creeping into the statement. While the band might have been happy playing poorly-lit venues in middle-of-the-country towns, suddenly finding themselves shipped off to the continent and the other side of the pond for a tour schedule that Pitchfork’s Ryan Dombal said “makes me feel a bit light-headed” is still rather wonderful. And it's not like they have a choice. The supply isn’t the album anymore, even if this band churns out what is ostensibly a studio recording on stage. The supply is the show, and it’s in serious demand.
If the live show is indeed, as many claimed last week, just another listen of the album, it at least isn’t a .rar file. It’s a physical album with a few very valuable bonuses enclosed in its jewel case or record sleeve. (I should add that last week, I watched a tall, thin man strut confidently out of Other Music in the rain, carrying an xx LP under his arm.) On stage, the chemistry between Sim and Romy Madley Croft simmers on low interminably. The songs sparkle a little brighter and set a little firmer in our echoic memory with help from visuals: Croft peers out from under a wave of jet-black hair to watch Sim finish his solo, or vice versa: Sim, head down, gazes boldly from under his brow, waiting for Croft’s cue (see: Figure 1). Their voices meld into each other's seamlessly, though of course, because their singing often sounds like a sigh or a yawn, there's little room for mistakes, or at least, it’s impossible for us to hear them.
The songs can feel like a warm breath on your neck or a cold draft up your shirt, but each one is infused with lust, so even the dankest, most desperate atmosphere on the album—the bitcrushed, glittery effects at the start of “Night Time,” or the Burial-like somberness of Sim’s solo, “Fantasy,” have longing stamped firmly upon them, and they glow and pulse—“Fantasy” quite literally pulses—with that brimming emotional intensity otherwise known as adolescence.
Next month Universal Music will re-release three albums from British pop band Pulp. The deluxe reissues of 1994’s “His ‘n’ Hers,” 1995’s “Different Class,” and 1998’s “This is Hardcore,” will hit store shelves on November 17.Next month Universal Music will re-release three albums from British pop band Pulp.... more
Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien says the group will start recording a full-length disc this winter, squashing rumours that they'd given up making albums.
In August, Thom Yorke gave an interview in which he said In Rainbows would their last studio album. As you'd expect, the press and bloggers went crazy over the news and it was widely covered.
But O'Brien claims it was actually a misunderstanding. "We were misquoted," he said in an interview with NME, referring to the article that ran earlier this year in which Thom Yorke said, "None of us want to go into that creative hoo-ha of a long-play record again...It'll kill us."Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien says the group will start recording a full-length... more
Take a journey with Indie band Mirror Pal as they complete their first album and plan their CD Release Party. As the album nears completion they partner up with the associates of B*X to implement interactive visuals. Relive live entertainment with 'We Are Mirror Pal'.Take a journey with Indie band Mirror Pal as they complete their first album and plan... more
Tone Trump releases album Trump Life today through online retailers such as iTunes, Amazon MP3 and more! Read the recent release from HipHopDX on the album below. Click the link to purchase now.
Popular online music promotions company, Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes & Magazine has added Trump to their roster, announcing him as the first artist to be formally endorsed by the organization. While the online music dominator has built relationships with a wide range of both independent and major artists such as Nas, Gym Class Heroes and DJ Khaled, this venture marks the first of its kind.
Also making headway is Trump’s upcoming album Trump Life, the first project under Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes to be sold to the general public. Teaming up with Exponent Entertainment, a Philadelphia-based management company, Trump’s new endorsement deal will be the first of many digital marketing promotions that make it possible for the highly anticipated album to be sold through major digital retailers like iTunes and Amazon.
“Tone Trump has become force within the industry; this album will truly be a testament to his years of work. We are genuinely excited to be a part of this collaboration with Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes,” said Jodie Saueraker of Exponent Entertainment.
Holding the title as CEO of his own record label, Top Notch Inc., Tone Trump has seen a generous amount of success in the industry, achievements varying from features on MTV’s TRL to awards and nominations including the Philadelphia Music Awards and East Coast Music Awards.
Tone Trump’s Trump Life will be available August 18, 2009.
Norwegian artist Annie will be releasing a second album, "Don't Stop." Her debut album "Anniemal" was a huge success with the singles "Chewing Gum" and "Heartbeat." Tracklist and more info at the link from RA.Norwegian artist Annie will be releasing a second album, "Don't Stop."... more
Clubbing super-brand Pacha returns to unleash a triple album stacked full of this summers scorching white isle anthems. Features the no.1 hit David Guetta ft. Kelly Rowland - When Love Takes Over, and huge new tunes from Basement Jaxx, Pitbull, Paul van Dyk, Deadmau5 and many more!
More info: http://tinyurl.com/PachaIbiza2009Clubbing super-brand Pacha returns to unleash a triple album stacked full of this... more
A cool cover might not guarantee a great album, but this coming after the single, "D.O.A (Death Of Autotune)" has been generating a lot of buzz suggests that Jay-Z is at least on the right path.
Tracklist:
1. What We Talking About (Produced by Kanye West)
2. D.O.A. (Produced by No I.D.)
3. Weigh Me Down Feat. Kid Cudi (Produced by Kanye West)
4. Unforgiven (Produced by Kanye West, Additional Production: MGMT)
5. Run This Town Feat. Rihanna & Kanye West (Produced by Kanye West)
6. Empire State Of Mind Feat. Nas (Produced by Kanye West & No I.D.)
7. When It Comes To This (Produced by Timbaland)
8. Always Feat. Drake (Produced by Kanye West)
9. Scenes From The Past (Produced by No I.D., Co-produced by Kanye West)
10. Everyday A Star Is Born Feat. Mr. Hudson (Produced by Kanye West)
11. Already Home (Produced by Kanye West)
12. Forever Young Feat. Mr. Hudson (Produced by Kanye West)
13. Thank You (Produced by No I.D.)
Bonus Tracks:
14. Sound Of The 70s (Produced by Kanye West)
15. We Made History (Produced by Kanye West)A cool cover might not guarantee a great album, but this coming after the single,... more
New Music Report's Christian Hoard picked Mos Def's "The Ecstatic" as one of this week's hot albums worth talking about. "Mos Def has been making rap records for more than a decade, but his latest is definitely his best since 2004’s The New Danger," Hoard says.
Follow the link to check out the video podcast!New Music Report's Christian Hoard picked Mos Def's "The Ecstatic"... more
Other than terrible sound quality, the biggest tragedy of the MP3 age is the album's death. It's as if we've come full circle to the days when record execs doubted the viability of an LP over a 45 single. While iTunes has long offered the "digital booklet," no one who buys an album on iTunes will ever think she is holding a real album in her hands. The artwork has shrunk from full length size to CD size to a 250X250 pixel .jpg. Now iTunes is taking their whole digital booklet enterprise one step further with project "Cocktail."Other than terrible sound quality, the biggest tragedy of the MP3 age is the... more
Despite voting 2006's 'The Crane Wife' the best album of that year, NPR and its listeners are saying that The Decemberists have really gone above and beyond with this year's 'The Hazards of Love.' Check out their feature on The World Cafe.Despite voting 2006's 'The Crane Wife' the best album of that year, NPR... more
Its the turn of musical album covers to get a Lego make-over, you will find album covers of Nirvana, Oasis, Radiohead, Bob Dylan, Iron Maiden… and many more. Yep, its official, there really is nothing that can not be created with Lego.Its the turn of musical album covers to get a Lego make-over, you will find album... more
His upcoming album features collaborations with producers Kanye West, No I.D. and Timbaland, as well as musician contributions from MGMT, Drake, Mr. Hudson, Rihanna and Kid Cudi. Jay-Z's first single, "D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)," has already sparked a lot of buzz and questions from people wondering just who he thinks he is:
"In hip-hop our job is, once a trend becomes a gimmick, to get rid of it. We've done that since the beginning of time. This isn't some newfangled thing," Jay-Z says about the track, which criticizes the overuse of the pitch-correction technology. "When people were wearing the black medallions Ice Cube came along and said, 'Get it outta here!' When Hammer was selling 50,000 records, Q-Tip came and said, 'Get it outta here!' Then Biggie Smalls came and said, 'Your life is played out like Kwame in the f---ing polka dots. Get the polka dots outta here!' It's just a part of hip-hop."
In actuality, Jay-Z credits Kanye West with coming up with the idea for the siren song:
He actually sparked the idea," Jay-Z says. "When he heard the beat he said, 'Man, this is just so hard! This has to be against everything. No Auto-Tune. None of that type of stuff!'" He adds that he and West recorded one track with Auto-Tune for the album that didn't get used.His upcoming album features collaborations with producers Kanye West, No I.D. and... more
Gearing up for the October release of their album, In and Out of Control, the Danish duo known as The Raveonettes took time out of recording to talk to Flavorpill about their progress.
Flavorpill: Why go back to Copenhagen to record?
Sune Rose Wagner: There is an old friend here, a Danish guy named Thomas Troelsen. He has a studio here.
FP: Is there an advantage to going home, to be near friends or less distractions?
SRW: I don’t think it’s an advantage. I really didn’t want to come back to Copenhagen. I would much rather record in New York or L.A. or Paris or London. But his studio is here, so we didn’t have a choice.
FP: How’s the writing going?
SRW: It’s good. We are recording and it’s coming along. We have a strict deadline. It’s definitely the record we’ve spent the most time on. It’s going to be quite interesting. It’s the most varied album with a lot of elements on it. It’s quite exciting. I’m liking it. We don’t have any songs yet, but what we do have so far is magnificent.
FP: Any different instrumentation or production?
SRW: The biggest difference is we went into the studio with finished songs and without any demos. We started from scratch. We have no idea what it’s going to sound like, no idea what the instrumentation is going to be. Just taking it day by day to see what we feel like. And letting it grow. We don’t even know the songs. I couldn’t even sing one for you. It’s quite a different way of doing things.
Click the link for more!Gearing up for the October release of their album, In and Out of Control, the Danish... more
The Black Eyed Peas [click to read] still maintained a Top 5 spot with The E.N.D. [click to read] for the third straight week. Maxwell's Black Summer's Night moved from #1 to #2 in its second week, still scanning over six figures . The effort is the Neo-Soul singer's first in over eight years. The release was only eclipsed by the latest from chart-favorite Daughtry.
